NSU Undergraduate Students, Alumni Recognized at 2015 Spring Honors Banquet

The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences hosted the annual Spring Honors Banquet on April 17, 2015 at the Signature Grand in Davie, recognizing students in NSU’s Undergraduate Honors Program for their academic accomplishments and excellence.

Don Rosenblum, Ph.D., dean of the college, welcomed 388 people—including Honors students and more than 30 Honors alumni, administration, faculty, and other guests to the formal dinner and ceremony.

Guest speakers included student speaker Natalie Negron, alumni speaker Yineth Sanchez, and faculty speaker Michael Reiter, Ph.D., professor in the college’s Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Negron, a graduating senior majoring in biology and minoring in history and behavioral neuroscience, completed a Divisional Honors Thesis on her research in genetics and genealogy. Among other leadership roles, she has served as an advocate for the Honors Program.

An alumna of the Honors Program, Sanchez is a second-year law student at NSU and a 2013 graduate of the college’s legal studies and philosophy majors. Among other honors, Sanchez graduated as an Outstanding Student and she was selected as the student commencement speaker.

Reiter received his doctoral degree in family therapy. He is the author of four books and many journal articles and he has presented at state, national, and international conferences. He is also completing a bachelor’s degree in music.

Honors students participate in more than 250 student clubs and organizations and account for more than 752 memberships and 140 officer positions. Fifteen Honors students are athletes in eight sports; more than half of the students in Dual Admission Program are Honors students; and the average cumulative GPA for this year’s graduating Honors students is 3.64.

Awards were presented to the 2014–2015 Honors Advocates, volunteer student leaders who serve as liaisons for the Honors student population and assist in organizing several Honors events throughout the year. This year’s advocates include Shona Joseph, Biana Modilevsky, Lekha Mutyala, Natalie Negron, Roshni Patel, Neha Siddiqui, and Sanne M. Siska.

Thirty students received the General Honors Citation awarded to graduating seniors who have met the program’s GPA and Honors coursework requirements and maintained active participation in the Honors Program and related events.

Four students were awarded the Divisional Honors Citation. This prestigious achievement includes the completion and successful defense of an honors thesis, which is equivalent to graduate-level work. The Divisional Honors Citation recipients were:

 

• Natalie Negron| “Investigating African Ancestry in Puerto Rican Individuals via Testing of Mitochondrial and Autosomal DNA to Generate a Personal Phylogenetic Family Tree”
  Faculty Advisors: Emily Schmitt Lavin, Ph.D., professor; James Doan, Ph.D., professor

 

• Arti Patel| “Atmospheric Aerosols: Chemical Composition, Formation Pathways, and Toxicology Implications”
  Faculty Advisor: Song Gao, Ph.D., associate professor

 

• Aarabhi Rajagopal| “Evaluating the Impact of Pollution Emissions on the Air Quality and Public Health in South Florida”
  Faculty Advisor: Song Gao, Ph.D., associate professor

 

• Tori Torrisi| “Function Movement Screening Used as a Predictor for Rowing Injuries”
  Faculty Advisors: Elizabeth Swann, Ph.D., ATC, professor and director of the athletic training program; Megan Colas, Ph.D., assistant professor

 

In addition, several students were awarded scholarships.

Nicole Cocuy received the Honors Alumni Student Scholarship. Nine students received Honors Distinguished Student Scholarships––awarded for outstanding accomplishments and future potential in Honors scholarship and involvement.

Students receiving the Distinguished Student Scholarship were Sarah Amaris, Amal Bhullar, Rhea Brown, Desiree Casanova, Hannah Dean, Zara Khan, Mary Beth Lillwitz, Guimarsha Louis, and Lekha Mutyala.

 

Click here to view the photo gallery captured at the banquet.

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