Rebecca Hill was at the head of this year’s graduating class from Canadian Mennonite University.

Hill, a 21-year-old music graduate of CMU, was one of two recipients of the prestigious President’s Medal, which honours the school’s best and brightest students.

"Out of the 78 grads there was two people that got the medal and it was an honour for me to be one of them," the Headingley resident said.

The medal was presented to Hill by retiring CMU president Dr. Gerald Gerbrandt during the school’s April 21 graduation ceremony.

 "Each year CMU awards the President’s Medal to two students recognizing their qualities of scholarship, leadership and service," Gerbrandt said.

"The President’s Medal award serves to recognize and celebrate students graduating with a CMU baccalaureate degree that represents the best ideals of the mission and vision of CMU."

Gerbrandt added that the selection process focuses on students whose academic achievements are matched by their personal growth as well as potential in the practical application of their education.

Hill has already done a good job of applying what she has learned at the school. In addition to teaching music lessons in her community, she works with the Living Bible Explorers inner-city children’s ministry.

"I volunteer with the Bible Explorers throughout the year and was camp director two years in a row," she said.

Interestingly, Hill didn’t originally plan on spending much time at CMU.

"I started here just because it was close to home," she recalled. "I was planning to go to the University of Manitoba, but missed the cutoff date for auditions and was planning to only attend CMU for my first year."

Hill eventually fell in love with the campus and decided there was nowhere else she would rather obtain her undergraduate degree.

"I stayed because I really enjoyed it," she said. "I liked the fact that they had small classes and all the professors were really friendly and you get to know them really well."

Now with her first degree and a medal to her credit, Hill is planning to attend the University of Winnipeg to obtain her education degree, and hopes to become a music teacher in the future.

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