2024 Rockville Honors and Awards Convocation

Throughout his tenure at Montgomery College, Mr. Nair has consistently showcased exceptional academic prowess and leadership. His unwavering commitment to both academic excellence and community service is truly commendable.

Mr. Nair's dedication to academic excellence is evident through his impressive GPA of 3.94 and his inclusion on the Dean’s List. His active participation in the Macklin Business Institute (MBI) program demonstrates his commitment to academic success and experiential learning.

Additionally, Mr. Nair has exhibited exemplary leadership and service within and beyond the college community. His involvement in the EPA Make a Market Tech Challenge, where he achieved second place nationally, showcases his ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. Additionally, his leadership roles in student organizations such as the Student Investment Club and the Montgomery College Enactus Chapter underscore his dedication to empowering his peers and fostering positive change.

Furthermore, Mr. Nair's internships at esteemed organizations like PwC Consulting and NASDAQ reflect his commitment to professional growth and community service. His work in regulatory compliance administration at NASDAQ demonstrates his dedication to upholding integrity and fairness in the finance industry.

In conclusion, Mr. Rasheevan Nair's exceptional academic achievements, leadership qualities, and commitment to service make him a deserving candidate for the 2024 Presidential Academic Excellence Award. His dedication to social justice, coupled with his outstanding academic achievements, make him an exemplary candidate for this prestigious award. 

Excellence in Applied Geography (Nominated by Professor Tanya Allison)
Ethan Boroskin
Ethan is all about geography! His passion, dedication, curiosity, enthusiasm and engagement in the field is leading him down the path for a successful future in discipline.

Excellence in Cartography & Geographic Information Systems Award (Nominated by Professor Tara Wallace)
Thomas Van Patten
Thomas' accomplishments demonstrate excellence in cartography & GIS. His creativity, attention to detail, and mapping skills result in quality projects and assignments.

Outstanding Student Award in Cartography & Geographic Information Systems (Nominated by Professor Tara Wallace)
Allison Gershon 
Allison is a student determined to learn the material and submit creative products using the different software tools. Her work has improved over her semesters of study.

Patrick Hixenbaugh
Patrick has demonstrated motivation, focus, and creativity in the design and production of his cartographic products.

Hae Youn (Esther) Lee
Esther has continually grown as a student. Throughout her studies she exhibits an interest in the subject matter and performs above average on her cartographic assignments and projects. 

Peter Routson
Peter always accepts the challenge in order to produce quality projects and assignments, while learning the material to produce a creative map.

Excellence in Art History Award (Nominated by Professor Elizabeth Melanson)
Isabel M. Caride
Isabel is an exceptional student with remarkably diverse interests in art, architecture, fashion, film, theology, journalism, and gender studies. While her intellectual curiosity and creativity are vast, she is a focused and serious student who will contribute great things to the discipline of Art History.

Excellence in Ceramics Award (Nominated by Professor Sara Parent-Ramos)
Kelly Y. Han
Kelly demonstrates both creativity and determination in her artistic explorations. Her positive attitude and willingness to engage with others has been a welcome addition to the ceramics studio. 

Excellence in Design Award (Nominated by Professor Judy Stone)
Sophie McCardle 
Sophie is an outstanding and innovative student with immeasurable potential. Sorin deserves this award because of excellence in 2d and 3d design. 

Excellence in Drawing Award (Nominated by Professor Tendai Johnson)
Kendra Marlar
Kendra is an outstanding student who is hardworking and consistent in her creative investigations. She sets a standard of excellence in all class discussions as well as in her commitment to her work.

Excellence in Jewelry and Metalsmithing Award (Nominated by Professor Lucy Derickson)
Jessica Hunter-Hinsvark
Jessica is an outstanding student, who is driven by curiosity, dedicated to learning, and practices excellent craftsmanship. She spends as much time in the studio as possible and is a friend to our whole MC Metals community. 

Excellence in Painting Award (Nominated by Professor Sumita Kim)
Lex Recinos
Lex has grown as an artist remarkably during his study at MC. He is interested in exploring psychological themes such as transformation and distortion, and his paintings are emotionally powerful and thought provoking. 

Excellence in Printmaking Award (Nominated by Professor John Carr)
Stephen M. Durkin
Stephen is hard working and devoted to Printmaking as his primary media. He has exhibited works created in my classes in several national juried exhibitions.  

Excellence in Biology Award
Rio Miura (Nominated by Drs. K. Rebecca Thomas and Evdokia Kastanos)
Rio is a Biological Sciences student who is graduating this semester with top grades. According to her SCIR 297 professor, she's also an excellent research student who thinks like a scientist and can adapt biological experiments to different contexts.

Benjamin Payot (Nominated by Drs. K. Rebecca Thomas and Gina Wesley)
Ben is an Environmental Science and Policy student who excels in his biology courses. According to a current professor, he has shown extraordinary growth in interdisciplinary thinking, especially with respect to applying data science principles from MATH 217 to his biology and research courses.

Excellence in Business Award
Cristian Benavides (Nominated by Professor Ali Alavi)
In addition to being an excellent business student, Cristian has contributed to the development and implementation of community service projects. Cristian and his teammates won the first place-award of the MC Business Ethics Case Competition in fall 2023. 

