Seniors honored for academic excellence as 2023 Presidential Scholars

Contact: Deanne Puca
March 9, 2023

KALAMAZOO, Mich.鈥擣orty-eight students will be recognized as 澳门六合彩官网直播's top seniors for 2023 during the annual Presidential Scholars Convocation from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 17, in Rooms 208 and 210 of the Bernhard Center.

Each year, faculty members from across the University select the most outstanding senior in their nearly 50 academic schools, departments and programs to represent their unit as a 澳门六合彩官网直播 Presidential Scholar. This year, scholars were chosen from a senior class of 4,748 students.

The Presidential Scholar designation is the highest academic honor that Western can bestow on its undergraduates. Selection is based on a student's general academic excellence, academic and artistic excellence relative to their majors, and intellectual and artistic promise.

The 2023 Presidential Scholars Convocation, which is by invitation only, will include a program featuring a keynote address by Emma Baratta, a graduate assistant for the Office of Government Relations and a 2022 Presidential Scholar in political science.

Dr. Edward Montgomery, president of 澳门六合彩官网直播, and Dr. Sarah Summy, president of the Faculty Senate, also will be making comments.

鈥淐ongratulations to the 2023 Presidential Scholars. These exceptional students are recognized by their academic department for their stellar records, tenacity and overall promise of success,鈥 Montgomery says. 鈥淚 am proud of their intellectual and artistic accomplishments so far, and I know they will continue to amaze and inspire us in the future.鈥

"The Presidential Scholar Convocation is an event that the Faculty Senate is proud to collaborate with the Office of the President in honoring this year's top students," adds Summy. "Each Presidential Scholar represents the best from their individual schools, departments and programs as evidenced by their demonstrated academic achievement and strong dispositions."

Student scholar success

Most of this year's scholars have conducted research or engaged in projects, usually working closely with Western faculty members. One student participated in a behavioral neuroscience study where they learned about the brain, its structures and functions, and different fields of behavioral neuroscience, among other things. Another worked with a faculty member to learn about the structure of proteins and other large molecules and how changes in the structures may be able to treat diseases. As a research assistant for the Michigan Geological Survey, another student helped verify Michigan water well data and created hydrologic maps to better understand the spread of contaminants.

In addition, several scholars have volunteered to work with young people and other Western students in their field of interest. They joined organizations that serve a wide array of notable causes, including tutoring K-2 students in literacy for the Boys and Girls Club Pathways Tutoring Program, helping repaint a school and teaching students in East Africa during a monthlong volunteer expedition and serving as an outpatient dietetic clinical observer for the Battle Creek Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Many scholars are pursuing internships in their field and plan to continue their higher education careers after they graduate from Western.

2023 Presidential Scholars

础肠肠辞耻苍迟补苍肠测鈥Josephine Thomas of Adamstown, Maryland

础谤迟鈥Adilene Nieves Rios of Sturgis, Michigan

础惫颈补迟颈辞苍鈥Morgan Boyd of Kalamazoo

Biological sciences鈥Jake Fanizza of Gurnee, Illinois

Business information systems鈥Cameron Johnson of Quincy, Michigan

Chemical and paper engineering鈥Zahira Sanchez of the Dominican Republic

颁丑别尘颈蝉迟谤测鈥Rajendra Panth of Nepal

Civil and construction engineering鈥Samuel Hall of Richland, Michigan

颁辞尘尘耻苍颈肠补迟颈辞苍鈥Raymond Falkiewicz of Canton, Michigan

Comparative religion鈥Tephani DeYoung of Kalamazoo

Computer science鈥Sebastian Smiley of Canada

顿补苍肠别鈥Libby McKenzie of Kalamazoo

贰肠辞苍辞尘颈肠蝉鈥Cecelia Chapleau of Portage, Michigan

Electrical and computer engineering鈥Tawfiq Abuaita of Palestine

Engineering design, manufacturing and management systems鈥John Goheen of Sandusky, Michigan

贰苍驳濒颈蝉丑鈥Kostandi Stephenson of Midland, Michigan

Environment and sustainability鈥Phoebe Liccardo of Evanston, Illinois

Family and consumer sciences鈥Derek Fischer of Fremont, Indiana

Finance and commercial law鈥Ashley Hare of Otsego, Michigan

Geography, environment and tourism鈥Quinn Heiser of Ypsilanti, Michigan

Geological and environmental sciences鈥Donovan Vitale of Monroe, Michigan

Global and international studies鈥Emily Kostbade of Ada, Michigan

贬颈蝉迟辞谤测鈥Nathan Halder of Battle Creek, Michigan

Human performance and health education鈥Hannah Finkler of Muskegon, Michigan

Industrial and entrepreneurial engineering and engineering management鈥Matthew Baker of Williamston, Michigan

Integrated supply management鈥Lidya Kartika of Indonesia

Intercultural and anthropological studies鈥Payton Gagliardi of Lake Zurich, Illinois

Interdisciplinary health programs鈥Logan West of Mattawan, Michigan

惭补苍补驳别尘别苍迟鈥Jacob Myers of Monroe, Michigan

惭补谤办别迟颈苍驳鈥Taylor Davis of Commerce Township, Michigan

惭补迟丑别尘补迟颈肠蝉鈥Juliana Fried of Ann Arbor, Michigan

Mechanical and aerospace engineering鈥Tyler Johnson of St. Charles, Illinois

惭耻蝉颈肠鈥Caleb Piersma of Otsego, Michigan

狈耻谤蝉颈苍驳鈥Chase Rosengarten of Novi, Michigan

笔丑颈濒辞蝉辞辫丑测鈥Dayna Mulder of Wyoming, Michigan

笔丑测蝉颈肠蝉鈥Imogen Courtney of England

Political science鈥Dayna Mulder of Wyoming, Michigan

笔蝉测肠丑辞濒辞驳测鈥Haila Jiddou of Marysville, Michigan

Public affairs and administration鈥Robert Carico of Jackson, Michigan

Social work鈥Eva Fotieo of Grand Rapids, Michigan

厂辞肠颈辞濒辞驳测鈥Lindsay Kovach of Elgin, Illinois 

厂辫补苍颈蝉丑鈥Marysol Millar of Kalamazoo

Special education and literacy studies鈥Sara Gerber of Battle Creek, Michigan

Speech pathology and audiology鈥Rebecca Adams of Battle Creek, Michigan

厂迟补迟颈蝉迟颈肠蝉鈥Timothy Gunawan of Indonesia

Teaching, learning and educational studies鈥Sam Arnold of Farmington Hills, Michigan

罢丑别补迟谤别鈥Grace Niec of Fenton, Michigan

University studies鈥Erskine Payton of Paw Paw, Michigan

World languages and literatures鈥Noah Braasch of Portage, Michigan

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