The Mr. and Ms. Frankie awards honor the top senior male and female students at the University each academic year.

The 2016-17 winners will be announced at the President’s Awards Convocation on April 25 at JFK Auditorium.

The Mr. Frankie Award has been presented annually since 1936, with the exception of 1944 and 1945 because of World War II. The Ms. Frankie Award has been presented annually since 1962.

Gerald Cessna received the first Mr. Frankie award in 1936. The first female recipient of the Ms. Frankie award was Magdalene McAllister in 1962.

“This award is given to the senior students that not only show the best grades, sports and extracurricular activity (involvement), but is the best overall student,” said Donna Menis, chair of the Communications Department at Saint Francis and one of the organizers of the annual Awards Convocation.

Each spring, there is a preliminary ballot, which identifies eligible nominees, and then the final ballot, which determines the winners. The senior class, SFU’s faculty and professional staff choose the winners.

“This is the highest student award we give at the University,” said Menis.

Rob Krimmel, the head men’s basketball coach at Saint Francis, won the award in 2000.

“Winning the Frankie Award is a tremendous honor,” said Krimmel. “To be selected by your peers, your professors and the leaders of Saint Francis for what you have accomplished during your four years in Lorreto is very humbling.”

The finalists for the 2016-17 Ms. Frankie award are Tara Fritz, Irene Grysiak, Caitlin Kimberly, Rebecca Larkins, Allison Nedrow and Stephanie Wilson. The finalists for the Mr. Frankie award include Blaine Arney, Christopher Evans, Jordan Rouzer, Jared Saporito and Zachary Sterner.