Gideon Achirem

Gideon Achirem is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Promotion and Wellness Management. Outside of academics, Gideon has been a very active member of the Rowan community as a volunteer of the Get Fit program and a member of Rowan’s Cross Country and Track and Field teams. As a Get Fit volunteer, Gideon was honored to help individuals with mental disabilities learn to live a healthier lifestyle. He found being a part of Rowan athletics program an invaluable experience that allowed him to develop strong friendships and a high level of mental resilience. Gideon has completed his certification in blood pressure and cholesterol screening and is looking forward to furthing his education in occupational therapy.

Sydnee Gould

Department of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences Award

Sydnee is earning her Bachelor of Science in Translational and Biomedical Science. She has been an outstanding student academically and scientifically in this research-oriented program. Sydnee also obtained Certificates of Undergraduate studies in Forensic studies and Global Health studies. For her research project in Dr Claude Krummenacher's lab, she analyzed potential drugs against herpes simplex virus infection in vitro. In 2019, she obtained a highly competitive REU Fellowship in pediatrics at the University of Rochester, where she spent the summer investigating markers of the immune response to influenza virus. As a true translational scientist, she is passionate about applying her lab research skills in infectious diseases to solve medical and public health challenges. Among other occupations, she worked in a MEDlife clinic in Peru and participated in several projects at the Public Health, Environmental and Agricultural Laboratory of the NJ Department of Health. At Rowan, she also researched Title IX reporting discrepancies between colleges and communities. Sydnee is the President of the Bantivoglio Honors Student Organization and the vice president of the Law and Justice Debate Team. After graduating from Rowan, Sydnee will pursue a career in medicine and biomedical research.

Gabrielle Longo 

Gabby Longo, a Psychology Major, is a very active member of the Bantivoglio Honors College program and has excelled in undergraduate research.  She worked in the ASSeRT lab for three years, serving as the undergraduate statistics leader. Gabby is known for her excellent data management and analytical skills, as well as her initiative in spearheading projects. Gabby also works in Dr. Fife’s JEDI lab and successfully completed two summer research assistantships, working on a National Institutes of Health-funded study at Brown University and at Cooper Hospital.  In addition to serving as a tutor and academic coach, she led a series of statistics workshops for undergraduates, which she conducted to rave reviews. Gabby has also gained valuable teaching experience through our Learning Assistant program in research methods and statistics courses.  She has received interview offers from several Ph.D. programs in Developmental Psychology with noted researchers around the country.

Gina Malia

Jonathan Maturano

Jonathan Maturano is a senior Biochemistry Major at Rowan University. He has excelled in the classroom as well as the research lab, where he has applied his skills in chemical synthesis to help improve the development of miniaturized devices used for chemical analysis. Jonathan was selected for a prestigious REU fellowship at the University of Utah, where he spent 10 weeks conducting research in the summer of 2019. He has also been a leader on Rowan's campus, previously serving as an executive board member of the Student ACS Club and as a resident advisor. In the fall, he will be attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.​

Jennifer Lynn McNamara

Jennifer McNamara is a Subject Matter Mathematics Education Major and is also receiving her Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement. She is a member of many on-campus clubs including Unified Sports, Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, Secondary Education Club, Rowan Robotics, Math Team, and Rowan Economics Society, as well as Rowan Club Field Hockey. She holds a leadership role in Rowan Unified Sports where she is the Risk Manager. She is also the former Student Government Association representative for the Secondary Education Club. After she graduates, Jennifer aspires to teach Mathematics Special Education in New Jersey and continue her education at the Masters level.

Matthew Necelis 

Matthew Necelis​ is a Biochemistry graduate from Rowan University.  After high school, Matt attended multiple schools before finishing an associate’s program in chemistry and biology at a Salem County Community College. He entered the work force working in construction where he spent five years working as a carpenter building residential homes, large tract housing, as well as remodeling. According to Matt, his years in construction taught him the value of work ethic, but he yearned for a more intellectually stimulating field. He returned to college coming to Rowan University as a transfer student in the spring of 2018 as a biochemistry major.  He earned the Dean’s list three times, graduated with a high GPA, and has co-authorship on four publications. He has committed to a Ph.D. program in Chemistry at the University of Virginia starting in the fall of 2020.​

Vito Nucci

Samantha Palumbo

Samantha Palumbo, from Bridgewater, New Jersey, is receiving a Bachelor of Art degree in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Education degree in Subject Matter Teaching of STEAM. Samantha Palumbo has been very successful in all her course work and did a lot of research in the area of analytical chemistry. In the research projects, Samantha has used several different techniques such as Electrochemistry, Gas Chromatography, and Mass Spectrometry to investigate the properties of organic bases in ionic liquids and ceramic materials. Results of her research work have been presented in an ACS Regional Meeting and the Rowan STEM conference. Samantha’s career goal is to be a high school science teacher in this area. She is currently doing clinical teaching of chemistry in a local high school.​

Sabrina Paparo

Robert N. Renlund Preprofessional Award in the Allied Health Field: Established in memory of Dr. Robert Renlund, a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences, this medallion awarded to two students for excellence in premedical or preprofessional studies. This award is donated by the Preprofessional Club.

