NATCHEZ &045; A Cathedral High School graduate and graduating senior at the University of Mississippi, Mary Elizabeth McGehee was awarded the university’s highest honor &045; the Taylor Medal &045; on April 3.

McGehee was recognized for outstanding scholarships in a particular field and superior work in all other subjects.

Of all graduating seniors for the fall and spring semesters, only 1 percent of students are chosen to receive the Taylor Medal. About 30 students were chosen this year to receive the honor.

&uot;It kind of sums up everything because all the other accomplishments lead to that,&uot; McGehee said about the honor.

McGehee was presented by one of her biochemistry teachers to the School of Liberal Arts for nomination.

To be eligible to receive the medal, a student must have a grade-point average of 3.80 or higher, be a senior and have completed at least 18 semester hours in the school or college in which the nomination originates. August and December graduates are included for consideration each year.

A former resident of Natchez, McGehee is studying biochemistry and psychology at Ole Miss and is planning to attend Emory Medical School in Atlanta with her fianc, Andrew Taylor.

McGehee has been on the chancellor’s honor roll every year, a member of the Associated Student Body, Kappa Delta Sorority and Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi academic honor societies.

During this summer, McGehee is hoping to work in the biochemistry department at UM and is also getting married.

McGehee is the daughter of Ross Dunbar McGehee of Natchez and Margaret Williams Feagans of Stafford, Va.

Dr. William A. Taylor of Booneville founded the Marcus Elvis Taylor Memorial in June 1904, at UM &uot;out of affection and regard for the memory of his son, the late Dr. Marcus Elvis Taylor, an honored alumnus of the university, of the class of 1871, and out of benevolent regard and good will for the youth of the state and interest and work of The University of Mississippi, and for the encouragement of meritorious scholarship and deportment,&uot; according to a press release.