Recent Award Recipients

The Department of Biological Sciences at É«É«À² Michigan University annually recognizes students who have made significant contributions through scholarly activities, as well as service, research and leadership.

Presidential Scholar

(Department nomination; University award)

  • 2024— Kayla Bryd
  • 2023—Jake Fanizza
  • 2022—Shaneka Johnson
  • 2021—Caroline Wolf
  • 2020—Makayla Long
  • 2019—Marwa Ahmed Saad
  • 2018—Kelsey Cushway
  • 2017—Marine Bolliet
  • 2016—Joseph Barnett
  • 2015—Nicole Carpp
  • 2014—Olivia Walser

Distinguished Senior in Biology

  • 2024—Angela Solis Sarat
  • 2023—Jossalyn Rogalski
  • 2022—Hanna Korn and Rae Miller
  • 2021—Megan Nippa
  • 2020—Isabella Trainor
  • 2019—Eliza Foli
  • 2018—Eric Branch and Samantha Hack
  • 2017—Allison Spring
  • 2016—Shaana Way
  • 2015—Jamie Hentig
  • 2014—John Christie

Distinguished Senior in Biomedical Sciences

  • 2024—Giovanna de Carvalho
  • 2023—Zach McClenny
  • 2022—Hope Welter
  • 2021—Tashifa Fayyaz
  • 2020—Haley Ritsema
  • 2019—Ahmad Faryami
  • 2019—Kori Mecklenburg
  • 2018—Maninder Randhawa
  • 2018—Gabrielle Watson
  • 2017—Meagan Ackerman
  • 2016—Jacob Morton
  • 2015—Emily Manzon
  • 2014—Qing Shu

DISTINGUISHED PRE-PROFESSIONAL IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

  • 2024—Nancy Chau
  • 2023—Nastia Chan
  • 2022—Jake Fanizza
  • 2021—Hope Welter
  • 2020—Benjamin Ulrich
  • 2019—Kendall Jablonski
  • 2019—Matthew Kornas
  • 2018—Ramsey Potter
  • 2017—Salma Mumuni
  • 2016—Matthew Pate
  • 2015—Joseph Barnett
  • 2014—Erin Donovan

DISTINGUISHED PRE-PROFESSIONAL IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

  • 2013—Stephanie Jerger

Merrill Wiseman Award in Microbiology

  • 2024—Molly Hornyak
  • 2023—Syed Daniyal
  • 2022—Sarah Mominee
  • 2021—Grace Filpi
  • 2020—Jacob Evans
  • 2019—Cody Benfant
  • 2018—Helene Woyczesczyk
  • 2017—Garrett Kingsbury
  • 2016—Michael Monaco
  • 2014—Steven Aiello

MARGARET THOMAS DU MOND AWARD

  • 2022—Sarah Mominee
  • 2021—Cora Paul
  • 2019—Hannah Mitchell
  • 2018—Kelsey Cushway and Matthew Gibson
  • 2016—Keith Meyers

HAZEL WIRICK SCHOLARSHIP

(Awarded through the Kalamazoo Garden Club)

  • 2024—Angela Solis Sarat and Samantha McLean
  • 2023—Emily Lulofs and Gabriel Vroman (Delano Award)
  • 2022—Hanna Korn (undergraduate) and Cole Waldvogel (undergraduate)
  • 2021—Alex Kolstoe (graduate) and Laura Otto (undergraduate)
  • 2020—Peter Quakenbush (graduate) and Ashley Pfeifle (undergraduate)
  • 2019—Abbie Bristol (undergraduate) and Louis Mitchell (undergraduate)
  • 2018—Tonia Aho (undergraduate) and Nicole Dubs (graduate)
  • 2017—Dustin Rowland (graduate) and Amy Kobylarz (undergraduate)
  • 2016—Nicholas Martin (graduate), Christian Visser and Allyson Wentala (undergraduate)
  • 2015—Justin Hackett and Alexys Nolan
  • 2014—Scott Warner (graduate) and Mallory Burdo (undergraduate)

Colin J. Gould Memorial Scholarship

  • 2024—Abdulaziz Shebrain
  • 2023—Nancy Chau
  • 2022—Kar Men Lee
  • 2021—Cami Dubois
  • 2020—Humayra Oishi 
  • 2019—Hannah Mitchell
  • 2018—Meskerem Tolossa
  • 2017—Aurora Mokris
  • 2016—Allison Spring
  • 2014—Nicole Carpp

Frank Hinds Zoology Award

  • 2024—Leire Garcia Torres
  • 2023—Caitlyn Nolf and Martina Acosta
  • 2022—Nastia Chan
  • 2021—Grace Filpi
  • 2020—Hanna Korn
  • 2019—Yarielis Rosario
  • 2018—MacKenzie King and Emily Bolhuis
  • 2017—Jill Syrotchen and MacKenzie King
  • 2014—Damir Musaev

Dr. Scott and Mary Hodges Scholarship (pre-dental)

  • 2023—Emily Moore
  • 2022—Breanna Glovis
  • 2021—Carly Magiera-Pullen

Roger and Diane Ulrich award for biological and biomedical science

  • 2024—Caleb Learman
  • 2023—Nastia Chan

Dr. Darrell R. Latva Biological Sciences Teaching Excellence Award

(More information)

