Student Awards and Honors

Senior Class Marshals

Senior Class Marshals are selected and announced one year before their own graduation, at the end of their junior year, based upon their academic achievement, campus and community involvement and commitment to service. Upon beginning their senior year, the selected students will participate in a number of activities, including meeting with senior University leaders to share their insight on the student experience, participating in alumni and celebratory events, and serving on committees. They also lead Syracuse University’s Commencement ceremony the year after they are announced.

2025 Senior Class Marshals (Syracuse University)

Mark Nzasi, a senior majoring in neuroscience and psychology and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program

Yifan “Ivan” Shen, a senior dual majoring in music history and cultures in A&S and architecture in the School of Architecture, a vocal performance minor in the Setnor School of Music and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program

2026 Senior Class Marshals (Syracuse University)

Chidera Olalere, a junior majoring in biochemistry and forensic science, with a minor in economics and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program

Silke Pion, a junior majoring in political science, finance and business analytics and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program

Convocation Student Speakers

Undergraduate Ceremony Student Speaker

Ellen C. Clark, a political philosophy and citizenship and civic engagement major in A&S | Maxwell and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program 

Syracuse University Scholars

10 A&S seniors were among the 12 students making up the 2025 cohort of Syracuse University Scholars, the highest undergraduate honor bestowed by the University. Scholars are chosen by a University-wide faculty committee that use criteria including coursework and academic achievement, independent research and creative work, evidence of intellectual growth and/or innovation in their disciplinary field, a personal statement and faculty letters of recommendation.

Jonathan Collard de Beaufort, a biochemistry major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Charlotte Ebel, a women's and gender studies and German language, literature and culture major in A&S, a public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Abigail Greenfield, a history major in the Maxwell School, a political philosophy major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Yuming Jiang, a mathematics and physics major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Sierra Kaplan, a political science major in the Maxwell School, a health humanities major in A&S and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Kerrin O’Grady, a neuroscience major in A&S and biomedical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science;
Morgan Opp, a chemistry and biology major in A&S;
Skyla Ross-Graham, a psychology major in A&S;
Yifan Shen, a music history and cultures major in A&S, an architecture major in the School of Architecture and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program; and
Sophia Znamierowski, a biology and neuroscience major in A&S and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.

Graduate Dean’s Award

These awards are presented annually to recognize overall academic excellence and outstanding research and creative activities by master’s and doctoral students. Honorees receive a certificate of recognition and a $500 award.

Caroline Charles, English: “Black Family Photography in Syracuse: Assembling a Community Collection with Family Photo-Sharing”
Lily Holloway, creative writing: “Always I Am Wanting and Wanting: A Literary Reading”
Benjamin Valen, social psychology: “Health Disparities Among Transgender, Nonbinary and Cisgender Undergraduate Students”

Honorable mention:

Azadeh Ghanizadeh, composition and cultural rhetoric

Mary Hatch Marshall Award (for best essay by a graduate student in the humanities)

This prize celebrates Mary Hatch Marshall’s distinguished career at the University, where she notably was the first woman appointed a full professor in A&S in 1952 when she was named the Jesse Truesdell Peck Professor of English Literature.

Kellan D. L. Head, doctoral candidate in the Department of Philosophy; Essay title: “Alienation and Cognitive Subjectivism about Well-Being”

Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence

Excellence in Student Research

This award recognizes students who have engaged in collaborative research that has the potential to make a deep and lasting impact on greater society.

Abigail Greenfield, political philosophy major in A&S, history major in Maxwell and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program

Student-Athlete Award

This award is given to the senior female and male students with the highest cumulative grade point average over their careers as student-athletes.

Charlotte Ebel, majoring in German language, literature and culture and women’s and gender studies in A&S and public relations in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a member of the women’s rowing team

2025-26 Remembrance Scholars

Each year, a select group of juniors are awarded Remembrance Scholarships as a tribute to—and means of remembering—the students who were killed in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded on the basis of scholarship, leadership and service to the community. The 2025-26 cohort includes 20 students from A&S.

Ellie Allen, a policy studies major in A&S | Maxwell, a citizenship and civic engagement major in Maxwell, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Rohan Bangalore, a policy studies major in A&S | Maxwell and a law, society and policy major in the Maxwell School;
Caiyan Bass, a communication sciences and disorders major;
Tommy DaSilva, a policy studies major in A&S | Maxwell, a citizenship and civic engagement major in Maxwell and a public health major in the Falk College;
Ava Downey, a linguistics major in A&S, an international relations major in A&S | Maxwell, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Leah Farrell, a citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School and policy studies major in A&S | Maxwell and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Abbey Fitzpatrick, a history and political science major in A&S | Maxwell;
Olivia Fried, an international relations major in A&S | Maxwell and magazine, news and digital journalism major in the Newhouse School;
Tanishka Gajula, a biology major (pre-med track);
Olutoyin Green, a health humanities and political philosophy major in A&S, a law, society and policy major in Maxwell, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Alani Henderson, a political science major in A&S | Maxwell and a law, society and policy major in Maxwell;
Wafiq Khondkar, a biotechnology and philosophy major and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Joy Mao, a policy studies major in A&S | Maxwell, a television, radio and film major in the Newhouse School, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Valeria Martinez-Gutierrez, a geography and sociology major in A&S | Maxwell; an environment, sustainability and policy major in Maxwell, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
German Nolivos, a political science major in A&S | Maxwell and a public relations major in the Newhouse School;
Zachary Setzkorn, a geography and history major in A&S | Maxwell, a social studies education major in Maxwell and the School of Education, and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Taylor Stubitsch, a biochemistry and forensic science major and member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Nathan Torabi, a political science major in A&S | Maxwell; a citizenship and civic engagement and law, society and policy major in Maxwell, and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
Logan Wagner, a political science major in A&S | Maxwell, an environmental sustainability and policy major in Maxwell and a history of music and cultures major in A&S;
Gillian Weltman, a communication sciences and disorders and neuroscience major.

Seinfeld Scholarship

Syracuse University honors the talents of outstanding faculty or students through an award made possible by Judith Greenberg Seinfeld ’56, a distinguished alumna and member of the University Board of Trustees. Awards are made to those who have been determined by their peers to have made outstanding contributions to the beauty of the world, to have added to human values and to ending human abuse anywhere in the world, and to have demonstrated passion for excellence, creativity and originality in academic or artistic fields.

Elizabeth Paulin, a senior sociology major in A&S | Maxwell

Three-Minute Thesis Competition

The Graduate School sponsors this annual competition, which provides participants with the opportunity to share highlights of their research and scholarship in pithy, engaging presentations lasting no longer than three minutes.

Jayda Felder, a doctoral student in social psychology in A&S, won the competition with her presentation, “The Predictive Value of Casual Dating Advice for Romantic Relationship Outcomes.”

Faculty and Staff Awards and Honors

Chancellor’s Citation

Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives

This award acknowledges faculty and staff who, through their work, enhance the undergraduate experience for students or make invaluable contributions to supporting and advancing the University’s mission and goals.

Ling Gao LeBeau, director of international student success in A&S

Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorships for Teaching Excellence

The Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorships for Teaching Excellence recognize and reward outstanding teaching among faculty. In 2001, the Meredith Professorship Program was expanded to acknowledge non-tenured faculty and adjunct and part-time instructors.

Meredith Teaching Recognition Award for Early Performance

Meredith Teaching Recognition Award for Continuing Excellence