April 20, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. - Owen Marecic, who started at both linebacker and fullback on Stanford's Orange Bowl-winning team this past season, was one of 10 winners of the 2011 Deans' Award for Academic Accomplishment.
The award, now in its 24th year, is given to extraordinary undergraduates deserving of attention from the Stanford community for their intellectual accomplishments. Nominations are submitted by faculty and staff members who work closely with undergraduates in their academic endeavors. Selection of finalists is made by a committee established by the deans of the three schools which offer undergraduate degrees -- Earth Sciences, Engineering, and Humanities and Sciences.
Marecic is a senior majoring in human biology with academic interests in a variety of disciplines. He was honored for his academic achievement in his major and dedication to studying both microbiology and virology. Marecic has excelled in a rigorous academic curriculum while balancing his commitment as a varsity student-athlete and has shown promise in both writing and discourse. He has begun preparation for a career in the medical sciences and plans on continued exploration of his interest in public health.
Marecic has excelled academically while garnering numerous accolades as a standout member of Stanford's football team. He has also quietly given his time and energy to a variety of worthy causes, including the "Locks for Love" program for individuals undergoing chemotherapy.
The Deans' Award was created in 1988 by Tom Wasow when he was dean of undergraduate studies. Wasow is now a professor of linguistics and philosophy. In reflecting on the motivation for establishing the Deans' Awards, Wasow explained that "Students receive recognition at Stanford for so many of their accomplishments in areas such as athletics and service, but, except for commencement awards, most academic achievements are a private matter. We created this award to celebrate some of the exceptional scholarly achievements of our undergraduate students and to bring them campus-wide recognition."
Undergraduate Advising and Research contributed to this release