  • 2024—Dr. Todd Barkman
  • 2023—Dr. Monica McCullough
  • 2022—Dr. Tiffany Schriever
  • 2021—Dr. Wendy Beane
  • 2019—Dr. Kathryn Docherty 
  • 2017—Dr. David Rudge
  • 2016—Dr. David Karowe
  • 2014—Dr. John Jellies

Graduate Research and Creative Scholar

(Department nomination; given by the Graduate College)

  • 2024—Keke Ray (master's teaching), Darby Finnegan (master's research), Julie VanGyseghem (Ph.D. teaching), Ruchi Ojha (Ph.D. research), Ruchi Ojha (Ph.D. research- All University Award)
  • 2023—Alyssa Lopez (accelerated master's research), Enish Pathak (master's teaching), Christian Smith (master's research), Joanna Sblendorio (Ph.D. teaching), Joanna Sblendorio (Ph.D. teaching- All University Award), Samantha Hack (Ph.D. research), Samantha Hack (Ph.D. research- All University Award)
  • 2022—Alyssa Lopez (accelerated master's teaching), Aurora Mokris (accelerated master's research), Parks Marion (master's teaching), Jake Spitsbergen (master's research), Elizabeth Ketchum (Ph.D. teaching), Victor DeBrito (Ph.D. research), Luke Kinsey (Ph.D. teaching- All University Award)
  • 2021—Halle Nienhaus (master's teaching), Makayla Long (accelerated master's teaching), Zach Whitacre (master's research), Lindsey Dehaan (accelerated master's research), Luke Kinsey (Ph.D. teaching) and Alberto Cintron-Colon (Ph.D. research)
  • 2020—Joshua Paris (master's teaching), Megan Stanchfield (master's research), Paige Blinkiewicz (accelerated master's research), Gabriel Almeida Alves (Ph.D. teaching) and Susanne Var (Ph.D. research)
  • 2019—Christopher Frazier (master's teaching), Allie Spring (master's research), Tanya Petrachkova (Ph.D. teaching) and Alanna Van Huizen (Ph.D. research)
  • 2018—Angela Kennedy-Mendez (master's teaching), Christy Kalata (master's teaching), Jamie Smith (master's research), Taylor Birkholz (Ph.D. teaching) and NaTasha Schiller (Ph.D. research)
  • 2017—Diana Carter (master's teaching), Ryan Wessendorf (master's research), Erin Grabarczyk (Ph.D. teaching) and Ruiqi Huang (Ph.D. research)
  • 2016—Matthew Deighton (master's teaching), John Christie (master's research), NaTasha Schiller (Ph.D. teaching) and Carol Beaver (Ph.D. research)
  • 2014—Yih Wen Goh (master's teaching), Eeleng Choong (master's research), Jacob Job (Ph.D. teaching) and John-Mary Vianney (Ph.D. research)

Distinguished Biological Sciences Graduate Student

  • 2024—Samantha Hack
  • 2023—Luke Kinsey
  • 2022—Sydney Sheltz-Kempf
  • 2021—Sarah Webster
  • 2020—Amy Janik
  • 2019—Allie Spring
  • 2018—Alanna VanHuizen
  • 2017—Taylor Birkholz and Erin Grabarczyk
  • 2016—Justin Hackett
  • 2015—NaTasha Schiller
  • 2014—Jacob Job

Leo C. Vander Beek Graduate Student Plant Biology Award

  • 2024—Theo Addo
  • 2023—Alex Kolstoe
  • 2022—Peter Quakenbush
  • 2020—Shejal Soumen
  • 2019—Peter Quakenbush
  • 2018—Sadia Kana
  • 2017—Manasa Bellur Satyanarayan
  • 2016—Ruiqi Huang
  • 2014—Justin Hackett

Outstanding Research Award

  • 2024 (Charles River)—Molly Hornyak (undergraduate), Keke Ray (master's), and Sara Diller (Ph. D.)
  • 2023 (Charles River)—Andrew Kaczmar (undergraduate), Adam Austin (master's), and Joanna Sblendorio (Ph.D.)
  • 2022 (Betina Chapman)—Nastia Chan (undergraduate), Jake Spitsbergen (master's), and Ruchi Ojha (Ph.D.)
  • 2021 (Charles River)—Hope Welter (undergraduate), Nicole Stewart (master's), Josh Paris (master's) and Alberto Cintron-Colon (Ph.D.) 
  • 2020 (MPI)—Alyssa Lopez(undergraduate), Zach Whitacre(master's) and Susanne Var (Ph.D.)
  • 2019 (MPI)—Katelyn Kurrie (undergraduate), Joanna Sblendorio (master's) and Gabriel Alves (Ph.D.)
  • 2018 (MPI)—Marwa Saad (undergraduate), Breanna Varker (undergraduate), Jamie Smith (master's) and Thomas Groves (Ph.D.)
  • 2017 (MPI)—Eric Branch (undergraduate), Megan Stanchfield (undergraduate), Nicholas Martin (master's) and Tiantian Zhang (Ph.D.)
  • 2016 (MPI)—Harrison Bach (undergraduate), Diana Carter (master's) and Carol Beaver (Ph.D.)
  • 2015 (MPI)—Justin Hackett  Tetiana Petrachkova (master's), Jacob Job and Chuck Nutting (Ph.D.)
  • 2014 (MPI)—Evan White (undergraduate), Hannah Borton (master's) and Amy Gyorkos (Ph.D.)

Students advancing biological research and engagement (sabre)

  • 2017—Sianoush Fereidani, Devon Volz and Zach Stoner