Outstanding students honored, celebrated at annual awards ceremony

Members of the university community came together Tuesday evening to celebrate and recognize outstanding students throughout the university at the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony.

The Student Government Involvement Award

Caroline Mello for her extensive service as a member of the Student Government Association and for playing a pivotal role in the growth and continuous success of this organization. Beginning her journey as a class senator, she rose through the ranks and assumed various leadership roles, in which she enacted a variety of positive changes to the student experience. Additionally, her leadership is constantly recognized by both new and returning members alike for the wisdom, guidance, support, and mentorship she provides continuously motivating and inspiring others. Furthermore, her dedication to SGA is unrivaled and remains unwavering, displaying that she is a true champion of the student body.

The Eubie Blake Humanitarian Award

Genesis Iscoa for exemplifying a level of resilience unlike any other throughout her undergraduate time on campus. Upon arriving at Quinnipiac, she joined a variety of student organizations and assumed multiple leadership roles. Despite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she continued to be an influential student leader in her respective organizations, continuously striving to promote justice, equity, and inclusion for all students on campus.

The Edwin A. Steck Award

Maya Le Rossignol for continuously displaying remarkable talent, leadership, and sportsmanship, exemplifying what it means to be a Bobcat both on and off the field. As a captain of her Division I women's rugby team, she is resilient for playing through countless injuries and serving as a distinct role model to her peers. When she is off the field, she is a prominent student leader throughout her various co-curricular involvements, spearheading many projects to support the success of these organizations.

The Outstanding Faculty Award

Thornton Lockwood for fostering a discussion-based environment where students are encouraged to challenge each other, their beliefs and societal norms. These candid conversations have enabled students to acknowledge differences of opinions and, alongside his abilities as a professor, he has even offered to pick up medications from the local pharmacy on behalf of students out with an illness. This gesture of compassion, along with countless others, has clearly resonated, making him a role model for how faculty can balance teaching and student needs in a strenuous post-pandemic world.

The Outstanding Staff Award

Kevin McCormick for always having a smile on his face (even if it is behind a mask). Whether it is early in the morning or late at night, his high energy and upbeat attitude are inspiring and brighten the days of those around him. Alongside his radiating positivity, he exemplifies stellar student care by genuinely investing in the academic and personal well-being of others; many find him to be a companion, a confidant and an invaluable source of support to help get through a rough day without asking for anything in return.

The Outstanding First-Year Award

Gia Iwanec for participating in multiple extracurricular organizations, and being actively involved in the local community – raising more than $10,000 toward charity and donating her time to various philanthropic causes. She is a role model and mentor to many, and often is willing to help others and give back to the communities she is a part of.

The Emerging Leader Award

Hallye Boughner for working hard to promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Quinnipiac, making significant contributions to the office she works with by bringing her valuable voice as a student to the table, while polling friends and community for ideas and learning their needs. She has a strong presence on campus through her organization involvement, program attendance and support, and balancing everything with high-level academic commitments. She has expressed interest in multiple high-level leadership roles on campus, including being an RA and serving on multiple executive boards.

The Outstanding Sophomore Award

Matthew Michaud for being a well-rounded, highly involved member of the Quinnipiac community. He serves in leadership roles across multiple student organizations and club sports on campus, and was recently a team captain for his QTHON team, raising more than $4,000 for his sponsored miracle child. He is always pushing his peers and others to reach higher and accomplish more.

The Albert H. Jente Memorial Prize

Paige Pezzella for making an impact that can be felt across our campuses. She is involved in multiple large-scale organizations which deliver high-quality and impactful programming, and also serves as an admissions ambassador and orientation leader. She is incredibly loyal to her class and the institution, welcoming all she meets with outstanding spirit and a positive, personable and humorous approach. She is always pitching in to help others around her, and often steps up to take on work or projects others shy away from.

The Outstanding Junior Award

Sean Doyle for always going above and beyond with any task or project he tackles. He holds the values of diversity, equity and inclusion close to his heart and is always willing to have challenging conversations and confront difficult issues. Additionally, he is highly involved in many areas of campus, serving on multiple executive boards, as well as a student worker on campus. He is a role model to many and an example for others to strive for.

