College of Arts and Sciences

John Henry Lawton Award

communication department

Dr. John Henry Lawton came to Boston College in 1960 after earning a doctorate in Rhetorical Studies at the University of Iowa. After coaching the Fulton Debating Society to national prominence, Dr. Lawton returned to the faculty and served as chair of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre from 1963 until 1980.

When Dr. Lawton died in 1983, friends and colleagues contributed to a memorial fund that was administered by Boston College. Over the next decade, the fund doubled in value and it was eventually decided to use the interest to support the John Henry Lawton Award for the outstanding Communication major in the graduating class.

The winner of the John Henry Lawton Award is announced at the Communication Honors ceremony held during spring semester. The Lawton Award is formally presented at the College of Arts and Sciences Awards Ceremony on the Sunday before graduation.

The winners of the Lawton Award include:

2011

Cara Christ
Stephanie Fernandes

2010

Blair E. Marsh
Margaret N. Rulli

2009

Cooley A. Horner
Alicia M. Parmentier

2008

Kimberly Rose Walsh
Lauren Brett Zaccone

2007

Christopher J. Hunker

2006

Leslie A. Abbott
Susan L. Berube







2010
Blair E. Marsh

alicia-parmentier

2009
Alicia Parmentie

christopher-hunker

2007
Christopher Hunker





2010
Margaret N. Rulli

kinmberly-walsh

2008
Kimberly Rose Walsh

leslie-labbott

2006
Leslie Abbott

cooley-horner

2009
Cooley Horner

lauren-zaccone

2008
Lauren Brettt Zaccone

susan-berube

2006
Susan Berube