On Thursday, May 20, Wagner College held its annual Senior Awards Banquet, where graduating students were recognized for their accomplishments on campus and in the classroom. The next day, they participated in the commencement exercise that concluded their undergraduate careers on Grymes Hill.
Megan Allen of New Britain, Conn. won the Periclean Senior Award, given for an abiding and active sense of social responsibility and civic concern through academic work or community service.
Allen served as president of Wagner College’s Earth Club. She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta international sociology honors society, Habitat for Humanity, the Promising Student Society and the Gardening Club.
She interned at WE ACT for Environmental Justice (West Harlem Environmental Action Inc.), a non-profit organization dedicated to building community power to fight environmental racism and improve environmental health and policy in communities of color.
Last summer, her passion for the environment took her all the way to Hawaii, where she worked on four different farms and learned about organic food production through the WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) Program.
She was also active with Community Health Action and the Youth Access Program in Staten Island, and the Catholic Workhouse in Hartford, Conn.
Allen graduated with a B.A. in Sociology, with a minor in English.
Cassandre Annarumma of Marlboro, N.J. won the Lee Yorgey Davidheiser Prize in Chemistry, given in honor of Dr. Davidheiser, Wagner’s pioneer chemistry professor and department chair, to an academically outstanding student majoring in chemistry.
Annarumma’s senior thesis examined the question of “Stereotype Threat in Science Texts: Does it Exist? Can It Be Removed with the Use of Photographs?”
She traveled to Israel with the “Expanding Your Horizons” study-abroad program, is a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society, and was part of the Pre-Health Society. This year she was vice president of the Student Government Association, where she previously served as a senator. She was an orientation peer leader, and last summer was one of the orientation coordinators.
Annarumma graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry, with a concentration in Biochemistry, magna cum laude.
Jonathan Badiali of Sewell, N.J. won the George G. Hackman Prize in Religious Studies, given the highest academic average in all courses taken in the Religion minor.
Badiali also won the Socrates Prize, given by the Philosophy & Religion Department for outstanding thinking with application to human concerns in a community.
Badiali was a member of the Residence Hall Association, where he served as treasurer. His senior thesis presentation was titled, “Phenomenology and Truth in Heidegger’s Analytic of ‘Dasein’.”
Badiali graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy, with minors in Religion and Psychology, cum laude.
Albane Bajraktari of Staten Island won the Education Department Award, given to a student with outstanding academic achievement in education. A member of Psi Chi, the psychology honor society, and the Psychology Club, Bajraktari worked on campus in the Public Safety Department and excelled in the classroom. Bajraktari graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Childhood Education, summa cum laude.
Alexander Banzon of Randolph, N.J. won the Undergraduate Merit Award, given for outstanding service, loyalty and dedication to the Wagner College community through participation in organizations and activities. A member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, Banzon served on the Greek Senate and the Interfraternity Council. He was an Orientation Peer Leader and a Link, contacting new students before they arrived on campus. A member of the Pre-Health Society, he worked for the IT Department as a student assistant. Banzon graduated with a B.S. in Physics, with a minor in Management.
Jillian Bernardini of Newfield, N.J. won the Anita Volland Award in Anthropology, given in memory of Dr. Anita Volland, who started the anthropology program at Wagner. The award is given to the graduating senior who best exemplifies the vision of Dr. Volland, emphasizing the centrality of the culture concept and great intellectual curiosity.
Bernardini gained recognition through her commitment to problem-based research in the bio-cultural field of food studies. In her work with NYC Greenmarkets, she was involved actively in developing diverse educational programs to build sustainable connections between local farmers and communities traditionally isolated from sources and knowledge of fresh produce.
She studied in Rome for a semester as part of her minor in Italian studies.
Bernardini graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology, with a minor in Italian Studies, magna cum laude.
Bryan Bickford of Ellington, Conn. won the Hertha Troll Meyer Memorial Award, given for exemplary scholarship and service in the study of sociology and anthropology.
Bickford was president of the Nubian Student Union and an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity. He was involved with numerous service-learning and civic-engagement projects, including Community Health Action. During his senior year, Bickford worked with the African Refuge Center on Staten Island.
Bickford spent a semester studying abroad in London. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work.
Bickford graduated with a B.A. in Sociology, with a Gender Studies minor, cum laude.
Cassandra Brewer of Flemington, N.J. won the Verrazano Memorial Prize, given for outstanding academic achievement in the study of history. A member of the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society, the History Club, Club Italiano, and the Promising Student Society, Brewer studied in Rome for a semester. Brewer graduated with a B.A. in History, cum laude.