Sabrina is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, with an Honors Concentration and a Certificate of Undergraduate Studies in Spanish. She has been working in Dr. Luke Holbrook’s lab for three years analyzing micro-CT data.  She and Dr. Holbrook are working on a manuscript describing and analyzing the skull of a 60-million-year-old mammal from Wyoming. She was a co-author, along with Dr. Holbrook and Dr. Stephen Chester of Brooklyn College, on a presentation of some of this work at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in 2018. While at Rowan, Sabrina studied abroad in the Galapagos. Outside of academics, Sabrina has been active in the student organization, Women Inspiring a New Generation of Scientist.  Dedicated to her community, Sabrina is a volunteer EMS.  She also volunteers at several food banks and at a facility for children with disabilities.  In addition, she serves as an academic coach for Rowan students with disabilities and stays active as the head softball coach for a local travel softball team.  Sabrina is looking forward to applying to medical school.

Matthew Pekora 

Matthew Pekora is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a Minor in Chemistry. Since April 2018, he has been working with Dr. Lana Vojvodic researching honeybee behaviors and their gut microbiome interactions with fungal pathogens. He will be a co-author on at least one manuscript in preparation for submission this year.  In September 2019, Matthew was awarded the Best Student Research Presentation at the Evolution in Philadelphia Conference.  In November 2019, Matthew presented at the national meeting of the Entomological Society of America and at a regional meeting on social insects.  Matthew's undergraduate research experience also includes working with Dr. Jones at Cooper Medical Hospital looking at the effects of naloxone distribution and the delivery of overdose prevention education.  Matthew served as President of the Pre-Allied Health Club and was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society for Pre-Medical Students and the Tau Sigma Honor Society for Transfer Students. Mathew, a first-generation college graduate, is planning on going to medical school.

Fiona Quigley 

Fiona Quigley is a graduating with a degree Health Promotion Wellness Management and a minor in Psychology. Fiona has been involved in a variety of clubs and organizations both in and outside of her major. During her freshman year she was a basketball coach for Rowan University’s Unified Sports In her sophomore year, she joined the Get FIT program as a peer trainer and was later promoted to a Session Manager role. In addition, she held an executive board position as Rowan University’s Chapter of National Wellness Institute's event planner and lead the organization’s first annual Health, Wellness, and Fitness Internship and Career Fair.  Fiona is grateful for the experiences at Rowan and is excited to begin her graduate degree in occupational therapy.

Paige Richards

In addition to earning a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, Paige Richards is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Minor in Chemistry.  Since 2017, Paige has done undergraduate research in virology with Dr. Claude Krummenacher. She has shown leadership in the projects she was assigned and trained other students in cell culture, microscopy and other techniques. In 2018, she was awarded first place for her research poster presentation in the College of Science & Mathematics Summer Undergraduate Research Program.  In the summer of 2019, Paige was accepted into a competitive NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at University of Iowa doing research on herpes simplex virus egress from cells. In addition, she co-authored a research article in PLOS One. Paige served as the Vice President and President for the Bantivoglio Honors Concentration and was active in the Rowan University Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. Paige is a first-generation college graduate who will continue her career as a virologist at the University of Iowa, where she will pursue a PhD in Microbiology.

Nicole Thompson

3B Orthopaedics Athletic Training Student Excellence Award: This medallion is awarded to a senior specializing in athletic training who demonstrates excellence and plans to pursue a graduate degree in athletic training. 

Nicole Thompson is graduating with M.S. degree at Athletic Training. While at Rowan, she has been an active member of the community. Nicole has been a part of the Athletic Training Club for the past five years as a member and two years as vice president. Recently, Nicole has been accepted into the Alpha Epsilon Lambda National Honor Society for graduate students. Additionally, Nicole is an athletic training educational program mentor that assists freshmen in their transition to college and the athletic training program. For the past two years, she has been a student representative of the Academic Integrity Review Board. Further, Nicole has served as vice president and treasurer for Women's Club Soccer team.

Eric Zielonka

Nhan Huynh Award for Excellence in Computer Science: Donated by members of the Computer Science Department, this award is named in memory of Nhan Huynh, a graduate of the Class of 1989. It is presented to the student with the highest grade point average in computer science courses. 

Eric Zielonka is a Rowan University senior with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics.  Not only has he excelled academically, but Eric has also engaged himself in various other activities within the department.  In his first semester as a freshman, he started on the CS Web Team and advanced quickly to become the Team Lead.  After three semesters, he was offered a research position working in collaboration on the ASRC Federal Mission Solutions (AFMS) grant.