The accomplishments of Worcester State University students were celebrated at the 2019 Academic Achievement Awards on Thursday, April 25, at Mechanics Hall. Academic Major Awards were given to students with the highest G.P.A. in their major. Other special awards, including the Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan ‘55, USMC Ret. Academic Achievement Awards, were also presented.
“No other ceremony speaks to the quality of Worcester State University’s learning experience as this one does,” President Barry M. Maloney said. “It showcases the achievements of our hard-working, motivated, intelligent students and indicates the role our faculty have played in guiding these students to success.”
The Ella M. Whitney Award was awarded to Katelyn Surprenant, an occupational therapy major, athlete, and leader in student organizations. Whitney was an 1891 graduate of the Worcester Normal School (WSU’s predecessor). This award is given to a student who exemplifies her abundance of positive qualities, including participation in school activities.
The John F. Eager Continuing Education Excellence Award, which goes to the undergraduate student in WSU’s evening program with the highest G.P.A., when to Abigail DuBois, a non-traditional student majoring in psychology.
Full-time WSU students who have achieved the best G.P.A. in their class are presented with the Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan ‘55, USMC Ret., Excellence Awards, named after the most generous benefactor in Worcester State history. In total, six Sheehan Awards were handed out this year to hard-working and well-deserving students.
President Maloney said the Sheehan awardees represented the Worcester State students well.
“Those stories reflect a wide range of academic and career interests,” he said. “There is a common thread to them: It is that our flexible curriculum enables students to pursue not only their career goals, but also their passions–when those things are separate, and also when they are the same.”
The First-Year Sheehan Awards went to Elise Stone, studying biology on the pre-health track, and Jonathan VanderSea, a business administration major.
The Sophomore Sheehan Awards went to Meghan Foley, double majoring in education and English, and Kaitlyn Olmstead, double majoring in math and elementary education.
The Junior Sheehan Award went to Jaymi-Lyn Souza, a history major and student senate chair.
The Senior Sheehan Award went to Amy Ngoc Nguyen, a psychology major. This is her second year receiving a Sheehan Award.
The entire list of all awards given:
Ella M. Whitney Award: Katelyn Surprenant
John F. Eager Continuing Education Excellence Award: Abigail DuBois
Liberal Studies
Robert H. Kyle Award for Excellence in Liberal Studies: Alana Ranney
Women’s Studies
Women’s Studies Concentration Award: Erica Gilman
Academic Major Award Recipients
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Business Administration and Economics
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Awards
Business Administration: Meghan St. Jean
Economics: Andrew Borus
Academic Recognition Awards
Wall Street Journal Outstanding Achievement in Economics: Brent Filgerleski, Tyler Stratton ’12, and Jessica Tea ’12
Academic Achievement Award: Jazmynne Hickman
Communication
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Communication: Eleni Tzikas
Academic Recognition Awards
Community Service Award: Julie O’Melia
Department Leadership Award: Nicholas Coelho
Criminal Justice
Vanessa Anne Dunn Academic Major Award: Corey Covino
Academic Recognition Awards
Central Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Spirit of Service Award: Sofia Alberini
Dr. Stephen A. Morreale Public Service in Criminal Justice Award: Austin Chapski
English
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
English: Thomas Gleason
History and Political Science
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
History and Political Science: Nicole O’Connell
Academic Recognition Award
Professor Cheng & Christina Yuan Award for History: Jaymi-Lyn Souza
Philosophy
Worcester State Foundation Philosophy as a Minor Award: Abigail Stone
Daniel C. Shartin Emerging Philosopher Award: Timothy Jarvis
Psychology
Beth Axelson Academic Major Award: Amy Ngoc Nguyen
Academic Recognition Award
Dr. Lawrence A. Averill Award in Psychology: Brandon Meece
Sociology
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Sociology: Molly Ware
Academic Recognition Awards
Bob Goss Service Award: Erica Gilman
W.E.B. Du Bois Award for Community-Based Research: Colin Houle
Urban Studies
Schwartz Charitable Foundation Academic Major Award: Samantha E. Fonseca
Academic Recognition Awards
Julia Mack Award for Intergenerational Leadership: Samantha E. Fonseca
Vincent E. “Jake” Powers Award: Keyla M. Vargas
Visual and Performing Arts
Malcolm Gordon Memorial Academic Major Award: Josue Ramirez
Academic Recognition Awards
Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Art Award: Bailey Boutiette
Anne Marie Shea Award for Excellence in Theater: Krystal Barrera
World Languages
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Spanish: Lindsey Tarbox
Academic Recognition Award
Dr. Dorothy A. Escribano Award: Michelle Rivas
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND NATURAL SCIENCES
Biology
The Dr. Anthony Thurston Academic Major Award: Redi Metali
Academic Recognition Awards
Dr. Marlin B. Kreider Biology Award: Jacqueline Kamins
Dr. Maureen and Edward Shamgochian Award in Biology: Molica Pen
Biotechnology
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Biotechnology: Michaila Parent
Chemistry
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Chemistry: Christopher Jackson
Academic Recognition Awards
Student Leadership Award in Chemistry: Samer Hammoodi
Dr. Maureen and Edward Shamgochian Award in Chemistry: Kim Anh Vu
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Communication Sciences and Disorders: Melissa Higginson
Academic Recognition Awards
WSU Chapter of the National Student
Speech-Language-Hearing Association Award: Rachel Green
Honorable John J. Binienda Sr. CSD Award: Elise Lemieux
Computer Science
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Computer Science: Kathleen Law
Earth, Environment, and Physics
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Awards
Environmental Science: Andrew Etheridge
Geography: John Blombach
Academic Recognition Award
Earl B. Shaw Award for Geography: Brianna Germain
Education
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Awards
Early Childhood Education: Monica Greenlaw
Elementary Education: Madison Marceau
Middle and Secondary Education: Gabriela Hastings
Academic Recognition Awards
Madeline A. Wilmarth Award: Samantha Sealey
Ruth Cohen Blumsack Award: Sarah Kasof
Helen Shaughnessy Award: Dakota Hinerth
Lillian C. ’65 and George H. Albro ’65 Award in Education: Emma Gosselin
Health Sciences
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Awards
Health Education: Catherine Wielock
Public Health: Anthony Messina
Academic Recognition Award
Community Service: Jimmy Dwobeng
Mathematics
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Awards
Mathematics: Michael Rose
Mathematics for Elementary Education: Jamie Jurgiel
Richard Bisk Mathematics Teaching Award: Katelyn Salsgiver
Nursing
Worcester State Foundation Academic Major Award
Nursing: Micayla Noonan
Academic Recognition Awards
Clinical Excellence in the Art and Science of Nursing Award: Abigail Sniegocki
Florence Nightingale Award: Marikate Matys
Dr. Lillian R. Goodman Award: Lixia Zhang
Dr. Jean A. and Michael F. Campaniello Award: Diane Forgitz
Ann “Annie” Dolan Award for Compassion: Colleen Walsh
Occupational Therapy
Robert and Aviva Freelander Academic Major Award: Heather Nadeau
The Lt. Col. James F. Sheehan ’55, USMC Ret. Academic Excellence Award Recipients
First-Year Achievement Awards: Elise Stone, Jonathan VanderSea
Sophomore Achievement Awards: Meghan Foley, Kaitlyn Olmstead
Junior Achievement Award: Jaymi-Lyn Souza
Senior Achievement Award: Amy Ngoc Nguyen
Achievers
Santana Receives National Research Grant
Christina Santana, assistant professor of English and Writing Center director, was recently chosen to receive a 2018-2019 Emergent Researcher Award from the Conference on College Composition and . . .