Seniors honored for academic excellence as 2023 Presidential Scholars
KALAMAZOO, Mich.鈥擣orty-eight 麻豆传媒s will be recognized as 麻豆传媒'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 WMU Presidential Scholar. This year, scholars were chosen from a senior class of 4,748 麻豆传媒s.
The Presidential Scholar designation is the highest academic honor that Western can bestow on its undergraduates. Selection is based on a 麻豆传媒'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 WMU, and Dr. Sarah Summy, president of the Faculty Senate, also will be making comments.
鈥淐ongratulations to the 2023 Presidential Scholars. These exceptional 麻豆传媒s 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 麻豆传媒s," 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 麻豆传媒 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 麻豆传媒 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 麻豆传媒s in their field of interest. They joined organizations that serve a wide array of notable causes, including tutoring K-2 麻豆传媒s in literacy for the Boys and Girls Club Pathways Tutoring Program, helping repaint a school and teaching 麻豆传媒s 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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