College News

Hannah Merchant wins Pamela J. Cooper Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the Year Award

BLUFFTON, S.C. — Each spring, University of South Carolina Beaufort honors outstanding students through the university’s Spring Academic Awards ceremony. Hannah Merchant is the 2022 Pamela J. Cooper Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the Year.

“A native of Big Run, and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Hannah Merchant’s impeccable work ethic and commitment to excellence in and out of the classroom makes her truly worthy of this special award,” the university said in a news release. “An exemplary role model as a student and a parent, Hannah’s ability to successfully navigate her roles as a student, wife and mother speaks volumes about her character.”

She served as a

Corporal in the Marine Corps from 2014-2018; she and her husband, Myles — an active-duty USMC drill instructor —have two children, Aveline (5) and Waylon (2). As a senior communication studies major, Hannah has maintained a high GPA and is a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s official honor society. She has consistently gone over and above in her service to the communication studies program through her work on the “By The River” author series program and to the university as a social media specialist in the USCB Communications Department.

“We are very excited about her next project as an associate producer of new SCETV’s production, ‘After Action,’ profiling veterans from around the country who are dealing with the effects of PTSD,” the university’s news release said. “The communication studies faculty is extremely proud to recognize Hannah as our 2022 Pamela J. Cooper Communication Studies Student of the Year Award.”