Izhar Ali

James M. Shafer Excellence in Mathematics Award: This medallion is donated by the Department of Mathematics in honor of Dr. James M. Shafer, a member of the Department from 1965 to 1980 and instrumental in the development of the Mathematics major at the University.

Izhar Ali is a dual major in Computer Science and Mathematics along with a Bantivoglio Honors and Statistics Concentration. For the past five semesters, he has contributed to the Rowan-Bristol Myers Squibb team with Dr. Vasil Hnatyshin, researching Natural Language Processing. Beyond these commitments, Izhar maintains a collaborative repository on GitHub covering a wide array of topics like numerical analysis and statistics. He also collaborates on a global repository that promotes understanding of the mathematics behind machine learning. In the fall, Izhar will continue his graduate studies in Data Science and plans a career as a Machine Learning Software Engineer.

Jordyn Brown

Excellence in Biological Sciences Award: This award is presented to a graduating student who excels in the field. The student must have an outstanding record of involvement in research opportunities within the department or within the community of biology. This award is donated by the Biology Club.

Jordyn Brown is an outstanding student who graduates with a B.S. in Biological Sciences, minors in Spanish and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and an Honors Concentration. She studied abroad in Spain, where she assisted in a Spanish classroom, and learned Spanish and American educational, historical, political and cultural practices. Jordyn conducted 3 years of ecological research with Drs. Grove, Richmond, and Ruhl, focusing on the relationships between freshwater plankton, water quality, and surrounding landscape characteristics. She presented scientific posters at multiple meetings, and will submit a research paper for publication. Jordyn plans to pursue a PhD in plant biology.

David Choo

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.

David Choo represents the highest standard of academic excellence with achieving the 2024 Computer Science Nhan Huynh Medallion Award. She has contributed to numerous projects both in and out of the classroom including work on her own open-source tool. As one of only a few current students to do so, she has also supported the CS Department’s high school programming contest by helping to proof solve the original problem and by judging the submitted solutions. After graduation, David plans to pursue a career in the tech industry as a software engineer and to continue her dedicated work with open-source projects.

Theodore Graves

Michael Miller Award for Excellence in Chemistry: Donated by the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, this medallion is presented to a senior student who excels in chemistry or biochemistry, demonstrates leadership, and shows potential for advancing the chemical profession.

Theodore Graves is graduating with a BS in Biochemistry.  He has a strong passion for science and has demonstrated excellence in all five subdisciplines of Chemistry.  His research on the development of boron based small molecules in Jonnalagadda Laboratory resulted in a poster presentation at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society. Upon graduation, he plans to enlist in the US Army as well as pursue his graduate education in medicinal chemistry/drug discovery.

Jessica Holck

Paul Dike Award for Excellence in Physical Science: This award, donated by the Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, is presented to a Physics or Chemistry major who has demonstrated outstanding potential for continued academic or professional growth in the field of science education, and has significantly contributed to their department and community.

Jessica Holck is graduating with a B.A. in Chemistry and has been involved in research with the Lu laboratory since 2023. Jessica’s research project focused on synthesizing Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for pH-sensitive drug delivery systems. From the outset, Jessica distinguished herself as a talented and intelligent student, demonstrating proficiency in the laboratory. Her hands-on skills were exemplary, allowing her to conduct experiments with a high degree of precision and success. Jessica’s ability to quickly master the techniques required for the preparation and characterization of nanomaterials was impressive. Her dedication and skillset not only advanced her research project but also highlighted her potential as a future scientist in nanomaterials and drug delivery systems. Jessica’s contributions and work ethic exemplify the qualities this honor seeks to recognize.

Jerica Hudson

Maria Tahamont Award: This award is presented to a graduate who has excelled in the study of biological sciences and is named after retired Department of Biological Sciences faculty member Dr. Maria Tahamont.

