School of Communications celebrates graduates at annual awards ceremony

May 08, 2023

Exterior shot of the School of Communications Podcast Studio

Each year, the School of Communications hosts a special barbeque and awards ceremony honoring senior students who have shown high levels of academic excellence and exhibited strong leadership qualities, both within their respective programs and throughout the university.

This year's award recipients include:

School of Communications Overall Achievement Award

Sydney Handler

This award is presented to the senior student who has shown academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program, campus life, and/or has shown excellent leadership qualities on campus.

School of Communications Work Study Achievement Award

Casey McNichol

This award is presented to the outstanding senior work-study student who has shown excellence, dedication, and simply a great attitude toward students, faculty, and staff in the School of Communications.

Advertising and Integrated Communications Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Advertising and Integrated Communications

Makena Carr

This award is presented to a graduating senior from the School of Communications who has shown academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program, campus life and shown excellent leadership qualities on campus. 

Research Award 

Heather Owen

Demonstrated excellence in the ability to research, analyze, and present data in textual and visual form.

Writing Award 

Olivia Paleski

Demonstrated excellence in academic, professional, and creative writing.

Visual Literacy Award

Deveney Paine

Demonstrated excellence in applying aesthetic and technical approaches to the visual interpretation and production of information.

Responsible Citizen Award

Jada Kauth

Demonstrated excellence in understanding the role of responsible message dissemination in a culturally and racially diverse society.

Leadership Award

Katelyn Tarpey

Demonstrated excellence in working within groups and teams, managing productive collaborations, and acting ethically, constructively, and responsibly in the process of achieving individual and common goals.

Public Relations Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations Award

Sydney Handler

This award is presented to a graduating senior from the School of Communications who has shown academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program, campus life and has shown excellent leadership qualities on campus.  

Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Mackenzie DeWees

Research Award

Megan Accardi

Demonstrated excellence in the ability to research, analyze, and present data in textual and visual form.

Writing Award

Juliana Hamel

Demonstrated excellence in academic, professional, and creative writing.

Visual Literacy Award 

Ephemia Nicolakis 

Demonstrated excellence in applying aesthetic and technical approaches to the visual interpretation and production of information.

Responsible Citizen Award 

Kaitlyn Bretagne and Carli Weeden

Demonstrated excellence in understanding the role of responsible message dissemination in a culturally and racially diverse society.

Leadership Award

Jessica Brij-Raj

Demonstrated excellence in working within groups and teams, managing productive collaborations, and acting ethically, constructively, and responsibly in the process of achieving individual and common goals.

Media Studies Awards 
Outstanding Achievement in Media Studies Award

Mason Glod

This award is presented to a graduating senior from the School of Communications who has shown academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program, campus life and has shown excellent leadership qualities on campus. 

Excellence in Research Award

Reilly Girard

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates the ability to conduct quality research and analysis that shows a deep understanding of current media industries and trends.

Excellence in Communication Award

Samantha Perelli

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates skill in written and/or visual communication. Evidence of this skill can be shown in academic, professional and creative writing capacities. 

Leadership Award

Clever Streich

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates leadership or management abilities that successfully facilitate group collaborations. This leadership expertise can be demonstrated through coursework as well as co-curricular activities.

Media Industries Guru Award

Dustin Rosenzweig

This award recognizes the student who best demonstrates a deep understanding of the diverse media industries we cover throughout our program. This student’s knowledge is evidenced through class participation and coursework, as well as through internship experiences.

Media Enthusiast Award

Joseph (Joey) O’Donoghue

This award recognizes the student who embodies the spirit of media studies by demonstrating a passion for a particular media topic. This enthusiasm and comprehensive knowledge is evidenced through class participation and coursework, internships, and/or co-curricular activities.

Film, Television and Media Arts Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Film, Television and Media Arts Award

Jessica Glatt
Robert Dowd

Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Brandon Cabral

Screenwriting Award

Seda Rua

This award is presented to a graduating senior in the Film, Television and Media Arts program who has demonstrated a talent, passion, and dedication to the craft and art of screenwriting.

Scholarly Research and Writing Award

Krista Birong

This award is presented to a graduating senior in the Film, Television and Media Arts program who has demonstrated exceptional scholarly research and academic writing.

Creative Vision Award

Colin Gosselin

This award is presented to a graduating senior in the Film, Television and Media Arts program who has demonstrated exceptional talent for creative expression as well as technical fluency.

Responsible Citizen Award

Satine Berntsen

This award is presented to a graduating senior in the Film, Television and Media Arts program who has demonstrated excellence in the comprehension of the history of media and the first amendment, its social implications, and the role of responsible message dissemination in a culturally and racially diverse society.

Journalism Awards 
Outstanding Achievement in Journalism Award

Melina Khan

This award is presented to a graduating senior from the School of Communications who has shown academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program, campus life and/or shown excellent leadership qualities on campus. 

Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

William Gavin

Faculty Award for Academic Excellence 

Riley Millette

Qulitzer Prize Awards

Nicole McIsaac – Explanatory Reporting – Enterprise
Anya Grondalski – Explanatory Reporting - Enterprise
Aidan Sheedy – Visual Reporting – Student Media
Cat Murphy – Campus Reporting – Student Media
Melina Khan – Outstanding Leadership – Student Media
Cameron Levasseur – Sports Reporting – Student Media
Grace McGuire – Community Reporting – Capstone

Graphic and Interactive Design Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Graphic and Interactive Design Award

Ephemia Nicolakis

This award is presented to the senior student who has shown academic achievement, made significant contributions to the program, campus life, and/or has shown excellent leadership qualities on campus.

Faculty Award for Academic Excellence

Lucas McMullin

Portfolio Award

Nicholas Bussiere

The GID Portfolio Award is given to the student whose portfolio of work exemplifies the highest in originality, visual design, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision and voice.

Visual Design Award

Kristin Ardese

The GID Visual Design Award is given to the student whose body of visual design work exemplifies the highest quality of visualization and execution of design for web, mobile, print, and motion.

Technology Award

Jenna Hallam

The GID Technology Award is given to the student whose body of work exemplifies the highest level of technical skills in coding, software, and hardware.

Typography Award

Deveney Paine

The GID Typography Award is given to the student whose body of work exemplifies the highest level of typographic skills and innovation across all mediums - print, web, mobile, and motion.

Design Research Award

Lauren Scoopo

The GID Design Research Award is given to the student whose body of work exemplifies the highest execution and standards utilizing all methods of the design process.

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