Corey Conner (Nominated by Professors David Youngberg and Brian Baick)
Corey's participation was always thoughtful and consistent. He did by far and away the best on the main paper for course, drawing a clever link between the housing crisis and the opioid epidemic.

Alma Delgado (Nominated by Professors David Youngberg and Jeff Hillard)
Alma is a nontraditional student and mother who took the honors macroeconomic course even though she didn't need to. She excelled in that course, achieving the highest grade in the section. Highest Grade in ACCT 221 section with outstanding class participation and team leadership. 

Khanh Vi Doan (Nominated by Professors Hoa Nguyen and Brian Baick)
Vi is an exceptional student, and she has been active at Montgomery College and in multiple community organizations. Her team also won 1st place in the MC Business Ethics competition.

Felicia Folly (Nominated by Professors David Youngberg and Brian Baick)
Felicia has not only excelled academically but in service to the community.  She would even re-explain ideas to the students who were still struggling with the concept. It was like having a teacher's aide sometimes!

Ivy Kariuki (Nominated by Professor Linda Fontaine)
Ivy is a winner in the Business Case Competition. Ivy is astute, adept, disciplined, and has demonstrated the ability to work well with others. Ivy stood out among her peers because of the excellent work ethic. She is a high-level thinker, independent, strong, responsible, and an excellent written and oral communicator.

Sayakoyoshie Koga (Nminated by Professor Ali Alavi)
Sayako has excelled academically. She has also enhanced her MC experience by participating in extracurricular activities such as the Capsim simulations and other business-related experiential learning activities.

Aayusha Kunwar (Nominated by Professor Maurice Shihadi)
Ayusha stands out for her exceptional work ethic and commitment to continuous improvement. Her consistent attendance, active participation in class discussions, and timely completion of assignments showcase her dedication to academic success.

Gina Paola Leon Alarcon (Nominated by Professor Maurice Shihadi)
Gina consistently achieves top scores in our Business class, demonstrating a strong grasp of business fundamentals and attention to detail. Her dedication to learning and problem-solving sets an inspiring example for her peers.

Phuong Linh Nguyen (Nominated by Professor Ali Alavi)
Linh is truly an exemplary student. In addition, she has been actively participating in business related experiential learning activities at the Rockville campus.

Emily Owens (Nominated by Professor Jeff Hillard)
Emily has the highest grade in ACCT 221 section with outstanding class participation and team leadership.

Andrej Popov (Nominated by Professor Jeff Hillard)
Andrej is a very dedicated student in ACCT 221 and 222 with outstanding participation and teamwork. He is the Semi Finalist in First Annual MC Business Ethics Competition.

Emelia Quartey (Nominated by Professor Ali Alavi)
Emelia demonstrates curiosity beyond the basic course requirements and a passion for learning. Also, she has been actively involved in extracurricular activities.

Thorben  Reuter (Nominated by Professor Brian Baick)
Thorben is an outstanding student who excelled in accounting. He has been active in the Grounds to Ground project at the MBI Café, which is a program aimed at repurposing used coffee grounds to be used as fertilizer in our community.

Franck Tchana (Nominated by Professor Linda Fontaine)
Frank proved to be an excellent communicator—written and spoken, astute, adept, disciplined, and demonstrated his ability to work well with others. Franck stood out among his peers because immediately following class, he often engaged me in conversations about topics that were covered, or asked questions about assignments.

Seamus Worden (Nominated by Professor Maurice Shihadi)
Seamus exemplifies dedication and discipline in his studies. His meticulous note-taking, active class participation, and commitment to meeting deadlines showcase his commitment to academic success.

Excellence in Business Student Leadership Award
Lucia Hricovska (Nominated by Professor Brain Baick)
Lucia held multiple leadership roles benefitting the College community; she was Co-president MC Enactus and was a Raptor Tank Co-leader for 2 years.  

Rasheevan Nair (Nominated by Professor Ali Alavi)
Rasheevan served the Rockville campus and the College community as the Co-President of MC Enactus. He also served the community by helping student businesses through the MBI Consulting services.

Anna Virozub (Nominated by Mr. Steve Lang, Director, Macklin Business Institute)
Anna led several initiatives while at Montgomery College. Her leadership roles included overseeing a microloan project that benefitted entrepreneurs around the world, serving as MC Enactus Vice President, and being the student leader for the MBI Café.

Excellence in Hospitality Management Award (Nominated by Professors Hoa Nguyen and Jana Anderson)
Nicoy T.  Foster
Nicoy has maintained academic excellence throughout his studies in Hospitality Management at Montgomery College.   He is passionate about the hospitality and culinary industry and will excel in any new opportunities he seeks to further his education and career!

Gregory Gomes 
Gregory is an exceptional student who has maintained academic excellence throughout her studies in Hospitality Management at Montgomery College.  He is passionate about the Hospitality Industry and has a bright future ahead of him!

Demari I. Goodman 
Demari is an exceptional student who has maintained academic excellence throughout his studies in Hospitality Management.  He is a very passionate individual and has a bright future ahead of him!

Maria Laura Ocampo Cajina 
Laura is an exceptional student who has maintained academic excellence throughout her studies in Hospitality Management at Montgomery College.

