Muhlenberg Celebrates Achievements at 2021 Honors Convocation
The ceremony, held virtually, recognized student academic and community accomplishments, faculty research and scholarship and staff contributions to the College.By: Bill Keller Friday, May 14, 2021 08:15 AM
The Muhlenberg College Honors Convocation, which was held this year at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, is a formal academic ceremony designed to honor and celebrate leadership and scholarly excellence and achievement.
Faculty were named recipients of The Class of 1932 Research Professorship, The Donald B. Hoffman Research Fellowship, The Robert C. Williams Faculty Award, The Ruth and Joel Spira Prize for Distinguished Teaching, The Award for the Outstanding Advisor to First-Year Students and The Faculty Rising Scholars Awards.
Staff were honored with The Chairman’s Award, the Hamre Prize and the Student Government Award.
Jill Stephen, professor of English, delivered the faculty address, titled “We’re Building the Ship as We Sail It.” In her message to the students, faculty and staff who were honored, she encouraged students to reflect on their time at Muhlenberg and to think back on what strategies they utilized to remain hopeful and inspired.
"I wish to celebrate not just the knowledge you’ve acquired, but the habits of mind, the ways of thinking that all your hard work as students has been teaching you," said Stephen. "As a teacher of poetry, I’m drawn to a particular way of using words: metaphor. Simply put, metaphor is a way of thinking by analogy. We come to understand a thing that we can’t quite name by noticing something else that seems to embody it. Paying attention to metaphors helps us to recognize not just what we know, but how we have come to know it...May we relish still, cherishing the things we care most about. May we find the language we need, especially the metaphors that will guide us."
STUDENT AWARDS
The American Chemical Society Prize, Lehigh Valley Section
Michael R. Gatazka ’21
The Leslie R. Anders Memorial Prize
Jacob K. Metcalfe ’21
The Dr. Edwin R. Baldrige Memorial Award
Lianna P. Sauve ’21
The Dr. Charles S. Bednar Award in Political Science
Stephanie Haik ’21
The Harry A. Benfer Memorial Scholarship
Kyle P. Ropski ’22
The Dr. Robert A. Boyer Prize
Adeeb C. Saed ’22
The Rev. Dr. H. H. Bruning Gift Fund Prize
Chen Sun ’22
Alexandra R. Franchino ’21
The Lucille Cafouros Award in Anthropology
Alison O. Cummins ’21
The Lucille Cafouros Award in Sociology
Sophia M. Echevarria ’21
The Elizabeth A. Carlson Memorial Prize in Dance
Amber N. Dietrich ’21
Kyra L. Hickey ’21
The Citizen Exchange Council Award in Russian Studies
Jessica M. Ruggieri ’21
The Franklin H. Claire ’59 Memorial Award for Excellence in Marketing
Madison E. Taradash ’21
The Class of 1969 Graduate Study Award
Alice J. Banta ’21
The Class of 1969 Music Award
Tess E. Rhian ’21
The Corona D’alloro Prize in Italian Studies
Alexander R. Mast ’21
The Tara Demarzo Dedication Award
Michael J. Albdewi ’22
The Jeanette Eichenwald Interfaith Award
Elizabeth L. Holzhauer ’23
The Russell B. Everett Romance Language Award
Nicole E. Atkins ’21
The Lillian and Anthony Fiddler Memorial Award in Music
Alice J. Banta ’21
The William A. Flamish Memorial Award in Neuroscience
Michelle M. Rajan ’21
The William M. French Award in Education
Gabriel S. Walsh-Shore ’22
The Dr. George A. Frounfelker Award
Jesenia Peralta ’21
Arika M. Troxell ’21
The Russell Fulford Award
Maxwell D. Seeber ’22
The Carl E. Grothehen Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence in Psychology
Brooke Greenberg ’21
The Espi Guinto Young Writer’s Award
Simone Kaye ’23
The Dr. John A. W. Haas Award
Michael J. Albdewi ’22
The Susan E. Halamay Journalism Award
Alex J. Blum ’22
The George H. Hambrecht Law School Award
Alexandra R. Franchino ’21
The Frederick E. Hanson Scholarship Award
Lilibeth Espinal ’23
The James W. and Barbara H. Herrick Award
Alyson Rutherford ’21
The Morris S. Hoats Award
Hannah E. Betz ’21
The Wayne Kenneth Hollabaugh P’88 and Linda J. King Hollabaugh P’88 Award
Zaire Carter ’22
The Huebner Global Education and Awareness Award
Grace M. Sellinger ’23
The Carol E. Hutchinson Memorial Prize in Research in Psychology
Nicole R. McGovern ’21
The Hyman-Goodman Award
Willem S. Birgel ’22
The Louis J. Jacobs Premedical Prize
Bahaa Abdellatif ’21
The Dr. Victor L. Johnson Scholarship
Aryeh L. Filler ’22
The Keith M. Keenly Microbiology Award
Hannah M. Herzog ’21
The Miriam E. Koehler Award for Excellence in Mathematics
Benedict O. Kohler ’23
Amy M. Tomko ’23
The Carol Emhardt Kuntzleman Memorial Award
