Christian Lobdell of Buckley was one of nine spring graduates at Eastern Washington University to receive the Frances B. Huston Award, the most prestigious honor given by Eastern to a student.

The award honors Frances B. Huston’s commitment to education and student excellence at Eastern. It is given to graduating seniors for academic excellence and outstanding leadership qualities demonstrated at Eastern or in the community. Students must be nominated for the award by a faculty member and selected by the dean of his or her college.

The recipients were honored at a special reception on June 14, where they each received a medallion and certificate. They also received special recognition at commencement, which took place June 15 at Eastern.

Lobdell, the son of Rod and Kathy Lobdell of Buckley, graduated in 2009 from White River High School. At Eastern, he was the president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Club, a math tutor for the EWU Mathematics Department and a PLUS group facilitator. He interned at Avista in the summer of 2012 and was hired as a full-time network engineer.

Lobdell graduated from Eastern with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.