Samuel D. Wawayou 
Samuel is a dedicated student who has managed to maintain academic excellence throughout his studies in Hospitality Management at Montgomery College, while maintaining a full-time job.  He is passionate about the Hospitality Industry and has a bright future ahead of him!

Excellence in Hospitality Management Student Leadership Award (Nominated by Professors Hoa Nguyen and Jana Anderson)
Melina Jungbluth 
Melina was selected for the prestigious Marriott Hospitality Center internship for 2024.  She helped manage a student run business, assisted in culinary labs, all while maintaining a remarkable GPA.

Excellence in Service to the Business Department (Nominated by Professors Hoa Nguyen and Jana Anderson)
The following students have demonstrated outstanding Hospitality Management skills. They helped plan, organize, and execute the Alpha Beta Gamma International Business Honor induction ceremony hosted by the Montgomery College Business Department in the Spring semester of 2024.

• Demari I. Goodman
• Melina Jungbluth
• Nicoy T. Foster
• Phuong L. Nguyen
• Samuel D. Wawayou 

MBI Scholar Award (Nominated by Mr. Steve Lang, Director, Macklin Business Institute)
The following students are awarded the MBI Scholar Award for excelling in the Macklin Business Institute's academic and experiential learning requirements.  MBI Scholar Award recipients must maintain above a 3.5 GPA and take a minimum of 16 honors credits, while also contributing over 100 total hours per semester to MBI initiatives such as the MBI Cafe, MC Enactus projects, and weekly non-credit seminars.

Excellence in General Chemistry 131 Award (Nominated by Dr. Laura Anna)
Angela Arakaki
Angela was truly an amazing student. Her work was exceptional and she was incredibly motivated since she was able to do virtually all of it on her own in this distance learning lecture component. Her score on the American Chemical Society standardized final exam placed her in the 98th percentile compared to national norms. (Dr. Craig Benson)

Rylie Hill 
Rylie did exceptionally well in CHEM131 and demonstrated commitment and dedication throughout the course. (Dr. Soumya Rastogi)

Excellence in General Chemistry 132 Award (Nominated by Dr. Laura Anna)
Avraham Logan
Avraham always impressed with his ability articulate difficult concepts and understand complicated problems. He demonstrated a love of learning and the level of commitment necessary to succeed in college and beyond. His caring nature and personality allow him to work well with others as he helped his classmates to understand the problems better. (Dr. Sanaz Bandegi)

Sarah Mulberg
Sarah went above and beyond to immerse herself in the content. Her curiosity for the material and contributions to classroom discussions helped to facilitate a positive learning environment for all students in the class. Sarah's outstanding performance and unwavering commitment to academic excellence made her a standout student deserving of recognition. (Dr. Orlando Genovese-Stewart)

Harvey W. Wiley Chemistry Achievement Award (Nominated by Dr. Laura Anna)
Ian Virga
Ian’s instructor described him as a student actively learning at the highest level. He became more and more confident with his classroom interactions and his mastery of organic chemistry content. Ian is a fantastic student, he continues to seek additional challenges and it has been quite satisfying to watch his academic and professional growth. (Dr. Eric Cotton)

Julius White Chemistry Achievement Award (Nominated Dr. Laura Anna)
Arman Sagmanligil
Arman is a brilliant student who has deep thinking and love for chemistry. His score on the American Chemical Society standardized final exam placed him in the 97th percentile compared to national norms. (Dr. Sripriya Seetharaman)

Excellence in Psychology Award
Juan Caballero Campos (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Juan has demonstrated excellence in his work as a student in PSYC227 educational psychology.  He earned the highest letter grade possible on the research project for the course, as well as an “A” average on all exams for the course. His work demonstrated his strong research skills, as well as his commitment to using education and psychology to positively contribute in meaningful ways to society.

Bodur Hassan (Nominated by Professor Levena Nash De La Rosa)
Ms. Hassan is a very motivated individual who works well with others and exemplifies good character.  She is intellectually curious and is always open to new ideas and situations. Her willingness to share her ideas and experiences with the class was very refreshing and reflected a deep internalization of the course content.  

Alison Castro Quintanilla (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Alison has demonstrated excellence in her work as a student in PSYC228 The Psychology of Learning.  She has consistently showcased her superior critical thinking skills with thoughtful questions, constructive criticisms, and useful insights in a high-engagement course. In addition, she earned the highest letter grade possible on all exams to date. She is the top performer of all students in her PSYC 228 Psychology of Learning course.

Keith Milberry (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Keith has demonstrated superior intellectual skills and dedication in the study of child psychology. He is the top performer of all students in his PSYC215 Child Psychology course. He has earned an A on all exams to date. In addition, he has provided thoughtful written responses that reflect superior intellect and unusual insight for all written assignments completed in class.

Joshua Pogonitz (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Joshua has demonstrated superior intellectual skills and dedication to the study of cultural psychology.  Josh has consistently posed thoughtful questions that contribute to the discussion of important subjects in the course. He has produced written work that reflects serious thinking that demonstrates personal reflection, as well as the application of psychological concepts. He is the top performer of all students in his PSYC224 Cultural Psychology course. 

Alexa Ruiz (Nominated by Dr. Elizabeth Fillion)
Alexa has proven herself to be a very bright and motivated student.  She goes above and beyond requirements, and asks thoughtful questions to truly understand concepts in psychology. Whether she decides to eventually earn an advanced degree in psychology, social work, or some other field, I expect that Alexa will make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of others!

