MANSFIELD, Pa. – Field Hockey senior standout student-athlete Caitlin Beauduy was named Mansfield University's Outstanding senior, presented by President Dr. Charles Patterson at commencement on Saturday, May 17.
 
Seniors whose activities and accomplishments have brought recognition to themselves and to Mansfield University may be nominated for the Outstanding Senior Award. The Award is presented annually at Commencement, and the recipient is chosen by members of a faculty-student Award Selection Committee who review nominations from the various departments.

"This past weekend capped off an extraordinary four years for Caitlin Beauduy as she was honored by Mansfield University and Dr. Patterson," PSAC Field Hockey Coach of the Year Brittany Hansrote said. "Allowing her to be seated in the president's chair on the podium was a very honorable nod to her. Caitlin was so deserving of this, and her parents must have been so proud to see their daughter treated with such dignity and respect Saturday. What a defining moment for her."
 
To be nominated, the student must be a graduating senior of the current academic year, have at least a 3.0 grade point average, and have shown exemplary leadership and service to Mansfield University and the surrounding region. 14 students were nominated for the 2021 award.
 
Beauduy graduated with a degree in biology and a concentration in cell and molecular biology with a perfect 4.0 GPA. The New Cumberland, Pa. native was a four-year member and team captain of the Mountaineer field hockey team and held leadership positions with the Student Dietetic Association and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
 
She will pursue her passion for STEM and community outreach in medical school next fall, with plans to ultimately become an OB/GYN.
 
In August, Beauduy received a $4,000 research scholarship from the NASA Pennsylvania State Grant Consortium for her proposal on pancreatic cancer.
 
The funding supports Beauduy's continued investigation into the effect of T cells on solid pancreas tumors.
 
In April, Beauduy, mentored by Dr. Kristen Long, joined five Mansfield University Biology students to present their original research projects at the 52nd Annual Commonwealth of Pennsylvania University Biologists meeting at Shippensburg University via Zoom. The meeting drew nearly 50 research presentations by students across the PASSHE system.
 
Beauduy earned a second-place award for her presentation on "T-cell Presence During Tumor Development Influences Tumor Phenotype and Representations to Therapy."
 
"I can't say enough about Caitlin," Long stated. "She is entirely deserving of the title of Outstanding Senior, and I am honored to have been her advisor and mentor."
 
Last semester, Beauduy also presented her Mansfield-supported research at the 2nd Annual Developmental Biology New York Conference held in Ithaca, N.Y. (virtually). The conference included nearly 40 student presenters, at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral levels, from local through international universities.
 
Beauduy also presented her research at the Northeast Regional Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity Conference sponsored by the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, hosted virtually by Eastern Connecticut State University.
 
On the field, Beauduy was a captain on the first field hockey team to reach the postseason since 2010, while finishing the year with two assists and a defensive save.
 
At the 2019-20 Mountie Awards, Beauduy was named Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, Fall Iron Mountie of the Year, while bringing home the First Annual Mountaineer Creed Award for Scholarship. Beauduy was one of three Mountaineers to earn NFHCA Scholar of Distinction.
 
Beauduy is a PSAC, D2ADA Academic Achievement and President's List student-athlete.

"Caitlin exemplifies what it means to be a Mountie," Hansrote added. "She is so dedicated and hard-working and has earned every single achievement. When our bus broke down after our game at East Stroudsburg in 2019, she was the only person sitting in the grass studying; nothing was going to get in the way of her ultimate goals. She exudes excellence in all aspects of life and is such a fantastic representation of Mansfield University and our field hockey program. We are all so proud of her; future Dr. Caitlin Beauduy."
 
The following student-athletes were also nominated for the award:
 
Deshae N. Jones, Graphic Design, Softball
 
McKenna K. Russell, Forensic Psychology and Counseling, Softball
 
Jayden L. Walker, Social Work, Sprint Football