2023 Graduate Student Showcase scholarships are published below.
Distinction in Creativity Award.
The Distinction in Creativity award is presented collaboratively by
the Graduate School and Office of Vice President for Research. This award recognizes
the passion and personal contributions of these talented graduate students, and
honors their commitment and efforts in their area of work.
1st place:
$250 award
- Seojung Lee - Art and Art History
2nd place:
$150 award
- Sumanma Wadhwa - Art and Art History
Honorable mention:
$150 award
Great Minds in Research Award.
The Great Minds in Research award is presented collaboratively by
the Graduate School and the Office of Vice President for Research. This award
recognizes graduate student submissions that contribute to the excellence and
advancement of research, scholarship, and entrepreneurial efforts at CSU. We
celebrate these rising stars, and honor these graduate students for the commitment
and efforts in their field.
1st place:
$250 award
- Jeonghun Lee - School of Advanced Materials Discovery SAU
2nd place:
$150 award
- Jui Hsiang Lo - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Honorable mention:
Ten $100 awards
- Chinecherem Chime - Physics
- Tymofiy Lutsiv - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU
- Daniel Sanchez - Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Yayo Virgen - Chemistry
- Rachel Brady - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU
- Karla Cureno Hernandez - School of Advanced Materials Discovery SAU
- Elliot Ferrell-Carretey - Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Suraj Khanal - Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Josie Otto - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
- Erin Snyder - Chemistry
Business for a Better World Award.
The College of Business is invested in projects that offer sustainable solutions to
substantive problems affecting a population. Through this Business for a Better
World Award, the College is pleased to highlight outstanding scholarship from
business graduate students.
1st place:
$500
- Abisola Adedigba - College of Business
Drivers of Innovation: CSU STRATA.
The Drivers of Innovation award highlights the leading edge of the most innovative
research originating from CSU research. Awardees in this category have presented
innovative research capable of solving commercial needs that benefit society.
Additionally, the awardees have demonstrated a solid capability to communicate their
science clearly as well as a superior ability to visually represent their research
in a manner that is accessible to all audiences.
Platinum:
One $500 award
- Andrea Selkow - Chemistry
One Health Institute's Award for Research Excellence.
CSU’s One Health Institute implements the transdisciplinary One Health approach understanding the interconnectedness of the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Global drivers such as climate change and landuse change are affecting health and bringing animals and people in contact in new ways leading to risk for new diseases and effects on health. We implement the One Health approach to solve complex problems through research, training, outreach, and advocacy to influence best practice and policy. Through the OHI Research Excellence Award, one outstanding graduate student is recognized for their research excellence.
Research Excellence:
One $500 award
- Diana Lowe - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU
Office of International
Programs seeks to honor three graduate students that demonstrate an
active commitment to making a Global Impact through research. Examples might
include field research that was conducted at an international location, research
that was accomplished by partnering with an international organization or
institution, or research that has the capacity to address a significant global
challenge.
Top Scholar
Three $400 awards
- Katherine Stevick - Sociology
- Emilia Ravetta - Sociology
- Rose Parham - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
Graduate Student Council: New Graduate Student Award.
In line with the Graduate Student Council’s (GSC) overall commitment to bring
graduate students together for the purposes of networking, collaboration, and
advocacy the GSC is proud to sponsor the Graduate Student Showcase. Our organization
has had a strong focus on welcoming new graduate students to CSU and
empowering them to succeed. Offering the New Graduate Student Award in partnership
with the Graduate School, is yet another way we can help these emerging scholars
reach their full potential.
The New Graduate Student Award is available to all graduate students in the first
three semesters of their graduate work (anyone who started Summer/Fall 2022 or
later), and four students will be selected, with each winning a $300 prize. In line
with the mission of GSC, special consideration will be offered to projects focused
on informing policy that may benefit graduate students and further the goals of GSC.
The New Graduate Student Award will be judged by the GSC leadership team and our
administrative advisors.
Research Top Scholar:
Five $300 awards
- Justin Hudson - Atmospheric Science
- Krishnavamsi Gujju - Computer Science
- Monika Perez - Chemistry
- Makenna Juergens - Biology
- Walter Jordan - Mechanical Engineering
CSU Writes: Written Excellence Award
The CSU Writes scholarship recognizes an outstanding title that reflects characteristics of excellent writing in its clarity, concision, structural alignment, and overall impression.
Written Excellence:
$500 award
- Ghyslaine Ramirez - Biomedical Sciences
Top Scholars for University-Wide Graduate
Programs
Presented and offered by the Graduate School and CSU Libraries.
1st Place:
$500 award
- Erin Jackson - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
2nd Place:
$300 award
- Melody Zarria-Samanamud - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
3rd Place:
$250 award
- Sam Brill - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU
College of Agricultural Sciences Top Scholars Awards.
