Murray State University announces spring 2026 Outstanding Senior recipients

MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University has named Eliza Heinrich, Silas Jackson and Abigail Santos as the recipients of the spring 2026 Outstanding Senior recognition. Students recognized with this honor are known for their academic excellence and professionalism. 

Eliza Heinrich, the child of Arik and Heather Heinrich, of Hixson, Tennessee, will earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

A 3.85 GPA student, Heinrich is a recipient of the Presidential Fellowship, an Honors College ambassador, a member of the Honors Student Council, a Murray State student ambassador, a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, a member of the Panhellenic Council and co-founder and vice president of Young and Young at Heart, which is a club dedicated to matching college students with older adults within the community in order to foster intergenerational connections and promote wellness in the older adult community.

Heinrich is a seasoned researcher, having published her first article, “Sense of Purpose, Reduced Stress and Connection as Protective Factors for Longevity: An Exploration of Barrier” in the American Journal of Health Education in July 2024. Her second article, “An Appreciative Inquiry Into Protective Lifestyle Factors For Longevity” was published in Educational Gerontology in March 2026. 

She also already has hands-on experience entering the workforce, having interned in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in the summer of 2025 and working as a technical support specialist at Northwest Tennessee Psychological Services since 2022.

After graduation, Heinrich plans to work as a nurse in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I am incredibly honored to be named as one of the Outstanding Seniors this year,” Heinrich said. “These past four years have been the most incredible years of my life. Murray State has provided me with endless ways to step out of my comfort zone, while also providing me the support to succeed. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have been given through my research, my study abroad experience, the honors college, my clinical experiences and my sorority to grow and change into the person that I am today. While I am sad that my time here at Murray is over, I know that I am lucky to love Murray State so much that it is this hard to say goodbye. ”

Silas Jackson, the child of Ashley Pogue and Kelly Jackson, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, will earn a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in accounting.

A 3.97 GPA student, Jackson is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society and was selected for the Racer Leadership Institute. He also served as vice president of the University’s Economics and Finance Society. Jackson has been actively involved in the Murray State University Student Government Association since 2022 and served as director of government relations from 2024 to 2025. In this role, he acted as the primary student liaison for University legislative affairs and successfully advocated for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program bill alongside the University President during the 2025 legislative session at the state Capitol.

Jackson has been a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity since 2022 and served as vice president and chapter president. In these roles, he led a 100-member chapter to national recognition with the Buchanan Outstanding Chapter Award and directed philanthropic initiatives raising more than $15,000 while maintaining the highest fraternity GPA on campus.

Jackson was selected for the Governor’s Scholars Program at Centre College in the summer of 2021. He studied abroad in Regensburg, Germany, in the fall of 2023, in Turkey in the summer of 2025 and in Ireland during spring break 2026. He also gained hands-on industry experience with an internship at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in the summer of 2025.

After graduation, Jackson plans to pursue a career in banking.

“I am honored to have been named an Outstanding Senior for 2026,” Jackson said. “Choosing to attend Murray State University is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I am grateful for the many opportunities provided through the College of Business, Education Abroad and student organizations across campus. I am especially thankful to the professors, staff and advisors who have supported and challenged me throughout my time here and helped shape my college experience. Murray State is truly a special place, and I will always be grateful to be part of the Racer Family and everything that makes it the Finest Place We Know.”

Abigail Santos, the child of Brenn and Norma Santos, of Versailles, Kentucky, will earn a bachelor’s degree in biology/pre-medicine with minors in chemistry and psychology.

A 3.85 GPA student, Santos is a recipient of the Presidential Fellowship, an Honors College ambassador, a member of the President’s and Dean’s List since 2022 and a former Ms. Murray State University Scholarship Pageant contestant. She has earned several awards during her college career, including Most Outstanding Student Researcher Award, Outstanding Senior in Biology Award, Rising Star in Biology Award, first place poster winner at the South Carolina IDeA Biomedical Research Conference in September 2023 and Sigma Xi’s second place undergraduate research poster winner in April 2024.

Santos has served as both president and vice president of the Murray State University Running Club; president, vice president and public relations (PR) specialist for Murray State University Pre-Health Professionals; class representative, fundraising committee chair, community service committee member and PR committee member for the Honors Student Council; and outreach team member and inreach team member for the Baptist Campus Ministry. She enjoys volunteering for the Children’s Ministry at Hardin Baptist Church, influencing her interest in pursuing pediatrics as a medical specialty.

Santos also volunteered more than 200 hours to a MEDLIFE Service Learning Trip in Cusco, Peru, in January 2025. In addition, she has gained clinical experience through the Area Health Education Center Rural Community Health Scholars Program in the summer of 2023 and the College Rural Scholars Program through the University of Louisville School of Medicine in the summers of 2024 and 2025.

After graduation, Santos plans to attend the University of Louisville School of Medicine on the Trover Rural Track, dedicating her time to serving underserved communities.

“It is such a blessing to have been named as one of the Outstanding Seniors for the class of 2026! Murray State has provided me with so many opportunities both inside and outside of my major, and I wholeheartedly believe that these experiences have helped shape me into who I am and who I will be in the future,” Santos said. “The incredible faculty, especially in the Biology Department, have not only offered guidance, but have shown me how much they care about my success. I am forever grateful for the people I’ve met and the community I’ve made, and I will cherish my time here for the rest of my life.”

Spring 2026 commencement ceremonies for associate and baccalaureate degree candidates will take place on Friday, May 8 at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Saturday, May 9 at 9 a.m. A commencement ceremony for master’s, specialist and doctoral degree candidates will take place on Saturday, May 9 at 1 p.m. All ceremonies will be held in Racer Arena on Murray State’s campus. Tickets are required for all commencement ceremonies. Please visit murraystate.edu/commencement for additional information.