Jerica Hudson belongs to a cohort of meritorious students selected to be supported by an NIH Program to transfer from RCSJ to Rowan. Jerica is an Honors student, who graduates with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Neurosciences. While maintaining an excellent academic record, she performed research in the laboratory of Dr. Claude Krummenacher, where she characterized the antiviral effect of honeybee venom against human and feline herpesviruses and coronaviruses. Her project presentations attracted attention at several regional and international meetings. Jerica is a remarkably motivated student, who will use her research training in the lab and her hospital work experience in emergency departments to pursue medical studies. She is an outstanding example for transfer students to follow and a deserving recipient of the Tahamont Award.

Nitish Kasarla

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 & Biomedical Sciences, this medallion is awarded to two students for excellence in premedical or preprofessional studies. This award is donated by the Preprofessional Club. 

Nitish Kasarla is a Molecular and Cellular Biology major in the accelerated BS/MD program and will start medical school at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) in Fall 2024. In the John H. Martinson Honors College, Nitish serves as a BLAST mentor, is a group leader for the Problem-Based Learning program and works in the laboratory of Dr. Thomas Keck on an Honors with Distinction research project focused on analgesic drug discovery targeting the mu opioid receptor. Nitish is the current President of the Pre-Health Society, which strives to provide opportunities for students to learn about healthcare professions, participates in volunteer and service events, provides skills workshops, and networking with other students pursuing careers in healthcare. He is particularly proud of the March 1, 2024, Pre-Health Society Reception, which brought undergraduate students together with medical students from CMSRU and Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine and raised money for the Cooper Rowan Clinic in Camden, NJ. He is excited about his upcoming medical school training and currently most intrigued by cardiology or surgery.

Nicholas Kurth

Excellence in Physics Award: This award, donated by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, is presented to a Physics major who has demonstrated potential for continued academic or professional growth, and has significantly contributed to the department.

Nicholas Kurth has excelled academically and been heavily engaged in scientific research throughout his time at Rowan. He completed REUs at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and at CERN in Switzerland. He also completed two years of biophysical studies with Dr. Nathaniel Nucci. Nick has also been a strong contributor to the physics community at Rowan, participating in the Department of Physics & Astronomy APS-IDEA team and serving as President of the Physics Club. Nick will next pursue his Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, continuing his path toward becoming a future innovator that marches the frontier of humankind’s knowledge forward.

Sophie Ogunsanmi 

Excellence in Psychology Award: This medallion, sponsored by the Psychology Department, is presented to an outstanding Psychology major who exhibits excellence in scholarship, service, leadership, and scholarly achievement in research.

Sophie Ogunsanmi is a Psychological Science (BS) major with a minor in Neuroscience and concentration in Honors Studies graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Outside of her excellence in the classroom, she has been conducting research on the impact of social isolation and stress-related behaviors on neuroinflammation and locus coeruleus function in rats. She recently presented this work at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference. Sophie is a well-rounded student who also serves as a learning assistant in the Psychology Department, Honor’s College resident assistant,, and president of the African Student Association. She plans to pursue her PhD in Neuroscience with a focus on trauma and PTSD. 

Alicia Petrany

Excellence in Biological Sciences Award: This award is presented to a graduating student who excels in the field. The student must have an outstanding record of involvement in research opportunities within the department or within the community of biology. This award is donated by the Biology Club.

Alicia Petrany is an excellent student pursuing dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Bioinformatics and MCB, and participating in a 4+1 program for a Bioinformatics Master's degree at Rowan. Engaging in rigorous research under the guidance of Dr. Yong Chen, Alicia has contributed to diverse projects, designing probabilistic models and deep learning-based methods for analyzing next-generation sequencing data. Her accomplishments include notable publications and presentations at prestigious conferences. Alicia has been awarded the NCWSSL National Scholarship and the Jewish National Fund Fellowship. Her commitment to community service and leadership roles as a member of the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble and Original Hobo Band highlights her holistic approach to personal and professional growth. She intends to pursue a Ph.D., aiming to develop algorithms with translational impact in bioinformatics.

Barbara Podvorchani

Dr. Mark M. Chamberlain Excellence Award in Chemistry/Biochemistry: This award honors the memory of Dr. Mark M. Chamberlain who became the fourth president of Rowan University in 1969. In 1984, Dr. Chamberlain left the presidency and joined the Department of Chemistry and Physics as a distinguished professor until retiring in 2000.