The Mount community gathered on April 20 to celebrate Mary’s Day, an annual celebration to recognize the baccalaureate students who have excelled academically, in service to the community, and who have displayed leadership during their time at the University.
Faculty and administration, along with family members and friends, attended this special event to honor the students’ accomplishments and perseverance.
The ceremony kicked off with departmental academic awards, followed by the Honors Program Awards and the announcement of the Presidential Awards recipients — the greatest honor given to undergraduate students at the Mount. The day concluded with a procession to Mary’s statue located in the Circle of the Chalon Campus where students laid a wreath, a ritual led by seniors who have been named President’s Award recipients.
“Being an award’s recipient comes with a sense of recognition,” said Graciela Escamilla ’24, who received five awards. “It is not just about celebrating past achievements but also about using your voice to inspire others and give back to the community. Whether through mentorship or advocating for causes close to my heart, I see this acknowledgment as an opportunity to pay it forward and make a positive impact on the world around me."
Please join us in congratulating all of the 2024 Mary’s Day award winners acknowledged below.
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Presidential Awards
Le Puy Award
Named for Le Puy, France, the place of origin of our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, this award recognizes a student who transferred to Mount Saint Mary’s University and has had a positive impact on the college through activities on and off campus. This presidential medal is awarded to:
- Leslie Sirena
Sister Rebecca Doan Award
Awarded to the outstanding baccalaureate student who began their academic career at the Doheny campus. This student is recognized for excellence in the areas of academic achievement, service, service to others and quality of character. This presidential medal is awarded to:
- Haide Avalos
Distinguished Community Service Award
This award is given to a student who has distinguished herself by enthusiastically participating in on-campus events and in her local community or parish through volunteer work or political activism. This presidential medal is awarded to:
- Emily Martinez
Courage Award
This award honors a student who withstood significant personal challenges during her years at the Mount, and responded with the grace, perseverance, and exceptional courage that made it possible for her to earn her college degree. This presidential medal is awarded to:
- Jose Corrales
- Marta Hunegs Wagoner
President’s Award
A student who is involved in the total college environment and has benefited or has been changed by the college experience. Breadth of interests as well as scope of responsibilities are included in the criteria. Additionally, recipients need to be known for generosity of spirit and personal warmth. This prestigious presidential medal is awarded to:
- Emily Martinez
- Graciela Escamilla
- Margarita Santiago
- Sloane Jacobs
- Anette Galan
Academic Department Awards
Biological Sciences
The Outstanding Student in General Biology Award recognizes first and second year students who show remarkable aptitude in biological studies.
- Alina Chen
- Karissa Garcia
- Brooke Rust
- Kayla Zena
- Julissa Cuevas
The Outstanding Commitment to Biological Research Award goes to seven students who spend countless hours in a laboratory to investigate the world around them.
- Esther Arriaza
- Cassandra Morin-Gaona
- Nichole Bondocoy
- Sophia Serna
- Sanjukta Jayaprakash
- Astrid Ouolo
- Michelle Tran
The Outstanding Peer Mentor or Supplemental Instructor Award recognizes students for their service to their peers and the department.
- Anette Galan
The Outstanding Graduating Seniors in Biology Award honors students for persevering through rigorous coursework to attain their bachelor in science degree.
- Anette Galan
- Samantha Chajon
The Outstanding Student in Biology Pre-Nursing courses Award honors students that show great academic progress and determination to succeed in their major.
- Marian Supapo
- Nicole Khoukaz
- Blessing Teah
- Celeste Jimenez
- Diego Islas
- Josefina Sanchez
- Brianna Jauregui
- Itzel Martinez
- Olivia Ye
- Olivia Rilatos
- Andre Kurt Tan
- Nicole Aceves
- Jenna Duran
- Nina Nora
- Elise Cava
- Michelle Soto
- Abbey Nicole Santor
- Bethany Shim
Education
The Doris Schiffilea Harris Education Scholarship funds a future elementary teacher’s continued study at the Mount. This year’s recipient is:
- Giselle Gallardo
The award for Academic Achievement in Liberal Studies goes to:
- Lola Balestra
The Sister Dolorosa Credential Scholarship is awarded to:
- Claudia Hernandez
The award for Academic Achievement in the field of Child Development goes to:
- Mikaela Nickles
History, Political Science, Global Politics and Healthcare Policy
The Dr. Joan M. Todd Award for Excellence, honoring graduating students who demonstrate excellence in the study of history, goes to:
- Lillian Harrell
The Dr. Ronald Oard Award for Excellence in Analytical Skills, honoring students who demonstrate excellent analytical skills in history and political science, goes to:
- Stephanie Ahorro
- Lillian Harrell
- Fabiola Bonilla
The Departmental Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Political Science, honoring graduating students who demonstrate exemplary dedication to this field of study, goes to:
- Isabela Pineda
The Sister Rose Catherine Clifford Award for Excellence in Political Science, recognizing a student who shares the same admirable qualities of determination and perseverance toward excellence within the realm of Political Science, goes to:
- Graciela Escamilla
The Departmental Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Healthcare Policy, honoring graduating students who demonstrate exemplary dedication their studies in this challenging major, goes to:
- Vivian Ross
- Samantha Nickles
- Alma Celadon
- Stephanie Ahorro
The award for Excellence in Scholarship in Global Politics, recognizing students for outstanding scholarly work in global politics and international relations, goes to:
