The unveiled the of the Thursday. music student G Schmiedeke was part of the fourth cohort of outstanding students.
鈥淭he Remington Williams Award is the highest honor the Board of Curators bestows upon students and pays tribute to one of the best and brightest students I had the opportunity to know,鈥 said Todd Graves, chair of the UM Board of Curators. 鈥淭hese seven students 鈥 through their academic achievement, leadership and character 鈥 have met the high bar he set and established legacies of their own at their respective universities and across the entire UM System. We鈥檙e proud to recognize their achievements.鈥
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The award is named in honor of , whose life was tragically taken by a drunk driver in 2022. Williams had just earned his juris doctor from the , and he was also pursuing his MBA as a member of the inaugural cohort of UMSL鈥檚 . He was a highly engaged student during his time in the University of Missouri System, serving as the student representative to the Board of Curators since 2020.
In 2023, the Board of Curators established the Remington R. Williams Award to honor Williams鈥 legacy and recognize exceptional student leaders who exemplify and share many of his leadership qualities. The prestigious award is presented to seven students each year: one each from UMSL, UMKC and the , as well as four from the .
As part of the award, recipients will also receive $1,000 and a student-designed medal to be worn at commencement.
Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and make an impact on their respective institutions, inspiring growth and development of fellow students in both academics and extracurricular activities and exhibiting outstanding character and collaborative spirit.
Schmiedeke embodies these traits, serving as a musical and social leader in several ensembles including the , , and . In February, Schmiedeke was one of six UMSL students chosen to perform with at the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference.
In addition to being a skilled musician with both the violin and bass, Schmiedeke is also a dedicated mentor who supports academic success within the department. Schmiedeke tutors students in aural skills, music theory and piano and regularly leads group study sessions before finals.
That commitment to music education and lifting up others extends to the 最新杏吧原创 community, as well. Schmiedeke works as a tutor with 鈥 a partner organization of the 鈥 teaching individual and group lessons on violin, viola and bass. Schmiedeke also volunteers with the as a bass teacher and with Hazelwood West High School in a variety of roles including AP music theory tutor, pit orchestra assistant for the spring musical and percussion technician with the marching band.
鈥淭hrough academic excellence, leadership, mentorship and community service, G Schmiedeke represents the highest ideals of the university and is exceptionally deserving of this recognition,鈥 wrote , chair of the UMSL Department of Music, in her nomination letter.

