Randolph grad is top Vanderbilt senior

College honor forFabiani Duartealso thrills father

A Lacey's Spring man has been named the Top Senior for Vanderbilt University's Class of 2010.

Fabiani Duarte, a Randolph School graduate, was recently announced as the winner of the award during halftime of Vanderbilt's homecoming game.

Duarte was one of 75 seniors nominated by the Vanderbilt faculty and student government for the award. Each of the seniors was asked to submit an essay about accomplishments and future plans and was then interviewed by deans and the chancellor's staff.

Vanderbilt students were presented with 20 names and voted for the top 10, which included Tacara Harris of Huntsville.

At Vanderbilt's homecoming, the Top 10 Outstanding Seniors were individually recognized by Vanderbilt Chancellor Dr. Nicholas Zeppos. After he hung a memorial medal around each one's neck, they formed a semicircle on the football field. After a few remarks, Zeppos announced the Top Senior, which, to his father's delight, was Duarte.

"I was in the stadium with some friends," said his father, Alberto Duarte, who is from Colombia, South America. "It is no doubt that it has been one of the highest moments in my human life, as it was reflected in my immediate, spontaneous and joyful reaction while the chancellor continued his remarks about Fabiani's accomplishments.

"A few seconds later on, when I recovered my senses and everybody was giving him a standing ovation, I looked up and really deeply thanked our Lord, our Creator, for such a great blessing."

Duarte was born in Huntsville. At Randolph, he was founder of the first Randolph Optimist Club of Huntsville (ROC) and was also involved in several drama and theater presentations, including "Hello Dolly," Oklahoma" and "Grease." He was elected Southeastern representative of Thespians International as a junior and chairman as a senior.

He earned the Coca Cola Scholarship and the Activities Chancellor Scholarship. He will graduate in May 2010 with a degree in global communications and politics, a mix of of political science, communication studies, Spanish, French and Italian. He speaks all three languages - and English - fluently.