Liam Schmidt (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Liam has demonstrated excellence in his work as a student in PSYC100 general psychology. He authored a research paper that showcased his superior critical thinking skills, as well as his ability to apply psychological principles to understand psychological phenomena. He earned the highest grade possible on his research paper, as well as an A average for all four course exams. 

Samantha Trainum (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Samantha demonstrated excellence in her work as a student in PSYC100 general psychology.  She authored a research paper that showcased her superior critical thinking skills, as well as her ability to apply psychological principles to understand psychological phenomena. She earned the highest grade possible on her research paper, as well as an “A” on all exams to date. 

Perseverance in Psychology Award (Nominated by Dr. Nichole Thomas)
Elfreda Chinwe Akraolo
Elfreda has demonstrated mental fortitude and perseverance resulting in excellent performance in PSYC224 cultural psychology. Despite technical challenges with the synchronous learning format, she has continued to demonstrate high engagement that reflects thoughtful reflection and serious engagement with the course material. After earning a very good grade on the first exam, she reflected on her experience in thoughtful ways, carefully considered the exam structure as well as her learning style, and revised her strategy for the next exam resulting in her earning the highest grade numerically possible, 100%, on the exam.

The Clifford Beck Award (Nominated by Drs. Lan Xiang and Helio Zwi)
Jos Moresi 
Jos has demonstrated exceptional work in PHYS 262; and going above and beyond in experimental laboratory work and seeking to understand the underlying theory. not only by attending every class, but mostly by actively participating, by answering questions and asking relevant ones.

The Frank L. Verwiebe Award (Nominated by Drs. Lan Xiang and Helio Zwi)
Anthony  Dcosta 
Anthony is an eager and self-driven learner, demonstrated excellent master of the subject matter and a depth of knowledge that went beyond the average student at this juncture with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Nathaniel D. Foster 
Nathaniel has demonstrated exceptional performance as a member of the first NSF DREEM cohort and excellence in academics.

Victor B. Mathias
Victor Mathias has done great jobs in both ENES102 and ENES220 classes. He has demonstrated his excellent academic performances with a GPA of 4.0.

Manuel Enrique Prada Rodriguez
Manuel has demonstrated exceptional performance in academics and as a cohort member of NSF DREEM.

Joy M. Roberts
Joy is very responsible and hardworking. She is an active member and one of the officers of the Raptor Who Code Club.

Ananya Sharma 
Ananya is a very enthusiastic and dedicated students. She is not only taking courses in Computer Science field as her major but also exploring additional areas such as Cybersecurity. She is also an NSF AUSEM scholar and has participated many community service projects.

Excellence in American Literature Award (Nominated by Professor Teri Hurst)
Javier Alcocer 
Javier impressed the entire ENGL 211 class with his insightful comments in our discussions. On top of that, he was able to read our early American texts in a way that allowed him to explore his own experiences as an immigrant in America. His analysis of "Rip Van Winkle" offered a compelling way to understand Rip's post-sleep experience as an experience of forced assimilation. Javier will go on to do great work with his literary insight!

Eden Roy
Eden is an insightful, thoughtful student who in ENGL 211 connected early works of American literature to pressing issues today. In her essay "Violence against Femininity in America," she connected the representation of women in works from Hawthorne and Poe to modern artwork depicting the struggle women still face to be heard. Her analysis and ideas are smart, and her ability to "curate" an archive of research will serve her will in her future career as a museum curator!

Nia Smalls
Nia Smalls is a passionate, invested reader of American literature. Whether she was sharing her love for Edgar Allan Poe (and showing us her statuettes!) or helping us dig into early narratives of slavery, Nia's love of words and ideas was always on full display. Her investment in the cause of American literature will make her an ideal English high school teacher someday soon!

Excellence in English Composition Award (Nominated by Professor Teri Hurst)
Jordan Goldman 
Jordan is the type of student every professor wishes to have in class.  He has an incredibly strong thirst for knowledge, an admirable work ethic, and consistently wrote profound, insightful and outstanding essays.  In addition to his superior performance, Jordan was able to reach out to other students who were having difficulty and share his knowledge and skills. He is now a Renaissance Scholar, and he is producing exceptional work in all his subjects.

Faustine Madeline P. Henzon
Faustine was a diligent and creative student from the beginning of the course, contributing meaningfully to class discussions and offering good mentorship to her peers in group work.  When we moved to persuasive writing in the second half of the semester, she delivered one of the finest argumentative essays I've had the pleasure of assessing on the topic of federal gun control legislation.  Faustine was always a standout in class, but over the course of a semester she blossomed into an outstanding writer.

Jessica Ike
When asked a question, Jessica was always quick to understand and offer an insightful reply. In addition, Jessica added many tidbits of knowledge, always pertinent to the discussion, such as historical events or literature. Jessica is an ebullient personality, a thoughtful human being, and a careful and knowledgeable scholar.

Jade Juma
Jade’s outstanding research started with an interest that was sparked by an article about Gen Z and the impacts of a growing lack of third spaces. Her final paper, resulting from engaged and thorough research and discussion, explored how Gen Z's differing perspectives on work culture should affect the ways employers adapt for success. She engaged in research from several fields, including psychology, sociology, and business.

