Twenty-nine Eastern graduate students will receive recognition for their achievements tonight in the Grand Ballroom at the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The ceremony, sponsored by the graduate student advisory council and the graduate school, will begin at 4:30 p.m.

“Each department will select one student from their program as an outstanding graduate student from 2002,” said Susan Hankenson, academic adviser in the graduate student office.

Several other awards will also be presented to distinguished students, faculty members and campus departments.

Thirteen students will receive the Larry Williams travel award, named after the former dean of the graduate school.

This award gives funds to students to travel and present their research at conferences, Hankenson said.

Six students are expected to receive research/creative activity awards, and two scholarships, named after Betty Wright-Downing and Frances Meyer-Hampton, will also be awarded.

A distinguished master’s thesis award and a thesis award of excellence will go out to graduate students at the ceremony, which plans to honor certain faculty members as well.

The outstanding faculty mentor award will be announced.

“This honor is given to one professor whom students nominated through letters, and students from the graduate student advisory center selected,” Hankenson said.

Two other special awards, including a graduate leaders award and an award of excellence, will be presented to two departments on campus.

The business administration department will receive the graduate leaders award, and Allen Lanham, dean of library services, and the Booth Library staff will receive the award of excellence.

A short social at 4 p.m. will feature hors d’oeuvres, a jazz combo performance and a slide presentation of the award winners.