The Multicultural Student Leader of the Year Award

Kodi Greenaway for bringing an energizing presence to every space she occupies. She is a creative, reliable, great team player and community builder. Throughout the past year, she has dedicated her time to promoting multiculturalism through serving on the executive boards of multiple culture and identity-based organizations and has been instrumental in their financial advocacy and literacy, commitment to collaboration and co-sponsorships, and rising above and beyond by approaching their leadership with intention, direction, and phenomenal organizational and communication skills. Through her creative vision and support, many unique, multicultural events have been successfully planned and executed to support the retention of underrepresented students and inspire cross-cultural interactions.

The International Student Leader of the Year Award

Owenea Roberts for making a significant impact on our student body in the short time she's attended Quinnipiac so far. She is honest and upfront with everyone she meets, serving as an executive board member for the Student Government Association, always working to bring positive energy and a sense of humor to her work.

The Global Citizen of the Year Award

Karen Owolabi for being highly involved in our global partners program, playing a critical role in its revitalization, connecting international and domestic students to incoming international students to help prepare them for their arrival and transition to campus. She has brought a strong vision and energy to both this program and others within our area, often going out of her way to solicit ideas and feedback which improved the program and our services overall.

The Emmanuel Laboy Social Justice Advocate Award

Asia Johnson for giving her heart into providing education for students surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion. This year, she has led a series which hit topics on privilege, allyship, gender and community engagement. She also successfully gathered students to share their stories on Quinnipiac's social media platforms and worked to raise money and books for New Haven Reads while providing virtual read-alongs with student-athletes covering the topic of loving yourself. She also led the charge with a blackout day where every student-athlete, coach and staff member wore an equality shirt for the entire day, while also participating in active DEI discussions surrounding allyship.

The Club Sports Leader of the Year Award

Alison Bouyea for going above and beyond for both her team and the entire program. She has represented Quinnipiac and the club sports program in a positive manner and led her team successfully through the year. She has shown a true dedication to improving the club sports experience for our more than 450 student-athletes. She has demonstrated strong communication skills, unwavering optimism, and a relentless passion both on and off the field. She worked tirelessly to get a brand-new team — club field hockey — up and running while also serving as an active member of the Club Sports Advisory Board. 

The Recreation Member of the Year Award

John Surrat for being a constant presence in the fitness centers and always bringing a great attitude and positive energy into the building with him. He is also consistently active as a participant in many intramural sports leagues, bringing great sportsmanship to the table regardless of his team’s outcome.

The Kindness and Generosity of Spirit Award

Liliana Gomez for being an extremely hard worker in all she does throughout academics and her organizations, and serving in multiple organizations at Quinnipiac. She walks into every meeting with a smile on her face and warmly greets everyone she sees, always supporting organizations and passions of others in addition to her own, and making sure to congratulate and commend others for their achievements and actions.

The Outstanding Community Service Award

Marley McClure for being an incredibly involved member of the community and an exemplary leader in her undergraduate organization. She holds a stellar record of academic achievement, and is often seen rallying support from her classmates across numerous projects including fundraising dance marathons, to clothing drives, to blanket making for shelters, and so much more. In addition, she serves with QTHON, our annual high-impact fundraiser for the CT Children’s Medical Center (CCMC). Her commitment to service and philanthropy over the past four years to this cause has been inspiring.

The Religious Leadership Award

John DeFrancisco for leading a number of interfaith programs, groups, and events through the Office of Religious Life, including CompACTION: Compassion in Action; the Center for Religion Leadership Speakers series; Campus Rugby Crew; Q-Thon, the Big Event — as well as his care and attention to the students involved in these programs. He is careful and watchful. When someone is in need, he acts as a resource and consistently links Religious Life staff up with the respective student. He is a quiet, considerate leader, but one who gets things done. 

The Resident Assistant of the Year Award

Colin Scinto for his superb interpersonal skills and who displays optimism, resiliency, and respect while developing solid relationships with his residents. He is consistently visible and present in his community and a leader within his RA staff. He hosts programs, enforces policies and ensures his residents understand the many resources available on campus. He always exceeds our expectations, including times when he has personally befriended students who were having a difficult time, or who needed a helping hand when moving rooms. He has been a tremendous positive force during his three years in the RA role and, when challenges emerge, demonstrates compassion and focuses on solutions to enable his community to move forward.

The Fraternity Member of the Year and Sorority Member of the Year Awards

Michael Mulryan for service to the Interfraternity Council, and dedication to advocating for students and important causes.

Brielle Jewell for her leadership and her positive impact on our entire fraternity and sorority community.

The Fraternity and Sorority of the Year Awards

Lambda Theta Phi Latin fraternity for their drive for success, consistent achievements and commitment to philanthropy and service to the community.