- Graciela Escamilla
- Sloane Jacobs
- Aurora Torres
- Fabiola Bonilla
The Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher Pre-Law Scholarship is awarded to:
- Graciela Escamilla
- Tajelle Freeman
- Brooke Fadipe
- Isabela Pineda
Language & Culture
The Premio Cervantes Award goes to:
- Kimberly Galindo
The Spanish Honors Award, awarded to a student who demonstrates outstanding academic excellence in Spanish and Latin American studies, goes to:
- Graciela Escamilla
The Shirley Kwak Award, presented to an undergraduate student who demonstrates an aptitude for learning Korean, goes to:
- Suzuha Fukuda
The Prix Fleur de Lys Award, recognizing students who continue to strive for excellence in the French Language, goes to:
- Lillian Harrell
- Margaret Sullivan
Music
The Excellence in Music Achievement Award goes to:
- Irma Cuevas
- Sofia Jaquez
- Shyanne Zeng
- Kaitlin Webster-Zuber
- Emily Webster-Zuber
The Department of Music Faculty Award, presented to a student whom the faculty believes exhibited outstanding accomplishment in musical performance, goes to:
- Lalibela Faraba
The Music Ensemble Award, honoring students from all disciplines who have consistently made a strong contribution to the music department ensembles during their time at the Mount, goes to:
- Zoey Bunce
- Brooke Rust
- Kianny Dominguez Ponce
- Abigail Gutierrez
- Maria Quiroga
Nursing
The Eugenie B. Hannon Nursing Award, recognizing a students who is deeply involved in co-curricular activities, showed stellar leadership capabilities by using the problem solving process and is a prominent role model for her peers in the nursing program, goes to:
- Reymond Marcelo
The Nursing Spirit Award, which recognizes the academic excellence, community service and leadership involvement of students, goes to:
- Angelique Angelastro
The Professional Nurse Award, recognizing a student who is a role model for his peers, and who impacts fellow nursing students by personifying a professional nursing character throughout the program, goes to:
- Jasmine Faith Gonzalez
The Sister Callista Roy Award, presented to the student who exhibits excellence in nursing processes in a variety of settings, goes to:
- Brianna Gamez
The Nursing Student Leader Award, honoring a student who demonstrates excellent leadership, goes to:
- Jose Corrales
The Nursing Leadership Management Award, given to a student who shows promise in their pursuit of a becoming an outstanding manager within the field of nursing, goes to:
- Daniel Dawoud
The Senior Ceremony Speaker Award, which goes to the students who have been peer selected to represent the Nursing department’s graduating class at the annual Pinning and Commencement ceremonies, goes to:
- Jose Corrales
- Daniel Dawoud
- Alyssa Diaz
- Amy Gonzalez-Quinta
- Francesca Pondevida
- Margarita Santiago
Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The Outstanding Students in General Chemistry Award, recognizing two students who demonstrate consistent outstanding work in general chemistry, goes to:
- Janet Pena Gonzalez
- Brooke Rust
- Isabella Gevorkyan
The Outstanding Progress in Physical Sciences Award, recognizing a student who shows great advancement and achievement in their coursework, goes to:
- Alondra Guerra
The Outstanding Progress in Research Award, recognizing four students who show an aptitude for research in the physical sciences, goes to:
- Jazmin Guerrero
- Samantha Franco
- Rabia Yasin
- Andrea Garcia
- Celeste Watkins
- Natalie Valles
The award for Outstanding Departmental Service goes to:
- Cassandra Morin-Gaona
- Tamara Espinosa
- Alondra Guerra
The Achievement in Research Award, presented to students who have demonstrated an ability to both convey and defend their scientific research, goes to:
- Anette Galan
- Sandra Miranda-Rosete
- Hazel Landazuri
- Alondra Guerra
- Katherine Pham
- Tania Cerezo
The Daniel Stogryn Award for Excellence in Research goes to:
- Fatima Lujano
- Tamara Espinosa
- Cassandra Morin-Gaona
The Academic Excellence in the Physical Sciences Award, presented to students who perform to the highest academic standards of this department, goes to:
- Anette Galan
- Cassandra Morin-Gaona
The award for Excellence in Supplemental Instruction goes to:
- Cassandra Morin-Gaona
- Franchesca Maldonado
- Anette Galan
- Deanna Solorzano
- Rabia Yasin
- Celeste Watkins
- Hazel Landazuri
- Fatima Lujano
- Janelle Zavaleta
The Exceptional Research in Computational Chemistry Award goes to:
- Bailee Gil
Psychology
The Outstanding Leader in Psychology Award, which is presented to students who, over the course of their years at the Mount, demonstrated the highest excellence through coursework, leadership, and character, goes to:
- Emily Hellstrom
The Outstanding Psychological Researcher Award, given to students who have made significant additions to psychological research, goes to:
- Emily Hellstrom
- Elizabeth Pink
- Christine Levera
The Excellence in Psychological Studies Award goes to:
- Jeri Garcia
The Inez Beverly Prosser Award, named after the first African American woman to receive her Ph.D. in Psychology, goes to:
- Vanessa Escobar
Sociology and Criminology
The Outstanding Scholar in Sociology Award goes to:
- Elizabeth Campos-Segovia
The Outstanding Scholar in Criminology Award, presented to a student who excelled in their coursework in Criminology, goes to:
- Kaylah Andujo
The Outstanding Scholar in Geographic Information Sciences Award, presented to a student in recognition of her outstanding academic performance in this specialized field, goes to:
- Iris Reyes
The Honors Program
The Honors Program at Mount Saint Mary's University recognizes academic excellence and provides high-achieving students with opportunities for increased academic rigor to be intellectually challenged in an engaging and nurturing environment. This year’s Honors Program Scholars are:
- Marieile Maagad Babol
- Camila De Luna
- Tamara Espinosa
- Anette Lizet Galan
- Emily Hellstrom
- Sloane Elizabeth Jacobs
- Edilore Joan Marana
- Keri Anne Marcale McWilliams
- Cassandra Sophia Morin-Gaona
- Jamila Jamal Nasser
- Deanna Cecilia Solórzano