Excellence in English Literature Award (Nominated by Professor Teri Hurst)
Josianne Hegbe
Josianne has grown tremendously in her critical reading, thinking, and analysis skills. She brings curiosity to her readings of texts that span different periods and places in the world and consistently makes insightful thematic and analytical connections. Her writing brings engaging new life to old readings.

The Barbara Fredrickson College Literacy Award (Nominated by Professors Teri Hurst)
Mychelle Arrubes
According to Prof. Young, " Mychelle is one of the best students that I have taught over the course of my teaching career". However, unlike students for whom writing comes easy, Mychelle succeeded through hard work and determination—though, of course, her own intelligence and well-developed critical thinking skills were beneficial as she worked hard on her writing.

Lee King Williams
As a returning student, Lee has exemplified excellence in every aspect of class. Her outstanding critical reading skills have been truly exceptional and have not gone unnoticed. Her intellectual curiosity shines through in her insightful contributions to class discussions, fostering an environment of learning and growth. Not only has she consistently scored high A's on every paper and essay, but her dedication to academic excellence is truly commendable.

The Laura Hurst Award (Nominated by Professors Teri Hurst)
Assidine  Fanny 
Assidine is an exceptional student, achieving straight A's in IERW001. Assidine's ability to think critically and analyze written material demonstrates his deep understanding of various topics. Alongside his academic achievements, Assidine has an inquisitive mind, seeking knowledge and questioning the world around him. Assidine's accomplishments and talents make him a genuinely admirable student.

Olyad Kitila
Olyad actually took ENGL235 in Spring 2023, but he failed out of the course. He had difficulty meeting deadlines and staying on top of his work consistently. He reenrolled in Fall 2023 determined to do better, and he did! His literary analysis skills really developed. He deserves this award for not giving up and then not only surviving the class, but thriving.

The Samuel R. Blate Award for Creative Nonfiction (Nominated by Professors Teri Hurst)
Evodi Kabamba
Evodi wrote her literacy narrative in English 101 last semester about her experience being " a Congolese girl, born in Zimbabwe, with American Citizenship". She describes the different selves that are reflected in her experiences speaking English (the language of her birth country), Shona (the tribal language of her birth country), and French (the official language of the Congo). Evodi showed great insight into how language plays a part in our identity and how what we value comes through in the language choices we can make.

The Samuel R. Blate Poetry Award (Nominated by Professor Teri Hurst)
Katya Aliev 
Katya is a wonderful poet. I especially admire how she chose to strive for craft and try new-to-her forms such as the pantoum and villanelle while still writing deeply personal and passionate poetry.  Equally as important, Katya is truly a scholar, which her writing and comments on published poetry have shown.

The Strength in Difference Award (Nominated by Professor Teri Hurst)
Jonathan Vassell
Jonathan did a wonderful job showing how the stories of the students at IBBU, a Nigerian university, can help us develop empathy for others, as well as tolerance and even admiration for their varied life choices.

English Language for Academic Purposes Award
Eduarda Da Silva (Nominated by Professor Michael Berman)
Eduarda is always a positive presence in the class and is generously available to help her fellow classmates. She is prepared, patient, respectful, and approachable – a model to her peers.

Carolina P. Cardona (Nominated by Professor Stephanie Landon)
Ms. Pamanes Cardona worked exceptionally hard over two semesters to develop her academic English skills with the dedication that educators dream of. She was determined to analyze my feedback after each presentation and essay and use her own strategic approach to apply what she learned, leading to great strides of improvement each and every time. Her scholarly approach to English learning deserves to be celebrated!

Samuella Helha (Nominated by Professor Stephanie Landon)
Ms. Helha continues to advocate for herself in order to pave the way for the academic success for which she is striving. She uses the college resources to help her solve her challenges as an immigrant student, which is what we all hope for our students. Her self-advocacy deserves to be recognized and shared with other students, so they can follow her example! 

Fernando Miche (Nominated by Professor Stephanie Landon)
Mr. Miche approached his work in my courses like an important legal case that would be brought to the Supreme Court, utilizing the intensive study strategies he developed as a law student in Guatemala. He willingly chose the more challenging prompts with each project in order to push himself to learn as much as possible, and the results were incredible. His tenacity deserves to be recognized!

Yanira Obando (Nominated by Professor Stephanie Landon)
Despite challenges and barriers, Ms. Obando continues to persist and fight for her success. Her persistence deserves to be recognized and rewarded!

Linguistics Award
Sofia H. Levin (Nominated by Dr. Carolyn Castro)
Sofia is graduating this semester and her current GPA is 4.0. She's doing really well in the class and her topic for her research paper is the endangered language, Ladino. The student shows critical thinking skills and initiative.

The Norma Berkeley Communication Studies Award
Sandy Carter (Nominated by Dr. Omowale Elson) 
Sandy was a class leader, very proactive reading ahead in the textbook, and completed her assignments early. What was the defining moment was when I invited the class to share what stage they were at in their work on the E-Portfolio, she volunteered to lead the class through the steps she had taken to complete hers. 

Sarah Eastburn (Nominated by Professor Dean Schleicher) 
Sarah demonstrates an eagerness to learn that is exemplary.  She made our class stronger through her valuable, frequent contributions to discussions. 

Donyell Harris (Nominated by Dr. Stacey Peterson)
Donyell is a Communication Studies major looking to complete his degree this spring. He is the Secretary of the Student Government Association and Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa at the Rockville campus. He is an active participant in service learning and commits himself to taking advantage of transformational learning opportunities.

Dario Maldonado (Nominated by Dr. Stacey Peterson)
Dario is a Communication Studies major with a talent for filmmaking.  He participated in the Digital Storytelling internship, crafting an impactful story featured at the student showcase in Fall 2023.  He served as a tutor, providing instruction for fellow students as well as faculty and is set to transfer to University of Maryland, Colleges at Shady Grove in Fall 2024.

Harriet Namirimu (Nominated by Professor Dean Schleicher) 
Despite wearing many hats in life, Harriet prioritizes her education and puts full effort into succeeding academically.  Harriet excels in her ability to write effectively and communicate eloquently.

Laura Van Dusseldorp (Nominated by Dr. Nader Chaaban)
Laura served as one of the hosts for the Communication Studies Symposium in March 2024.  She exhibited confidence in introducing our featured presenters and collaborated with her co-presenters to keep the event on schedule.  

Outstanding Behavioral Health Major Award (Nominated by Dr. Maureen Edwards)
Jasmyn Johnson
Despite being faced with almost insurmountable hardship, Jasmyn has remained focused on achieving her educational goals.  She has an indomitable spirit and I know she will make an excellent social worker, drawing on her life experience to help others.

Outstanding Exercise Science Major Award (Nominated by Professor Lakisha Nickens-Gaither)
Angel E. Arevalo
Angel is a dedicated and enthusiastic student who not only strives to expand his knowledge in the field but also lends a helping hand to his peers.

Michael A. Zuniga
Michael stands out as a committed and innovative student that maintains one of the highest GPA's in Exercise Science.

Outstanding Physical Education Teacher Education Major Award (Nominated by Professor Lesley Wasilko)
Tyler Asbacher
Tyler is a highly engaged and motivated student. Hs not only excels academically, with a very high GPA, but also serves as a student member on the PE Advisory Board and works in the field with children.

Outstanding Public Health Sciences Major Award (Nominated by Professor Petula Alvaradous-Phillander)
Sofia Santos
Sofia is being recognized for her outstanding work and academic achievements in Public Health Sciences.

Ruth B. Dinbergs and Jean M. Furgol Award in History (Nominated by Dr. Joseph Stumpf)
Jack M. Davis
Jack has demonstrated a keen ability to interpret the past in his explorations of U.S., European, and World contexts. His insightful historical analyses consistently enriched class discussions and his written work displayed an impressive ability to communicate complex historical interpretations in elegant and clear prose.

Ruth B. Dinbergs and Jean M. Furgol Award in Political Science (Nominated by Dr. Nathan Zook)
Camilla A. Layana Gonzales
Always eager to continue pursuing in-depth analysis of issues, after class, Camilla is an exemplary student and represented Montgomery College diplomatically and professionally at the National Model UN in NYC.  

The Florence Muriel Ashby Mathematics Award (Nominated by Professor Ingrid Brown-Scott)
Avraham Logan
Avi is an Early College student who is among the strongest and most motivated students I have had in a long time.

The Robert and Edna Johnson Mathematics Award (Nominated by Professor Ingrid Brown-Scott)
Paloma Banota
Paloma’s scores on quizzes and exams were excellent, and she is an excellent student.  Additionally, she is always punctual, dependable, and courteous to other students.  

The Wade H. Pugh Statistics Award (Nominated by Professor Ingrid Brown-Scott)
Leslie Urquilla
Leslie's effort and understanding of the material was way above average. She was eager to learn - not just to pass and she also assisted her classmates helping them work through concepts and homework problems.

Excellence in Media Production Award (Nominated by Dr. Tiffany Copeland)
This award recognizes students who have shown a magnificent commitment to the craft of media production. These students are leaders in the Media Production program and are on the trajectory of becoming leaders in the industry. Each individual has become a point of inspiration for their peers and faculty and has enhanced the overall quality of the Media Production program.

Excellence in Technical Theatre Award (Nominated by Professor R. Scott Hengen)
Kat Eisenberg 
Kat is recognized for her artistic talent, outstanding academic promise, and dedication to departmental projects.

Bridget McKirgan
Bridget is recognized for her academic excellence and dedication to departmental projects.

Gabrielle Scott 
Gabrielle is recognized for her academic excellence.

Excellence in Theatre Performance Award (Nominated by Professor Irene Alby)
Melanie Abad
Melanie is recognized for her artistic talent and academic excellence.

Naomi Louie
Naomi is recognized for her academic excellence.

Payton O'Keefe
Payton is recognized for his artistic talent.

Excellence in Theatre Performance Aphra Behn Leadership Award (Nominated by Professor Irene Alby)
Grace Rodriguez
Grace is recognized for her outstanding service and leadership, within the Theatre Department.

Excellence in Theatre Performance Hrotsvitha Scholar Award (Nominated by Professor Irene Alby)
Isabella De Sando
Isabella is recognized for her artistic talent and academic excellence.

Excellence in Vocal Performance Award (Nominated by Professor Alvin F. Trask)
Eleanor Smedberg
Outstanding Vocalist and soloist and excellent work as a student assistant in the music office.

Criminal Justice Student of the Year Award (Nominated by Professor Ginger Robinson)
Rachel Rodriguez
Rachel's work ethic and determination result in her consistently receiving among the highest grades in her criminal justice courses. The criminal justice faculty are impressed by her dedication to advancing scholarship in the field and promoting public safety, security, and justice.

The Mary Gallagher Award for Anthropology
Blossom Anyanwu (Nominated by Professor Kevin Gibbons)
Blossom has thrived in her anthropology courses and has developed a passion for combining her data science major with anthropology. She is a Fall 2023 recipient of the Excellence in Anthropology Award and has been admitted into a digital humanities summer internship.

David Berger (Nominated by Professor Kevin Gibbons and Dr. Barbara Wolff)

David is an exceptional student across his anthropology courses and Montgomery Scholars curriculum, consistently bringing new perspectives to problems and pushing himself to new levels of self-attainment and academic finesse with each project across courses in cultural anthropology, human evolution, archaeology, and an independent ethnographic research project. He is a Fall 2023 recipient of the Excellence in Anthropology Award.

Calista Kibak (Nominated by Dr. Tara Tetrault)
Calista as volunteered and interned at the Dorsey archaeological site for three years doing fieldwork, mapping, cataloguing artifacts, and faunal analysis. She's a compassionate, determined, and intelligent student.

Outstanding Sociology Student Award (Nominated by Professor Katya Salmi)
Sui Sung 
Sui is a sociologist in the making, with a keen ability to apply the sociological imagination to our world. She excels in the classroom and engages with a number of topics from an innovative and thoughtful angle.

Excellence in Advance Spanish Composition and Conversation (Nominated by Professor Cristina Butler)
Iris Lopez
Mrs. Lopez's insightful perspectives and willingness to engage deeply with the material enriched the class learning environment and fostered meaningful dialogues.

Daniela Martinez
Ms. Martinez consistently pays attention to details and makes thorough analysis of the literature pieces or works of art in study. Her perspective greatly enhances the class collective learning experience.  

Excellence in ASL Student Leadership Award (Nominated by Professor Natalie Grindstaff)
Yolanda Lewis  
Yolanda Lewis is an outstanding leader who has made a difference here at Montgomery College and who is committed to the student organization, American Sign Language Club. I have had the pleasure of observing and working with Yolanda for two semesters.

Excellence in Elementary French I Award (Nominated by Professor Valerie Tanner)
Tyler Do
Tyler is an excellent student with a conscientious work ethic and sense of responsibility.  His commitment is evident in the time and effort he spends to complete all course assignments accurately and on time, and in the good questions he poses to confirm and further his understanding.

Aicha Sow
Aicha can consistently be counted on during every class to contribute thoughtful responses, while paying attention to developing a proper accent.  Her exam responses are submitted with excellent attention to detail, and her conscientiousness regarding due dates and class preparation demonstrate superior organizational abilities and solid time-management skills.

Excellence in Elementary French II Award (Nominated Professor Valerie Tanner)
Carlos Gerome
Carlos is an outstanding student who consistently performs at the highest level during our remote class sessions and in all other course elements.  His discussion forum posts as well as his cultural presentation have demonstrated a supportive and dedicated attitude, with excellent cultural understanding.

Soy Williams
During both FREN101 and FREN102, Soy's excellent work ethic and impressive organizational skills have demonstrated her mastery of the material and consistent preparation for all class activities, while taking French in two different course formats. Both of Soy's cultural presentations have not only shown global awareness and good presentational skills, but also much creativity and originality of topic choices, resulting in cultural discoveries for both students and professor.

Excellence in Elementary Korean I Award (Nominated by Professor Jin Choi)
Jeremy C. Hontiveros
JC is an exemplary student to others by demonstrating be a motivated, dedicated, mature and passionate individual.  All of these characteristics are shown through his bright smile, being punctual in attendance and assignments, active and attentive discussions and his outstanding work.

Leon Lai
Leon is a self-motivated student who drives himself to be the best yet does not hesitate to reach out to others who need assistance in understanding the materials.  He is dedicated, disciplined, motivated, focused and his accomplishments have never been anything but OUTSTANDING!

Bethany Wilks
Bethany works very quietly and independently yet never refuses to help others when they reach out for explanations and assistance.  And she herself does not hesitate to ask for clarifications and further explanations. This clearly demonstrates her passion and motivation for the course and the love for Korean language and culture.

Yier Zhang
Yier's work is always meticulous and just about perfect. She is a motivated, dedicated, mature and passionate individual who never fails to amaze others with her work.

Excellence in Elementary Korean II Award (Nominated by Professor Jin Choi)
Jane Chao
Although Jane is calm in nature, her work is nothing but exemplary to others.  She is motivated, organized and is a great team player. Her excellence in the course shines through her participation and presentations.

Miya Dolan
Miya showed her love for Korean language and culture from day one with excitement and active participation.  Her work throughout the semester was nothing but excellent.

Miguel Granados Lobo
Miguel's passion for Korean was shown not only through his work in the class but also his motivation, participation in class, active discussions and the cultural project.  He was a definite role model for everyone.

Sun Oh
Sun is very highly spoken of by his classmates not only on his work in the course but his leadership, enthusiasm and maturity.  He frequently works with others inside and outside of the class who are struggling with understanding concepts discussed in class.

Excellence in Elementary Latin I Award (Nominated by Professor Erika Bucciantini)
Vladimir Bliznikov
Vladimir's passion for the writings of ancient philosophers and thirst for grammatical knowledge know no bounds. Not only does Vladimir complete all of our assigned work in Latin conscientiously, but he actively seeks additional opportunities outside of class.

Saul Pineda
Saul is a philologist at heart. He brings his A game to Latin class every day, asks questions about the material that show incredible depth of thought, and delights in the small daily accomplishments which mark language learning.

Excellence in Intermediate Spanish II Award (Nominated by Professor Cristina Butler)
Luis Cordero
Mr. Cordero’s contributions to class spark meaningful dialogues among peers. He also demonstrates a strong sense of responsibility by consistently submitting assignments on time and with a high level of quality. 

Excellence in Philosophy Award
Marcus (Sam) Booker (Nominated by Professor Auksuole Rubavichute)
Sam is an excellent student, who not only shows a strong grasp of a variety of diverse philosophical, political, and cultural topics, but relates these topics to broader ethical, political, and social issues, while establishing essential connections among different areas of study. He is inquisitive, motivated, and diligent.

Jennifer Roxana Guandique (Nominated by Professor Chris Collins)
Jennifer completed Philosophy 101, 140 and is currently enrolled in Phil 190.  She has a zeal and concrete understanding of the material and is always helpful to assist her classmates when they are in need.

Excellence in Early Childhood Education Award (Nominated by Dr. Jeannie Ho)
The following students received excellent grades in the EDUC courses and demonstrated outstanding learning behaviors such as being very kind in assisting classmates and in taking a lead in group discussions, showing a love for learning by reading ahead of time, asking questions, and answering questions in class discussions and being prepared for each test and assignment.

Honors Scholar Award (Nominated by Professors Rebecca Eggenschwiler and Orlando Genovese-Stewart)
This award recognizes students who have completed at least 12 credits of honors coursework in at least two disciplines and maintained at least 3.6 cumulative GPA through the fall 2023 semester.

STEM Scholars of the Year Award (Nominated by Professor Zhou (Jojo) Dong) 
Michael E. Lopez
Michael exhibits personal excellence in academics and actively participates in activities to promote the Honors Program within Montgomery College and beyond.

Paul Peck Humanities Institute Internship Scholarship Award (Nominated by Dr. Michelle Moran)
The PPHI recognizes the following students for excellence in undergraduate research in Honors 275, for academic and intellectual growth in the PPHI Honors Internship Program, and for assistance they provided to researchers at the Kluge Center of the Library of Congress.

STEM Ambassador of the Year Award (Nominated by Professor Nafeesa Azizi)
Yury Alvarez 
The STEM Ambassador of the Year award recognizes the student who best represents the STEM Ambassadors Mission. This student was voted Ambassador of the Year by their fellow Ambassadors.

Excellence and Research in Women’s and Gender Studies Program Award (Nominated by Dr. Leah Sneider and Professor Megan Howard)
Roshni Arun
Roshni engaged in excellent research, earned top marks, and performed admirably in this 5-week intensive course.

Azak R. Abdallah
Zak is a thoughtful and serious scholar who works to keep current in his research and understating of our society.

Chinoyelum E. Aniagboso
Chinoyelum demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.

 Hannah C. Bender
Hannah brings energy and strong preparation to class and understands how to debate fairly and respectfully with other students.

Elvira Berisha
Elvira is an actively concerned about social justice and working for fairness, which comes through in her assignments and class participation.

Yihui X. Brown
Yihui demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.

Karen P. Casique
Keren demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.

Beatriz F. Cerda Salazar
Beatriz produced excellent work that engaged with global issues including an international look at autism, as well as feminist issues.

Moiz N. Chaundry
Moiz presented significant research on Sexual Harassment and Abuse of Women as a Global Challenge.

Madeleine G. Clarke
Maddie is our resident Googler, checking out whatever we need during discussion, and eagerly adds her well-informed feminist perspective.  

Lishan Daniel
Lishan excellently explored the troubling topic of Violence Against Women, focusing on young black women in urban settings.

Jean-Claude Djeugang
Jean-Claude examines his ideas in consideration of what he is learning and is willing to change consider other positions as his education presents him with new information.

Lily G. Hoyle
Lily's participation in class demonstrates her deep commitment to scholarship in the discipline and to understanding the ideas of others.

Josefa Remedios D. Marquillero
Josefa Remedios demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.

Rafael A. Matthey Doret Carpy
Rafael demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.

Juliana  Owusu
Juliana brings intellectual curiosity and scholarship in her approach to all assignments. 

Dolly Persaud
Dolly demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.

Faith Jebichii Rutto
Faith provided superior research on the Benefits of Women's Education with significant research and findings.

Emma R. Schenbaum
Emma produced exceptional work that cleverly showed the interconnection of race and gender issues.

Elisheva Sukol
Ellie is an energetic learner, a willing discussion participant, and a very capable writer.

Alison S. Willsey
Alison demonstrated excellence in the study of gender in society.