The College of Agricultural Sciences is proud to present the Top Scholar award.
Top Scholar:
Three $500 awards
- Henrique Vieira - Agricultural Biology
- Eliza Gross - Horticulture & Landscape Architecture
- Afrin Jannat - Animal Sciences
College of Business Dean’s Award for Research Excellence.
For the College of Business graduate student that provides a creative research
solution to a substantive business problem. Through this award, the College of
Business is pleased to honor a business graduate student for outstanding research.
Top Scholar:
$500
- McKenna Petri - College of Business
WSCOE Excellence in Research Award.
The Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering is proud to honor graduate students demonstrating research excellence and outstanding potential as a scholar.
Top Scholar:
Three $500 awards
- Kyler Howard - School of Biomedical Engineering
- Sarah Hernandez - Systems Engineering
- Emmanuel Ezika - Chemical and Biological Engineering
College of Health and Human Sciences Awards.
The College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to provide five awards.
Excellence in Research and Scholarship:
Five $250 awards
- Bri Risk - Food Science & Human Nutrition
- Scott Wrigley - Food Science & Human Nutrition
- Chris Patrick - Health and Exercise Science
- Matthew Bomar - Health and Exercise Science
- Darby Easterday - Health and Exercise Science
College of Liberal Arts Awards.
Awards to Graduate Students in Liberal Arts Disciplines/Departments for highest
achievements in:
Creative and Performing Arts, including visual arts, music (solo
and ensemble), theatre, dance, poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction:
Top Scholar:
Two $500 awards
- Nikoo Monem - Art and Art History
- Liz Ramirez - English
Scholarly/Research-based poster presentations:
Top Scholar:
Three $500 awards
- Tewabe Kassaw - Anthropology and Geography
- Sarah Kubiak - Journalism and Media Communication
- Sarai Benitez - Political Science
College of Natural Sciences Outstanding Scholar
Award:
The College of Natural Sciences Outstanding Scholar Award
honors the scholarship of graduate students who exemplify the college’s
commitment to cutting-edge research.
Outstanding Scholar:
Four awards of $500 each
- Chris Stubbs - Chemistry
- Paahuni Khandelwal - Computer Science
- Rose Rossell - Chemistry
- Jacob VanderRoest - Chemistry
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Awards.
CVMBS values discovery and celebrates development of the skill set to advance
knowledge with original research. Our mission is to help animals, people and the
planet through restorative and preventive strategies for the health of these
systems – a One Health perspective. This award recognizes promise in a research
student in developing the skills to advance knowledge.
Top Scholar:
Five $500 awards.
- Oshani Ratnayake - Micrbiolgy, Immunology & Pathology
- Kate Williams - Clinical Sciences
- Hannah Braun - Biomedical Sciences
- Alissa Threatt - Environmental & Radiological Health
- Jacob Lewey - Biomedical Sciences
Warner College of Natural Resources Award
for Graduate Student Achievement.
Warner College of Natural Resources Award for Graduate Student Achievement: This
award recognizes excellence in graduate student achievement and excellence in
scholarship and research that sets the foundation for outstanding career-long
contributions to the natural resources field.
Warner College Graduate Student Achievement Award
Three $500 awards
- Becca Windell - Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
- Jacob Ney, Forest & Rangeland Stewardship
- Cassandre Venumiere-Lefebvre - Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Planning committee members:
- Dr. Colleen Webb, Dean
- Dr. Kristina Quynn, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School
- Ludy Avalos
- Madison Colley
- Allison DeWaele
- Lynna Dicamillo
- Alexa Jayne
- Derek Newberger
- Julie Paolucci
- Emma Smith
- Erin Snyder
Graduate School Support:
- Jozsef Vigh, Associate Dean of the Graduate School
- Vincent Avalos
- Sandy Dailey
- Dustin Grantham
- Brandon Fuller
- Teresa McClure
- Serena Penn
- Jennifer Wang
- Marian Willis
Special Thanks to Presenters and Judges
Thank you for joining us at the GradShow. Special appreciation goes to all of the graduate
students who
presented, as this celebration would not be possible without your willingness to share your
creative works and
scholarship. An additional thank you to the judges who volunteered. Your time and efforts
truly made all the
difference in allowing us to recognize and celebrate graduate student excellence here on
campus.
While we do our best to provide correct and current information regarding the award
categories and amounts,
occasionally this information may change. All awards and award amounts are subject to
change.
2023 Discretionary Scholarship Awards.
All 2023 awards are provided in the form of Discretionary Scholarships and are acknowledged
by the Office of
Financial Aid as a resource to support the student’s cost-of-education. The addition
of the scholarship
could cause a student to have total financial aid in excess of their cost-of-education,
which would adjust
accordingly.