Kappa Delta sorority for their consistency in overall chapter excellence and service and leadership within the Quinnipiac and surrounding communities.

The Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Distinguished Impact Award

William Dean for being involved in the Quinnipiac Catholic Chaplaincy since his first year in 2019. He has served on the leadership team for the last two years, including as the executive officer this past year. He excels at bringing the leadership team together, and has shown great dedication in building up the chaplaincy. He is also quick to reach out to new students to help them feel welcome.

The H. Pearce Family Community Leadership Award

Rajan Doering for being a highly-visible student leader who has made such a positive impact on this university throughout the past four years. He is actively engaged in multiple departments, initiatives, student organizations, and programs across the university, and brings his incredible volunteer spirit to all areas he touches. He is also an active member of his community, serving as a food pantry coordinator, board member for the YMCA and united way, and was recently elected to the Wallingford Public Schools Board of Education as the youngest member in 50 years.

The College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Senior Award

Gabriella Colello for achieving success across multiple areas during her time at Quinnipiac, achieving high grades academically, presenting at international conferences, and co-authoring peer-reviewed articles. In addition, she has selflessly made an enormous impact by leading the entire institution toward deeper understandings of diversity and inclusivity, not only in relation to issues of colonial legacies and racism, but also through intersectional ways that include gender, ethnicity, religion, ableism, and other forms of struggle. She has raised the voices of indigenous people at Quinnipiac and in our community, making a measurable mark at this institution due to her dedication and work ethic. As a direct result of her academic work, she has already been accepted to seven Ph.D. programs, along with prestigious fellowships, which include some of the top 10 political science programs in the United States.

The School of Business Outstanding Senior Award

Natalie Carlson for her involvement with the university is extraordinary. She serves as the president of a major student organization on campus, promoting positive social causes and working with club members to meet multiple goals and milestones. She also works with various departments on campus, including Campus Life and orientation, positively impacting the experience of others across campus. She also serves on additional organizational executive boards and in senior leadership roles, including GAME forum as she works to plan the world's largest student-run financial conferences.

The School of Communications Outstanding Senior Award

Shannon Flaherty for her hard work towards the betterment of SPB, bringing creative ideas, communication skills, and a strong passion to all she sets her mind to. She has shaped both her organization and our bobcat student community throughout her entire time here at Quinnipiac. Her leadership and guidance through the uncertainty of virtual programming helped SPB and this institution think outside the box and still deliver high-quality experiences to its students. Most recently, her quick thinking and ability to pivot on a moment's notice, turned a significant and highly-visible challenge into a successful event over a matter of a few hours.

The School of Computing and Engineering Outstanding Senior Award

Michael Neumann for his positive presence on campus, both inside the confines of the School of Computing and Engineering and outside. He has one of the highest GPAs of any engineering graduate this year and is an excellent student who has produced top-quality work and made the classroom environment better by engaging with the material and asking thoughtful questions. In addition to his incredibly strong academic performance, he has also been involved with the community, helping build and strengthen his program both as a student mentor, by tutoring underclass students, and as a student leader with his work in the ASCE student chapter as a member and as an officer.

The School of Health Sciences Outstanding Senior Award

Nicole Purtill for being a remarkable student who exceeds in her academics, setting high goals to make Dean's List every semester, and succeeding in doing so. She also actively participates in interprofessional events on campus in order to further her education, serving as a member of SOTA, participating in Cheshire Collaborative, and getting involved with QTHON. Lastly, she is a leader within her club sports team, and has had an all-around positive impact on her peers and the university.

The School of Nursing Outstanding Senior Award

Marley McClure for her sustained engagement and being a truly remarkable leader in the School of Nursing. She is incredibly involved in the QNSA club as an active member and leader, and also works with various other groups and causes including QTHON, volunteering in her local community, interning at hospitals and hospice organizations, and rallying support for positive impactful causes. She is a bright, focused, compassionate, and delightful member of our community.

The Outstanding Student Affairs Leadership Award

Emily Funk for her outstanding leadership qualities in the Quinnipiac Panhellenic Council. She has led and infused both education and awareness around DEI, accessibility, and equality throughout her time in multiple roles here, and has also managed to maintain an incredibly high academic standard, achieving Dean's List every semester. Furthermore, she makes time to better the greater Quinnipiac community through extracurricular experiences such as serving on the QTHON committee, as a facility attendant in the QU Fitness Center, and leading the Division I women’s acrobatic and tumbling team as their manager.

