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