Student Nick Wilder receives 1st Presidential Heritage Award

Student Nick Wilder, right, with Vice President for Institutional Advancement Britt Davis.
BUIES CREEK — Campbell University student Nick Wilder was presented with the university’s first Presidential Heritage Award during the Connections’ Founders Week service Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Turner Auditorium.
The award honors an undergraduate student who embodies Campbell pride and who carries on the vision of Founding President J.A. Campbell through leadership and service.
“I am extremely honored to receive this award,” said Wilder, a senior economics major. “To be recognized as having the qualities of the great men who built Campbell University into what it is today is extremely humbling. I am involved in so many things at Campbell simply because I love the school and am passionate about seeing it and its students thrive.”
Faculty and staff nominated students for the award. The Founders Week Planning Committee selected several finalists, and President Jerry M. Wallace chose the final honoree.
“When I consider all of the other extremely qualified and exceptional students that were nominated, this award is even more important to me,” Wilder said. 
Shahriar Mostashari, associate dean for external relations and professor of business with the School of Business, nominated Wilder for the award. In nominating him, Mostashari wrote: “Nick has been extremely generous with his time, talent, and energy, unselfishly serving on numerous school and community organizations and clubs. . . .
“Nick is an excellent example of a leader, following in the footsteps of Campbell’s great presidents.”
At Campbell Wilder is involved with the Student Government Association, Fellowship for Christian Athletes, and Campus Outreach, a campus ministry organization. He also is a School of Business mentor, voluntarily tutors other business and economics students, and is the founding president of the newly-formed Financial and Investing Club, which plans to teach courses about financial literacy and personal finance to high school students.
He also walked on to the Campbell men’s soccer team in the spring of 2014, and continues to be heavily involved in intramurals.
Academically, Wilder is a Presidential Scholar and has made the President’s and Dean’s List every semester. He is also a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society for economics, and Pi Gamma Mu, the international honor society in social science.
Beyond Campbell, Wilder has assisted Redemption Hill Church, in Erwin, in preparing Thanksgiving meals for a low-income neighborhood; and he traveled to Costa Rica in the summer of 2013 for a mission trip. He worked with other volunteers to host soccer camps for underprivileged children and helped build a sidewalk for a church.
“All in all, Nick’s sincere personality and pleasant demeanor, outstanding service track record, proven leadership talent, and devotion to Campbell University as a student today, and a loyal alumnus in the future are exceptional, rare, and deserving of this prestigious award,” Mostashari wrote.