Michael Burke of Staten Island won the Dorothy Schaffer Memorial Award, given for outstanding achievement in the study of computer science. Burke’s senior thesis was titled, “Numerical Analysis of the Spherical Pendulum,” and he presented a poster on this topic at a regional computer science conference this spring. Burke graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics, with a minor in Computer Science, magna cum laude.
Lauren Carasso of Milltown, N.J. won the Constance Byron Award, given for academic merit, leadership qualities, tenaciousness of spirit, thoughtfulness and caring for others.
Carasso also won the Jane Bacher Award, given for the highest grade point average in Community Health Nursing.
Carasso was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society, from which she received the Annmarie Sorentino Award. An active member of the Student Nurse’s Association, she served during her senior year as its president.
Carasso studied at John’s Hopkins University last year in a highly selective intensive summer program. She performed her clinical experience at the Visiting Nurse Association, and her senior practicum at Princeton Medical Center.
Carasso graduated with a B.S. in Nursing, summa cum laude.
Dean Caruvana of Staten Island won the Interfraternity Council Award, given for exemplary service and leadership to the Interfraternity Council.
Caruvana also won the L. Willard Knight Memorial Award, given for the fraternity member with the highest academic average during the past year, in memory of Willard Knight, Class of 1959.
In addition, Caruvana won the Alpha Omicron Pi Award, given for academic excellence in the study of Business Administration and exemplary participation in campus activities.
Caruvana was a member of Theta Chi fraternity who served on both the IFC and the Greek Senate. A member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honorary society, he was also involved in the Extreme Sports Club.
Caruvana graduated with a B.S. in Business, with a concentration in Finance, summa cum laude.
Kathryn Chepiga of Brooklyn, N.Y. won the Frank K. Bobbitt Memorial Award in Chemistry, given in recognition of a conscientious, cooperative student who shows scholastic achievement in the field of chemistry.
Chepiga spent last summer doing research at John’s Hopkins University, and her senior research involved a potential cancer treatment.
In addition to her excellent scholarship, she was active on campus through her membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, her work as a Resident Assistant and her involvement in the Pre-Health Society.
Chepiga graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude.
Samantha Cook of Doylestown, Pa. won the Physician Assistant Award, given for outstanding scholarship in the Physician Assistant program. She was a member of Beta Beta Beta, the Biology honor society. Cook graduated with a B.S. in Physician Assistant Studies.
Jessica Cozzolino of Staten Island won the Dr. Norman L. Freilich Memorial Award, given to a graduating student accepted into medical or dental school. Cozzolino’s senior thesis was based on work she did with Geoffroy’s marmosets at the Staten Island Zoo. Cozzolino was a member of the Pre-Health Society, the Biology Club, and the Beta Beta Beta biology honor society. She will be attending the Iowa State University School of Veterinary Medicine in the fall. Cozzolino graduated with a B.S. in Biology, cum laude.
Rachel Delp of Freehold, N.J. won the Community Service Award, given for commitment to community service through campus organizations. Delp directed the campus-wide “Up ’Til Dawn” fundraising campaign, which raised over $29,000 for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. In each of her 4 years at Wagner College, she organized a powderpuff charity football game that raised thousands of dollars for Autism Speaks, an autism awareness and advocacy organization. She was an orientation peer leader and a member of the Promising Student Society and Hillel. Delp graduated with a B.S. in Biopsychology, with a minor in Chemistry.
Karl Emigholz Jr. of Staten Island won the Wagner College Instrumental Music Award, given for outstanding musical talent and exemplary dedication to the bands of Wagner College. Emigholz played percussion in the percussion ensemble, drum set in the jazz ensemble, and played many times for faculty recitals, student recitals and gala events of the Staten Island Visiting Nurses Association. Emigholz graduated with a B.S. in Business, with a concentration in Accounting.
Kate Eshelman of Olathe, Ks. won the Dreyfus Prize in Chemistry, given to a student who has done academically outstanding work in the Chemistry Department. Eshelman’s senior thesis was titled, “Using Colorimetrics to Detect Cancer Biomarkers.” In addition to her excellent work in the lab, Eshelman was a member of the Wagner Christian Fellowship, the Christian Student’s Association, and the women’s softball team. Eshelman graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude.
Michael Farina of Staten Island won the Harvey Logan Memorial Award in Physics, given for academically outstanding work in the study of physics.
Farina also won the Kurt Goedel Award for Excellence in Mathematics, given for outstanding performance and achievement in the field of mathematics.
His senior thesis was titled, “A Computational Approach to the Spherical and Double Pendulum.”
Farina graduated with a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics, summa cum laude.
Kelsey George of Hopkinton, Mass. won the Psychology Department Award, given for academic excellence in the study of psychology. She studied abroad in Rome and was a member of the Earth Club. George graduated with a B.A. in Psychology, summa cum laude.
Amanda Gland of Woodbury, Conn. won the Verrazano Memorial Prize, given for outstanding academic achievement in the study of history. Gland was a member of the History Club, the Pre-Health Society, the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society, and the Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society. She was a member of the Tau Kappa Sigma sorority and served on the Greek Senate and the Panhellenic Council. She was also a member of the track team. Her senior thesis was titled, “The Spotted Death: Smallpox and the Culture of 18th Century America.” Gland graduated with a B.A. in History, with a Chemistry minor, magna cum laude.
Ami Grilly of Westlake Village, Cal. won the George G. Hackman Prize in Religious Studies, given the highest academic average in all courses taken in the Religion minor. She was a member of the Accounting and Business Society, and she studied in Rome for a semester. A member of Allies, Wagner College’s diversity support organization, she played on the volleyball team. Grilly graduated with a B.S. in Business, with a concentration in Marketing, and minors in Religion and Italian, magna cum laude.
Andrew Hager of Gorham, Maine won the Socrates Prize, given for outstanding thinking with application to human concerns in a community. Hager’s senior thesis presentation was titled, “Moral and Ethical Application of Sartre’s Existential Philosophy.” He was a member of both the football team and the rugby team. Hager graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy, with minors in Religion and Psychology, cum laude.
Sloane Herrick of Carlsbad, Cal. won the Robert Witkowsky Award, given to a graduating student intending to pursue a career in Special Education. A member of Kappa Delta Pi, the education honor society, Herrick was a featured choreographer in last year’s “Dance Project” theater production. She is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Her senior thesis was titled, “Learning Together in an Inclusive Environment: A Critical Reflection.” Herrick graduated with a B.A. in Theater/Speech and Childhood Education, magna cum laude.
Lisa Krawciw of Merrick, N.Y. won the Julia M. Barchitta Award for Civic Engagement, given for bridging academic achievement and contributions to the community through participation in the Civic Engagement Certificate Program. Krawciw enthusiastically organized and participated in numerous community service projects throughout Staten Island, focusing especially on the Ronald McDonald House. She was a member of the Psychology Club, the Promising Student Society and Kappa Delta Pi, the education honor society. Krawciw graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Education.
Kenneth Lucante of Brick, N.J. won the Economics Department Award, given for academic excellence in the field of economics.
Lucante also won the Kappa Mu Epsilon Award, given to a mathematics or computer science major who excels in service and leadership.
Inducted into Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honor society, Lucante studied abroad in Rome.
His senior thesis is titled, “An Analysis of Regulatory Reform in the Post-Recession Banking Industry.”
In addition to his excellent scholarly work, Lucante was involved on campus as a member of the wrestling team, the rugby team, the Extreme Sports Club, Theta Chi fraternity, and Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society. He was also an orientation peer leader and a resident assistant.
Lucante graduated with a B.A. in Economics, with a minor in Mathematics, magna cum laude.
Nicole Mahoney of Leonardo, N.J. won the Christian P. Holmstrup History Award, given in memory of a Class of 1939 alumnus to the student with the highest grade point average in the History Department.
Mahoney also won the Simone de Beauvoir French Award, given to a French Studies major who has achieved the highest distinction in the study of French or Francophone literature.
In addition, Mahoney won the Dr. Donald W. Spiro Award, given for best academic and co-curricular achievement by a student over the course of the student’s entire college career. The Spiro Award is Wagner College’s most prestigious award.
Mahoney studied in France for a semester at the University of Lyon II. Her senior thesis presentation was titled, “Worse to Me than All the Licks: The Sexual Exploitation of Enslaved Women.”
Mahoney was considered a role model and source of inspiration for other students of French at Wagner. She was a peer leader and a peer tutor in the Modern Languages Department and a member of the French Club.
“During her travels and coursework in France and Quebec, she showed a deep and thoughtful understanding toward cultures different than her own,” said Dr. Natalie Edwards, assistant professor of French at Wagner College.
Mahoney wrote for the Wagnerian, the college student newspaper, and was an Orientation Peer Leader. She belonged to the Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society, the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society, the French Club and the Earth Club.
During her final semester at Wagner College, as a student in the history course, “Ghandi and Modernism,” she participated in a fast to raise awareness of world hunger and raise funds for Project Hospitality.
Mahoney will be working at the New York Historical Society after graduation.
Mahoney graduated with a B.A. in History and French Studies, with a minor in Comparative Literature, summa cum laude.
Norma Jean Margiotta of Staten Island won the Ann H. & Norbert H. Leeseberg Education Award, given to the undergraduate student who best exemplifies the academic scholarship and community spirit of Dr. Norbert H. Leeseberg, who served Wagner College from 1967 to 1994 in various roles. His outstanding community activism and philanthropy on Staten Island earned him the nickname, “Mr. Wagner College”. Margiotta was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the education honor society. She worked extensively in schools and various community agencies in the local Staten Island community, supporting the growth and development of young children. She was particularly praised at P.S. 35 for showing a positive, unconditional regard for a wide range of children, especially those with disabilities. Margiotta graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Childhood Education.
Alexa Marin of Middleton, Mass. won the Diversity Action Council Award, given for furthering, exemplifying or supporting diversity issues at Wagner College.
Dr. Marilyn Kiss, the Modern Languages professor who nominated Marin for the DAC Award, wrote, “As editor-in-chief of Nimbus, the Wagner literary magazine, Alexa included work in other languages and photos or art work that represent different cultures.
“Her off-campus activities also show a respect for diversity: In Manhattan, she worked for ‘God’s Love, We Deliver,’ an organization that provides meals and nutritional counseling to men, women and children living with life-altering illnesses. On Staten Island, she worked for Project Hospitality, a multifaceted community service organization. In Brooklyn, she worked for the Norwegian Christian Home & Health Center, a nursing home.
“Alexa Marin studied abroad in Australia and has shared her experiences with the campus community,” Dr. Kiss concluded. “Dynamic and personable, she is a scholar and a true campus leader.”
Marin also won the Student Government Association Award, given for exemplary service, work, dedication and leadership abilities within the student body. Marin was a member of the Student Government Association for many years, serving as Vice President of Campus Events during her senior year.
She was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and co-chaired this year’s Songfest competition. She was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honorary society.
Marin graduated with a B.A. in International Affairs, cum laude.
Pietro Marinaro of Hopewell Junction, N.Y. won the Bob Gabriel Memorial Award for Theater, given for an exceptional performer demonstrating interest in Italian culture. Marinaro graduated with a B.A. in Theater, with a Performance concentration, and a minor in Italian Studies, cum laude.
Medije Mashkulli of Staten Island won the Kevin Sheehy Award in Biology, given in memory of Kevin Sheehy, Wagner College Class of 1967. Sheehy was a biology teacher at Tottenville High School, on Staten Island, and a member of Wagner’s Board of Trustees. The Sheehy Biology Award is given in recognition of the highest cumulative grade point average in the study of biology. Mashkulli is a biology major with a minor in chemistry. At this year’s Eastern Colleges Science Conference, she presented a poster of her research titled, “Set Up of a Yellow Fever Mosquito Colony.” She is a member of Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor society.
Caitlin McGee of Newton, Mass. won the Theatre Department Award for Theatre Performance, given for excellence in theatre performance. She studied in London for a semester and still managed to appear in nine shows on the Wagner stage. Her credits include the role of Mrs. Kirk in “Little Women” and Babette in “Beauty and the Beast.” McGee graduated with a B.A. in Theater & Speech.
Amber Mottola of Staten Island won the Juliette Tyor Outstanding Student Employee Award, given for honesty, dependability, intiative, leadership and campus involvement.
Mottola was a member of the Promising Student Society as well as the honor societies for Nursing, Mathematics and Computer Science. She served as treasurer of the Student Nurse Association.
Throughout her undergraduate career at Wagner College, Mottola worked as a student assistant in the Information Technology department.
In their nomination of her, the IT staff wrote, “Amber has been a very efficient and helpful addition to the department, not only during the semesters but during winter and summer breaks as well. She has effectively reached out to the entire campus at one time or another to assist people with their many different computer problems.”
Mottola graduated with a B.S. in Nursing, with a minor in Mathematics.
