Urban Recognized with Thayer Award for Academic Excellence at Lander University

GREENWOOD, S.C. — Olivia Urban, of Iva, has been honored with the prestigious Thayer Award as the standout student in Lander University’s Fall graduating class of 2023. This esteemed accolade is bestowed each year upon the graduating student with the highest grade point average (GPA).

Urban achieved a flawless 4.0, earning an  “A” in every course sheundertook. Her exceptional academic performance led to her graduation with summa cum laude honors, and she was alsopresented with the Golden L Award during Lander’s Commencement Ceremony on December 13. 

During the ceremony, Urban was awarded her diploma, symbolizing the successful completion of academic requirements for the attainment of a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Health Care Management, along with a minor in Entrepreneurship. 

The Thayer Award pays tribute to the legacy of civic leader Henry K. Thayer, who served as president of Thayer’s, Inc. of Greenwood for numerous years. A U.S. Army major during World War II, Thayer died in 2006.

Photo by Randy Pace