Distinguished Young Alumni Award

Theresa Stoddard '14 is no stranger to qualities of distinction. Voted "Best All Around" as a senior, Theresa understands what it takes to excel in a myriad of fields. After graduating from SBA in 2014, Theresa went on to attend The University of Alabama where she studied Anthropology and Spanish, a path that would lead her to new adventures across the world. In 2017, Theresa worked in Costa Rica for 5 months with a non-profit implementing nonviolence and human rights workshops with marginalized groups. The following year, Theresa was granted a Fulbright, one of the country's most prestigious academic awards, to Madrid, Spain where she led a human rights curriculum for high schoolers and took a model UN team through multiple conferences and even had a student chosen for the National Team. Theresa was also awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, The University of Alabama's highest undergraduate honor for leadership, service, and academic excellence. Theresa was a delegate to the Serbian Fellowship Exchange where she practiced her leadership in diplomatic and cultural simulations. After her year in Madrid, Theresa entered graduate school in Tampa, FL in Applied Medical Anthropology and was offered prestigious fellowships with the CDC and St. Jude, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She completed a qualitative research thesis exploring how COVID-19 and its social repercussions impacted the experiences of feminine individuals with eating and/or body image disorders After graduation, Theresa moved to Denver, CO where she started a job as a research consultant with Known. Theresa is engaged to fellow Memphian, Dr. Connor Nix, and owns an adorable cat, the true love of her life.

While a student at St. Benedict at Auburndale, Ryan Cobb '15 could be found achieving excellence in the classroom, on stage, or on the field. An active member on campus, Ryan was well-known for his ability to excel and achieve distinction in whatever he did. During his junior year of high school, Ryan shared took his talents and knowledge abroad to study in Germany for the year. Since his graduation in 2015, Ryan has enjoyed the opportunity to progress in the same pursuits that occupied his time while at SBA. His interest in physics, musical theater, and the German language accompanied him to Mississippi State University, where he was an avid member of the Space Cowboys rocket team, studied classical piano, and worked as a research intern in Dresden, Germany. He currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama, where he works as a contractor for NASA Marshall, supporting the mission analysis and flight mechanics efforts for the upcoming Space Launch System Artemis missions, which will return humankind to the Moon sometime this decade. In his spare time, Ryan continues to run and utilize the skills learned while on the SBA Cross Country team. He is especially grateful for all his former St. Benedict at Auburndale educators who were always available to answer his endless questions.