Auroni Hashim ’22
Kristin D. Oberg ’22
The Ralph A. and Mary A. Lichtenwalner Memorial Prize
Betty Ben Dor ’21
The Alphonse C. Lova Memorial Award in Chemistry
Michael J. Albdewi ’22
The Seena Marcus Art Award
Nyjah M. Johnson ’22
The Dr. Anthony J. Marino Jr. Award in Computing Science
Ryan Hebert ’22
The Professor Roberta Meek Africana Studies Award
Giovanni Merrifield ’23
The Wesley S. Mitman Mathematical Prize
Jacob K. Metcalfe ’21
The Noel R. and Edith J. Moyer Award in Philosophy
Annemarie W. Hayes ’21
The Clifford R. Moyer Memorial Prize in Physics
Jackson D. Davis ’21
The Muhlenberg Goodwill Prize
Kate I. Ekanem ’21
The Robert W. and Edythe M. Mull Award for Excellence in Mathematics
Charis Hall ’22
The Novartis Endowed Science Scholars Program Award
Jackson D. Davis ’21
Jordan R. Schneider ’21
Rebecca Shear ’21
The Dr. Robert S. Ochner Award
Joel B. Hark ’22
The Arthur C. Peters Memorial Prize
Paige Jones ’22
Phi Sigma Iota Award in French
Lucie E. Hopkins ’21
Phi Sigma Iota Award in Spanish
Maria G. Vazquez ’21
The President’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement and Promise for Postgraduate Study by a Junior
Adeeb C. Saed ’22
Kevan K. Shah ’22
Abigail M. Sherman ’22
The Dr. John J. Reed Scholarship
Laura E. Horner ’22
The D. Irvin and Marjorie M. Reitz Scholarship
Ana M. Gonzalez Vargas ’21
The Todd L. Romig Memorial Prize
Maxwell D. Seeber ’22
The Martin A. Rosoff Clu Memorial Award
Alyson Rutherford ’21
The Dr. Dominic J. Salines Memorial Award
Miranda K. Robinson ’21
The Senior Scholar Athletes of the Year Award
Alana Noehrenberg ’21
Samuel J. Morgan ’21
The Dr. John V. Shankweiler Prize
Bahaa Abdellatif ’21
The Paul C. Sherr Essay Prize
Andrew P. Leahy ’21
The Dr. John and Ethel Shintay Scholarship
Liora L. Finkel ’22
Molli C. Mamiye ’23
The Dr. Robert E. Shoemaker Graduate Fellowship
Jordan R. Schneider ’21
The Stanley D. Sloyer Award in Music
Marc S. Szechter ’22
The Dr. Harold L. Stenger Jr. Fellowship for Graduate Study in Literature
Andrew P. Leahy ’21
The Harry C. and Mary M. Trexler Trust Pretheological Prize
Jeremy Silverstein ’21
The Sojourner Truth Award
Kate I. Ekanem ’21
Jill N. Lissner ’21
The Paul M. White ’27 Business Award
Kyle B. Lando ’22
Matthew P. Marrella ’22
Tyler Mercado ’22
Kristin D. Oberg ’22
The Woman’s Auxiliary of Muhlenberg College Scholarship in Honor of The Rev. George F. Eichorn Jr.
Marc S. Szechter ’22
The Woman’s Auxiliary of Muhlenberg College Music Scholarship
Emily C. Kirchner ’22
The Woman’s Auxiliary of Muhlenberg College Pretheological Scholarship
Liora L. Finkel ’22
The Ann E. Wonsiewicz Scholars in Education Award
Shaena Brusey ’23
Anne M. Cannon ’21
Gabriel S. Walsh-Shore ’22
The Rev. Dr. Arvids Ziedonis Jr. Fellowship for Graduate Studies Related to Foreign Language, Literatures, Cultures or Theology
Austin S. Davis ’21
The President’s Award
Asian Student Association
Muhlenberg Activities Council
NATIONAL AWARDS
The J. William Fulbright Program
Semi-Finalists:
Brittany E. Gelb ’21
Holly Lehren ’19
Finalists:
Andrea J. Laisure ’21
Gianna Perri ’21
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
Kevan K. Shah ’22
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship
Kevan K. Shah ’22
DEAN OF STUDENTS AWARDS
The Student Government Award
Robin Riley-Casey, Director, Office of Multicultural Life
The Student Government Achievement Award
Robin Chodak ’22
The Community Engagement Award
Sophia M. Echevarria ’21
The Dean of Students Award
Zeta Beta Tau
The Greek Leader of the Year Award
Molly J. Nochimson ’21
The Dr. Priscilla E. Howard Tutor Award
Sarah Vetesi ’21
The Resident Advisor of the Year Award
Michelle M. Rajan ’21
The Student Activities Award
Jordan Y. Soffer ’21
The Student Leader of the Year Award
Jill N. Lissner ’21
The Kurt M. Thiede Prize
Gnim Bazim ’21
About Muhlenberg College
Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, private liberal arts college offering baccalaureate and graduate programs. With an enrollment of nearly 2,000 students, Muhlenberg College is dedicated to shaping creative, compassionate, collaborative leaders through rigorous academic programs in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences; selected preprofessional programs, including accounting, business, education and public health; and progressive workforce-focused post-baccalaureate certificates and master’s degrees. Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, approximately 90 miles west of New York City, Muhlenberg is a member of the Centennial Conference, competing in 23 varsity sports. Muhlenberg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
