Cameron student honored with inaugural Pioneer Award by Phi Kappa Phi

Natalie Martin, a senior accounting major at Cameron University, is one of 50 students nationwide selected to receive the Pioneer Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

A resident of Lawton, she was initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, earlier this year.

The Pioneer Award, in its inaugural year, is designed to encourage and reward undergraduate members for developing the research, engagement and leadership skills necessary to become a successful scholar. Martin and the other recipients were selected based on academic achievement, honors and awards, relevant research experience, service and leadership experience both on and off campus, a personal statement and letter of recommendation, according to a press release.

Martin has consistently earned placement on the President’s Honor Roll, maintaining a 4.0 gpa in all CU classes. She holds a 3.84 overall gpa with all college credits from other universities combined. She graduated magna cum laude with an Associate in Science degree in Business in May 2023 and anticipates completing degree requirements for a Bachelor of Accounting degree in December.

Martin was a member of the winning team at the 2022 Undergraduate Government Finance Case Challenge, a national competition sponsored by the Association of Government Accountants (AGA). She is also one of the 15 nationwide recipients of AGA’s 2023 National Collegiate Leadership Scholarship Program, which enabled her to attend the organization’s National Leadership Training in Washington, D.C. Martin also received a $1,000 general scholarship for the 2023-24 school year from the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Through her Governmental Accounting course, Martin was part of a team that created the top-ranked Citizen-Centric Report for the City of Lawton that helps provide transparency between the government and its citizens in a visually appealing way. She and her teammates were officially recognized by the Office of the Mayor for the project.

As an active member of CU’s Accounting club, Martin assisted in the planning and coordination of the university’s Vet Fest and participated in writing postcards of appreciation to local veterans as part of Operation Gratitude. She volunteered for the club’s holiday gift-wrapping event as well as for the Pet Supplies Drop Project for the Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County. She also has volunteered for the Lawton Kiwanis Club by setting up and serving pancakes at the club’s annual fundraiser.

Prior to transferring to Cameron, Martin attended the University of Oklahoma, where she was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, an international women’s organization. As the group’s director of academic achievement, she planned and implemented events to reward academic success, which gave her experience in organization and management of large amounts of data, public speaking, and maintaining confidentiality. She also was active in the chapter’s community service projects, which included participation in Relay for Life and Meals on Wheels.

Martin is a student member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Association of Government Accountants, and the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants.