2024 Honors Convocation Highlights Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership

April 19, 2024

Each year, Albion College recognizes individual students and faculty for outstanding achievements in teaching, learning, leadership, and service during Honors Convocation. This event serves as a public acknowledgment of the campus community’s commitment to intellectual discipline, the realization of critical and creative potential, and the qualities of character typified by the life and mind of the scholar and the actions of good citizens.

Dr. Nicolle Zellner, professor of physics, was awarded the prestigious four-year Herbert H. & Grace Dow Trustees’ Professorship in the Sciences. The selection is made by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Faculty Personnel Committee, the provost, and the president. These four-year awards consist of annual funding to be used for innovation in teaching and support of continued scholarship and professional development. One of the highest honors available to faculty, endowed professorships were created expressly to recognize and support truly distinguished teaching and research.

Faculty Awards

The following annual awards were presented to Albion College faculty:

The Students’ Choice Award recognizes an outstanding faculty or staff member for excellence in teaching, involvement in students’ lives outside of the classroom, and dedication to both the college and its students. The award is sponsored by the Faculty and Academic Affairs Committee of Student Senate.

Demian Cho, assistant professor of physics

The James & Dorothy Blanchard Faculty Fellowship supports faculty early in their professional career by providing the opportunity to keep abreast of knowledge, improve upon pedagogical techniques, or to complete a piece of research, publication, or artistic preparation.

Ahalee Farrow, assistant professor of kinesiology

The Joyce G. Ferguson 50th Anniversary Faculty Development Fund for Enhancement of Excellence in Teaching recognizes outstanding members in the arts and humanities and provides $5,000 for faculty development in teaching.

Jess Roberts, professor of English

The Mark Sheldon Putnam ’41 and Mildred Plate Putnam ’41 Faculty Mentoring Award recognizes a faculty member who has consistently displayed the willingness and ability to provide quality mentoring to faculty and students at Albion College.

Marcy Sacks, professor of history

The Arthur Anderson Teaching Awards recognize scholars who are fine teachers and teachers who are fine scholars.

Distinguished Teaching by a Junior Member of the Faculty: Nancy Demerdash, associate professor of art and art history
New Teacher of the Year: Krista Quesenberry, assistant professor of English
Distinguished Teaching by a Tenured Member of the Faculty: Heather Betz, professor of kinesiology and Dr. Bradley Chase, professor of anthropology and sociology

The Phi Beta Kappa Scholar of the Year Award is awarded to a faculty member for outstanding scholarship or creative achievement.

Helena Mesa, professor of English

Student Awards

The following academic honors and awards were announced for students at Albion College’s 2024 Honors Convocation, Thursday, April 18.

Phi Beta Kappa New Members

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest of the national honorary societies, founded in 1776. The Beta Chapter of Michigan was established at Albion in 1940. Members are usually seniors in the top 10 percent of their graduating class who meet the chapter’s liberal studies and residency requirements. New members for 2024 include:

Emily R. Abramczyk
Tori K. Balog
Jacob P. Bement
Mariah N. Brenz
Madeline D. Budd
Andrew S. Cameron
Avery M. Campbell
Eddie J. Cardew
Sidney K. Childers
Alyvia G. Fondren
Mackenzie S. Gillette
Lauren E. Hall
Natalie J. Harkness
Rana H. Huwais
Diana G. Kernen
Kylie L. Klotz
Joseph W. Krzciok
Sheridan H. Leinbach
Paige R. McDowell
Delia R. Nieves
Heather C. Phipps
Ashlynn R. Reed
Alura D. Reed
Hayden L. Rentschler
Abigail A. Rose
James M. Storey
Sarah M. Stovall
Andrew W. Zauner

Phi Beta Kappa Academic Achievement Recognition

Each year, the Beta Chapter recognizes second and third-year students with the highest scholastic achievement. Those individuals include:

From the Class of 2025

Kara L. Anderson
Tess T. Anthony
Fox S. Dennis
Jack R. Erickson
Katherine V. Faglie
Kyndall R. Lewis
Kevie A. Lamour
Kearney S. Miller
Dana R. Parker
Hope E. Wasoski
Jay K. Weekly

From the Class of 2026

Bella Bakeman
Brandon Blake
Cooper W. Bright
Enkhmaa Buyanbadrakh
Seph V. Cartier
Anna K. Cochrane
Olivia R. Colletti
Abby K. Dombrowski
Autumn B. Eles
Enkhtushig Enkhbat
Naomi L. Gut
Annika E. Lindstrom
Brandon Lipson
Bonnie F. Lord
Karsen A. Mellado
Brendan J. Mulcahy
Ken Mutiso
Gabriel Peraino
Lindsay Ratcliffe
Bailey M. Stormzand

Sigma Xi New Members

Sigma Xi, a national honorary society that promotes the promise of science and technology, was established at Albion College in 1960. Members are usually seniors who have demonstrated outstanding research potential. New members for 2024 include:

Tori K. Balog
Mariah N. Brenz
Madeline D. Budd
Lauren M. Busuito
Kelvin T. Crone-Willis
Theodore H. Hirschfield
Diana G. Kernen
Brianna B. Lopez
Rodney D. Mitchell
Alexis G. Moss
Vedha P. Reddy
Sathwik V. Reddy
Elle A. Robert
Noah V. Rollison
Alaina L. Shepardson
Ikatari N. Swope
Paul D. Volesky

Class of 2024 Highest Academic Achievement

The following eight students from the Class of 2024, which graduates May 4, completed their Albion College careers with a grade point average of 4.0.

Margaret Cash — psychology major, communication studies minor
Gabriella Monacelli — anthropology major, English minor
Elena Mourad – theatre major
Lucy Nevrly – English major, art history minor
Laila Ortega Velasco – anthropology and sociology major, philosophy minor
Chase Potter – biochemistry major
Kyle Schaaf – kinesiology—exercise science major
Andrew Sowa – finance major

Albion College Fellows New 2023 Members

Albion College Fellows include students who attain a 3.7 grade point average for three successive semesters, while carrying four units of credit and being graded in at least three of those courses. This honor is given only once during a student’s Albion career. The following students received this honor in Spring 2023 or Fall 2023:

Zoya K. Ahmed
Killian Altayeb
Madilyn M. Archambeau
Maralgoo Ariunbaatar
Henry Bacolor
Bella Bakeman
Gerelmaa Batjargal
Jillian R. Bentley
Brandon Blake
Ella Bolster
Theodore P. Brimblecombe
Peyton M. Brooks
Cassidy L. Burgess
Enkhmaa Buyanbadrakh
Seph V. Cartier
Leilani R. Casteele
Bryn M. Cavanaugh
Anna K. Cochrane
Olivia R. Colletti
Sean P. Cooper
Ali Dakroub
Ryan G. Deibis
Abby K. Dombrowski
Rachel E. Doree
Joseph R. Dorsch
Autumn B. Eles
Enkhtushig Enkhbat
Heidi K. Faramelli
Lauren B. Farley
Kellie A. Flynn
Anudari Gansukh
Victoria L. Gierach
Cole M. Giesige
Naomi L. Gut
Ella C. Hardwick
Nathaniel J. Herula
Maria C. Heyboer
Tucker J. Hubbard
Aminaa Injinash
Katelynn B. Kandow
Emma E. Kastl
Zak A. Kelly
Jocelyn A. Kincaid-Beal
Olivia K. Koshorek
Brady E. Kusak
Payton E. Landry
Annika E. Lindstrom
Caroline R. Lippitt
Brandon Lipson
Bonnie F. Lord
Marco R. Lucchesi
Brandon D. Luttig
Brooklynn S. Lyos
Allesandro Mancino
Madeline J. Manion
Grace E. Martin
Madison G. McGraw
Miranda G. McKee
Ryan A. Meldrum
Karsen A. Mellado
Adam T. Mills
Brendan J. Mulcahy
Ken Mutiso
Diana Pallares
Isabelle F. Patel
Gabriel Peraino
Fabrizio G. Raciti
Lindsay Ratcliffe
Kayli E. Renaud
Leslie E. Rivas
Shaelyn Robinson
Omar K. Saeed
Tricia J. Sankiewicz
Benjamin A. Schollett
Jaclynn A. Scroggs
Uma S. Shuford Williams
Brenna P. Staley
Cal M. Stearns
Bailey M. Stormzand
Thomas W. Stout
Amariah N. Talley-Woodson
Camila Tapia
Alyce S. Vermilya
Arielle E. Vermilya
Alliyah L. Vesper
Jordan R. Vidojevski
Abigail R. Watson
Madison F. Wilbur
Andrew M. Woods
Madison E. Wood

2024 Departmental Award Recipients

The following awards are granted by individual academic departments in recognition of exceptional academic achievement.

Robert B. Notestein Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Anthropology and Sociology

Donna Avina
Henry Bacolor

Len & Ramona Berkey Award in Sociology

Isaac Hautala
Rhiannon Slotnik

Outstanding Art History Prize

Rana Huwais

Outstanding Senior Studio Art Major Award

Lauren Farley

Lyman S.V. Judson Endowed Award in Biological Science

Andrew Cameron
Noah Rollison
Abigail Rose

Barbara Putnam Smith ’74, Endowed Award in Natural Resources

Alaina Shepardson

Merton Chickering Endowed Prize in Biology

Rae Baker
Livia Rich

David L. Randall Award for the Outstanding Senior Chemistry Major

Avery Campbell
Elle Robert
Paul Volesky

Mark E. Putnam Memorial Chemistry Award

Tess Anthony
Aishat Fagun
Max Griffin
Ella Hardwick
Dana Parker

Communication Studies Prize in Memory of Charles Baldwin, Henrietta Bancroft, Bishop Joseph Berry, Catherine Hicks Glathart, George Bowen Silliman, and Elsie Verner

Keiley Black
Bryn Cavanaugh
Jacqueline Jozefczyk
Conor Mcpartlin
Marissa Price
Larry Reed
Jadlyn Riley
Watchen Roberts
Sarah Stovall
Nathan Vesper

Center for Sustainability Outstanding Senior

Abigail Coleman
Paige McDowell
Ashlynn Reed
Uma Shuford Williams

J Harlan Bretz Award for the Outstanding Senior Geology Major

Paige McDowell

Bill & Virginia Dunn Alumni Award for Outstanding Junior Geology Major

Isaac Hautala

Departmental Award for Outstanding Senior Environmental Science Major

Delia Nieves
Ashlynn Reed

Alumni Award for the Outstanding Junior Environmental Science or Studies Major

Kelvin Crone-Willis

Alumni Award for the Outstanding Sophomore Environmental Science or Studies Major

Grace Halstead

Alumni Award for the Outstanding Sophomore Geology Major

Bonnie Lord

Faculty Leadership Award in Geology

Uma Shuford Williams

A. Tarr Award for Outstanding Scholarship & Leadership in Geology

Sidney Childers

Outstanding Senior Economics & Management Major and Delta Sigma Pi Award

Brandon Camfield

Outstanding Senior Economics & Management Major

Tate Herman
Kylie Klotz
Andrew Zauner

Maynard Aris Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Economics & Management

Jacqueline Kallis
Meagan Lasky

Walter A. Terpenning Award in Economics & Management for Scholarship & Service

Kaitlyn Hernandez-Lampron

Maurice Branch Award for Research or Scholarship by a Senior Economics & Management Major

Kaitlyn Hernandez-Lampron
Aminaa Injinash

Larry Steinhauer Award for Scholarship in Economics & Management

Andrew Zauner

George R. Reed Endowed Prize in Elementary Education

Isaiah May
Quinn Natschke
Bryon Wilkinson

Sally A. and Forrest W. Heaton Prize for the Outstanding English Major

Isaiah May
Quinn Natschke
Alura Reed

Judith A Lockyer Award for Excellence in Literary Study

Leslie Rivas

Mary Collar Explicator Award

Joshua Baylor
Liberty Eaton

Senior Writing Prize

Elizabeth Dicks
Ashlynn Reed

Robert Gildart ’39, Memorial Creative Writing Prizes

First Place Drama: Seph Cartier
First Place Fiction: Ticheal Jackson
First Place Poetry: Lynsey Light

Rae S. Corliss ’23, Endowed Pleiad Prize

Bella Bakeman
Juan Rodriguez

President Gerald R. Ford Leadership Award

Jordon Loukotka
Daniel Saunders

Michael A. Dively Endowed Leadership Award

Emily Abramczyk
Sheridan Leinbach
Nicklas Penabaker

Sharon ‘Zo’ Gates Rees Prize for Women in Public Office

Kaitlyn Cobian

Julian S. Rammelkamp Award in American History

Emily Abramczyk

Outstanding Student in International Studies

Stephanie Ledezma

Charlotte Duff Endowed Prize for Junior Woman in Exercise Science

Hope Wasoski

Jo Dunn Elkin Isaac Outstanding Senior Kinesiology Major Award

Philip Aukema
Jenna Schienke

Kinesiology Mentoring Award

Theodore Brimblecombe

Ron Fryxell Award in Computer Science

Shannon Barba
Binderiya Tumurchuluun

The Cathy L. Young Endowed Awards in French

Level One: Eric Lucas
Level Two: Amoy Chang
Level Three: Anthony Allen, Jr., Madeleine Rais

Jean Keller Memorial Endowed Essay in Spanish

Level Two First Place: Elyse Weirich
Level Three First Place, Best Creative Writing: Alison Harvey
Level Three First Place, Heritage Language Learner Best Academic Paper: Aline Malagon
Level Three Second Place, Heritage Language Learner Best Academic Paper: Kaitlyn Hernandez-Lampron
Level Three First Place, Second Language Learner Best Academic Paper: Jay Weekly

Jay Olson Memorial Essay in German

Level One: Honor Slocum
Level Two: Sophie Aheimer
Level Three: Jana Rajab

Louis Upton Rowland Award for Outstanding Senior Music Major

Luke Rivard

Robert and Ruth Deal Music Prize

Elizabeth Dicks

Marjorie Rogers Dick Memorial Music Prize

Skye Dickson
Tate Nelson

Earl R. Slocum Band Award

Lucas Kinney

Jacqueline Maag Music History Prize

Benjamin Harkness

Philip Mason Orchestra Award

Lauren Farley

Conway Peters Memorial Prize

Paige McDowell

Music Department Commendation Awards

Lauren Farley
Tate Nelson

Jack F. Padgett Award in Philosophy

Dan Saunders

H.E. Pettersen Prize for the Outstanding Sophomore Physics Major

Kaelyn Ruiter

David Seely Endowed Award in Physics

Damion Gehres
Omar Saeed

Royal G. Hall Political Science Prize

Mackenzie Gillette
Kearney Miller

David K. and Patricia B. Hogberg Award for Research Excellence in Psychology

Tori Balog
Rodney Mitchell

Ned Garvin Award in Neuroscience

Elle Robert

Barbara J. Keyes Community Engagement Award

Malena Solis

Joseph Heston Award for the Outstanding Senior Psychology Major

Lauren Busuito

Excellence in Human Services Award

Riley David

Kirsten D. Metalonis Summer Research Fellowship

Jana Rajab
Jamie Butts

John and Williemae Cheek Award for the Outstanding Religious Studies Student

Dany Martinez

Albion College Bible Foundation Prize

Jacob Bement
Jacson Stanton

Beulah G. Champ Award in Drama

Cass Burgess
Alison Harvey
Orion Hower

Helen Manning Prize in Theatre

Jillian Bentley

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Award

Mo Hernandez

Honors Program Class of 2024

The following students have successfully fulfilled the requirements of the Prentiss M. Brown Honors Program and will receive their degrees with Albion College Honors.

Emily R. Abramczyk
Donna K. Avina
Tori K. Balog
Shannon C. Barba
Mariah N. Brenz
Andrew M. Cameron
Avery M. Campbell
Elizabeth Dicks
Lauren B. Farley
Sabrina E. Fitzgerald
Mackenzie S. Gillette
Lauren E. Hall
Mo Hernandez
Kaitlyn D. Hernandez-Lampron
Aminaa Injinash
Delia U. Johnson
Stephanie Ledezma Gonzalez
Sheridan H. Leinbach
Paige R. McDowell
Logan McLaughlin
Rodney D. Mitchell
Marissa M. Price
Ashlynn R. Reed
Luke Rivard
Elle A. Robert

Class of 2024 Departmental Honors

The following students completed an original research thesis as part of their academic major coursework and will graduate with honors in their major department.

Rae L. Baker, Departmental Honors in Biology
Madeline D. Budd, Departmental Honors in Biochemistry
Lauren M. Busuito, Departmental Honors in Psychological Science
Theodore H. Hirschfield, Departmental Honors in Biochemistry
Diana G. Kernen, Departmental Honors in Biochemistry
Alexis G. Moss, Departmental Honors in Biochemistry
Noah V. Rollison, Departmental Honors in Biochemistry
Paul D. Volesky, Departmental Honors in Biochemistry

Lux Fiat Student Leadership Awards

In addition, five students received the Albion College Lux Fiat Award, which bears the name of the motto of Albion College and recognizes seniors who have served as role models or “beacons of light” for their peers. The award honors four students who have excelled in the areas of academic achievement, commitment to diversity, service to the Albion community, and campus involvement. The Lux Fiat honor was created to celebrate and make examples of these students who exemplify the principles and traditions of Albion College.

Kye Bristow ’24, Jackson, MI
Stephanie Ledezma ’24, Garland, TX
Marrissa Price ’24, Saginaw, MI
Rodney Mitchell ’24, Saginaw, MI
Aminaa Injinash ’24, Ulaanabaatar, Mongolia