Annika Kilbo
Annika Kilbo was named the recipient of Lee University’s 2023 Zeno C. Tharp Award and was recognized for this honor during a special chapel service.
The Zeno C. Tharp Award is given annually to the Lee senior who shows the greatest promise of making a significant contribution to the Church. Established in 1955, the award is named in honor of the sixth president of Lee, who served from 1935-44. Each department may nominate one student for the award, and a winner is selected by faculty vote from the group of nominees.
“The Department of Natural Sciences is pleased to have Annika Kilbo represent the Tharp Award,” said Dr. Paul DeLaLuz, chair of the department. “It may seem odd that a science major would be selected for the award intended to impact the Kingdom of God, but we think it is natural when you realize Annika’s calling to bring living water, both physically clean and spiritually nurturing, to those in need.”
Ms. Kilbo is graduating this May with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in chemistry. Upon graduation, Ms. Kilbo hopes to gain acceptance into the Samaritan’s Purse Global Internship Program and be the organization’s WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) intern. After her internship, she wants to work at an independent ministry serving Burmese refugees in Thailand for four months.
“Years ago, on a chapel's carpet floor, God called me to devote my life to full-time missions work,” said Ms. Kilbo. “This was devastating as I was to sacrifice a lifelong passion of science for church planting. God had a different plan. Doors slowly opened through internships, jobs, and research for God to show me that I will use science to bring tangible drinking water alongside the ‘living water’ of Jesus Christ.”
During her last two years at Lee, Ms. Kilbo has served as a resident assistant for Livingston and Keeble halls. Since 2021, she has worked as an assistant laboratory manager for Lee’s science and math departments. She has also been involved in ESL (English as a Second Language) outreach, fundraising for various missions, and volunteering with youth and kids' programs.
Ms. Kilbo has vast experience within her field, working as a biological intern for Catawba River Keepers and a chemical intern for Siegwerk Inks, both during her time at Lee. She has also conducted scientific research through the Hiwassee Watershed Assessment and the Jacob’s Fork Pollutant Assessment.
“We hope that all Lee students incorporate their God-given talents to do Kingdom work, and Annika is a shining example of this goal,” said Dr. DeLaLuz.
Annika Kilbo, this year’s Zeno C. Tharp Award winner, with the Au Sable School of Environmental Studies doing macroinvertebrate sampling to get an index of stream habitat health.