April 1, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Yael Averbuch, a member of the UNC women's soccer team, and Mark Paschal, a member of the Carolina football team, are among 29 inductees into the Order of the Golden Fleece, the University's oldest and highest honorary society. The society, founded in 1904, announced its 2009 honorees on Monday. Also among the inductees is J.J. Raynor, UNC's student body president and a former member of the Tar Heel fencing team.
Inductees are juniors, seniors and graduate students who have made a significant, lasting contribution to the University, and others who have made a significant contribution to undergraduate student life.
Averbuch is a senior psychology major from Upper Montclair, N.J. Paschal is a senior from Charlotte majoring in management and society. Raynor, another senior from Charlotte, is working toward a double major in economics and peace, war and defense.
The following citations were read for Averbuch, Paschal and Raynor as part of the annoucement:
Yael Friedman Averbuch: For her unyielding commitment to the sport of soccer, her team and the University. As a student athlete Yael has excelled on and off the soccer team, leading the women's soccer team to two National Championship titles while simultaneously maintaining her status as a top student. She was recently named a recipient of the Today's Top VIII, an award given to the eight most
deserving student athletes in all three divisions of NCAA competition, and has received almost every accolade in women's soccer including National Player of the Year. The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame also named her the 2009 Marty Glickman Outstanding Jewish Female Scholastic Athlete of the Year. Her stand-up character, commitment to academics and community serves as a model for all students--athletes and non-athletes alike.
For these and other accomplishments, the Order of the Golden Fleece proudly taps Yael Averbuch.
Mark Richard Paschal: For his embodiment of the Carolina spirit and his leadership on and off the football field. Mark played in forty-seven consecutive games as a linebacker and on special teams in his four years of Division I football, earning second-team All-ACC honors as team captain his senior year. Leading the team with 103 tackles, Mark was named Most Valuable defensive player in 2008. Even in the face of a career ending injury, Mark has continued to serve as a role model for his teammates by putting into perspective the importance of a full and healthy life. His determination and hard work have earned him the respect and admiration of his coaches, teammates and Carolina fans. The model he provides has raised the bar for future players' commitments to campus community and academics.
For these and other accomplishments, the Order of the Golden Fleece proudly taps
Mark Paschal.
Jessica Jewitt "J.J." Raynor: For her brave and tireless commitment to the University and Chapel Hill community as student body president.
In her role as student body president, J.J. achieved almost every platform point enumerated in her student body president platform, the longest platform ever. J.J. has co-chaired a special subcommittee of the Board of Trustees, Carolina: the Best Place to Teach, Learn, and Discover, which developed a comprehensive strategy for coping with long-term changes, such a enrollment growth, physical expansion and faculty retirement. J.J. has exhibited the utmost grace and dedication in carrying out the "big idea" projects of former Student Body President Eve Carson including the implementation of a junior-year scholarship named in Eve's memory. Finally, J.J. has worked exceptionally hard to reach out to Chapel Hill leadership in addressing issues of lighting, safe transit and town-gown relationships, making Chapel Hill a safer home for all residents.
For these and other accomplishments, the Order of the Golden Fleece proudly taps J.J. Raynor.
The 2009 Order of the Golden Fleece inductees are:
Danielle Maria Allen
Yael Friedman Averbuch
Fahmida Azad
Jeffrey Sanjay Chen
Carina Daniela Cortese
Todd William Dalrymple
Emma Rachel Lawrence
Mark Richard Paschal
Cameron Lindsey Randall
Jessica Jewett "J.J." Raynor
Emily Joy Rothchild
Aisha Ihab Saad
Lauren Esther Slive
Elinor Benami
David Joseph Bevevino
Thomas Strother Edwards
Clarence Lanier "Tripp" Gobble
Jasmin Mariel Jones
Erin Miyoko Marubashi
Margaret Marie West
Samuel Peter Wurzelmann
Elizabeth Kathleen "Katie" Borders
David Scott Hudson
Sue Owens Klapper
Dr. Richard Kohn
Jonathan T.M. Reckford
Dr. Oliver Smithies
For more on the Order of the Golden Fleece, click here.