The Philip Troup Achievement Prize

Nicholas Ciampanelli for his contributions to the welfare of Quinnipiac through the strength of character and qualities of leadership. He has clearly contributed the most to our student body throughout his time here. He has held a variety of different roles within multiple major student organizations, which allowed him to continuously make Quinnipiac a better place for all students. This past year he thoughtfully engaged with the student body and invested countless hours to better the relationship between university leadership and undergraduate students, meeting with the multiple institutional leaders to voice student feedback. He is also dedicated to increasing school spirit and traditions at the university, for current and future Bobcats to feel more connected to the university and, when someone needs help completing a task, is always willing to provide them with support.

The Member of the Year Award

Joe Logrippo for his leadership qualities and positive contributions of your time, talent, creativity, and effort, within Q30 Television. He demonstrates strong leadership qualities, and positively contributes to the purpose of the organization with his time, talent, creativity, and effort. He has dedicated an incredible amount of time and energy to his Q30 Television, bringing a truly genuine and humble approach to the important work he completes each day. As a student leader of one of the more visible groups on campus, he makes an effort to build connections with everyone he meets, and always ensures a high-quality and thoughtful approach to his leadership. He has shown an adept talent at working with faculty, university departments, and advisers, and have raised the bar in Q30 Television consistently for the past two years.

The Unsung Hero Award

Jenna Dolce for her leadership qualities and positive contributions of her time, talent, creativity, and effort, as an RA. She is consistent in her hard work and always seems to fly under the radar without a need for recognition or glory. She is both a student leader and student staff member at Quinnipiac who has clearly made a mark on both her peers and supervisors. She holds herself to an incredibly high standard, and never hesitates to go above and beyond for others. She exemplifies what it means to be a role model for her peers and co-workers, and often volunteers her free time to selflessly support those in need within the department she works in. In addition, she has faced some true challenges throughout the past year and responded with poise, grace, and a professional attitude at all times.

The Adviser of the Year Award

David Tomczyk for his dedication to advising, counseling, and support of the Quinnipiac eSports club team. He has been an active supporter - helping his group achieve its goals, mission, and objectives. He has provided an exemplary commitment to and service with our eSports club team this past year, selflessly giving his time to the students for years, and serving as an integral part of the team which identified a dedicated space for this group in Fall 2021. He is a committed adviser who drove his group to Atlantic City, helping the team win a 2022 MAAC championship, and always actively participates in the development and coaching of students he advises.

The Mentor of the Year Award

Anna Gilmore for the essential role she played in supporting, encouraging, and promoting a positive environment for our students. She has worked with her mentees extensively over the past year to support their involvement and ideas, helping them transform ideas into reality, and developing an outstanding new program for the institution. She spent a commendable amount of time, effort, and dedication to invest in the mentee’s development, often exceeding what both thought was possible for the work they set out to do. The impact she has had allowed her mentees to bring new initiatives to life, and also inspired others to take appropriate steps to achieve their academic and professional goals.

The Community Service Event of the Year Award

Panhellenic & Interfraternity Councils for their Greek Day of Service event, which was an initiative planned over a period of time by multiple student leaders. The goal was to bring another large-scale campus-wide community service opportunity to Quinnipiac during the fall semester. The other purpose was to promote unity across members of the campus community after two years of virtual and hybrid learning. This event promoted positivity, giving back and an overall sense of belongingness and community.

The Event of the Year Award

Quinnipiac Democrats in recognition of their Julian Castro event, which created space for and facilitated critical dialogue this spring. This event was well planned, creatively advertised, and beneficial for all participants/attendees. This event truly brought a significant amount of learning and engagement to Quinnipiac in a different way than what we may usually see. Its attendees walked away with so much more than they expected, some being actually moved to tears from the content of the program itself. This event inspired students, as well as faculty and staff, to think differently about things in a new way and was a point of conversation across campus both leading up to and after it took place.

The Judith Frank Student Organization of the Year Award

The Legends A Cappella for their strong leadership and effective commitment to presenting innovative programs and services to Quinnipiac and the community at large. They encourage their members to develop as leaders, sponsor outstanding events and develop new initiatives, and help to further co-curricular learning and engagement at Quinnipiac. They have clearly demonstrated their commitment to excellence throughout the year, both serving as a positive presence on campus, and bringing stellar recognition to the institution through their accomplishments such as winning the ICCA quarterfinals. Their commitment to excellence, tireless work, and a creative impact was unmatched this past year.

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