Joanna Ng of Staten Island won the Phyllis Andors Award for Government and Politics, given in honor of the late chair of the history and political science department, to an outstanding student majoring in Government & Politics. Ng wrote her senior thesis on illegal immigration and citizenship, focusing in part on different interpretations of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. She integrated her work at a Project Hospitality food pantry into her thesis, truly demonstrating the spirit and substance of the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, the college’s signature curriculum. Ng graduated with a B.A. in Public Policy and Administration, concentrating in Urban Policy, with a minor in Psychology, magna cum laude.
Brendan O’Brien of Andover, N.J. won the Theatre Department Award in Dance, Technology and Management, given for exceptional performance behind the scenes. He studied abroad in London for a semester. He was instrumental in the production of at least seven shows, overseeing stage management as well as light and sound design. He was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society. O’Brien graduated with a B.A. in Theater, with a concentration in Design, Technology and Management, cum laude.
Stephanie Papa of Stroudsburg, Pa. won the Jack J. Boies Award for Creative Writing, given for excellence in creative writing. She receives this award in recognition of her poetry. She has written for Nimbus, Wagner College’s literary magazine, and she was a Writing Intensive Tutor. She was a member of the French Club, the Earth Club and the choir. Papa graduated with a B.A. in English and French Studies, magna cum laude.
Jaclyn Passarelli of Staten Island won the Norval Calhoun Award, given to a student for distinguished academic and teaching performance. She was a member of the Kappa Delta Pi education honor society, the Earth Club, and the Promising Student Society. Passarelli graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Childhood Education.
Michael Pinto of Staten Island won the Joseph T. Gabrielline Memorial Award, given for superior qualities of leadership, honor, scholarship and service.
Pinto has strengthened the academic and co-curricular quality of the campus in many ways. He was president of the Student Government Association during his senior year, previously serving as vice president for finance and senator. He was a Peer Tutor and a member of the Community Standards Review Board and the Academic Honesty Committee. He was an Orientation Coordinator for two years, and prior to that was a Peer Leader.
Pinto periodically wrote for the Wagnerian, Wagner College’s student newspaper, and hosted the popular “Marvelous Mike Hour” program on WCBG, the college’s closed-circuit broadcast station. He recently completed an internship at NBC Nightly News.
Pinto graduated with a B.A. in Government & Politics with a minor in Journalism, summa cum laude
Jenna Pocius of Wallingford, Conn. won the English Literature Prize, given to recognize a student with the highest distinction in the study of English literature. Pocius wrote for the Wagnerian, the college student newspaper. She was a Writing Intensive Tutor and an English literature tutor. She was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society. Considered by the faculty in her department to be a sophisticated writer and top scholar, Pocius’s analysis of Salman Rushdie’s “Satanic Verses” was published in the Spring 2010 issue of the Wagner College Forum for Undergraduate Research. Pocius graduated with a B.A. in English, with a minor in Journalism, summa cum laude.
Raychel Ryan of Brooklyn won the Ellen Horrmann Award, given for academic excellence in nursing during the clinical experience. Ryan was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society, and the Student Nurse’s Association. Her research paper, published in the Wagner College Forum for Undergraduate Research, was titled “The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Academic Performance of Baccalaureate Nursing Students.” Ryan joins the pediatric resource team at Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn. Ryan graduated with a B.S. in Nursing.
Anthony Santoro of Maspeth, N.Y. won the L. Willard Knight Memorial Award, given for the fraternity member with the highest academic average during the past year, in memory of Willard Knight, Class of 1959. He also won the Robert deCsipkes Memorial Prize, given for outstanding clinical potential in psychology.
A member of Kappa Sigma Alpha fraternity, the French Club and the Student Government Association, Santoro studied in Quebec this winter as a part of Wagner College’s Expanding Your Horizons program.
He turned in a strong performance in clinical internships at the HIV Women’s Collaborative and Freedom from Fear, a mental-illness advocacy organization.
Santoro graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and French, cum laude.
Danielle Sheehan of Farmingdale, N.Y. won the Mary Burr Award, given for the highest cumulative grade point average in nursing.
Sheehan is a member of: Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor society; Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society; Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society, and the Student Nurse’s Association.
She studied at John’s Hopkins University last year in a highly selective intensive summer program. She won a Registered Nurse externship at Georgetown Medical Center, which begins this summer.
In addition to her strong scholarly work, Sheehan was a member of the soccer team.
Sheehan graduated with a B.S. in Nursing, with a minor in Biology, magna cum laude.
Andrew Sheldon of West Des Moines, Iowa won the Douglas Gee Morton Award in Economics, given for academically outstanding work in economics and good moral character. He spent a semester abroad in Germany, and he participated last summer in the Washington Center internship program in Washington D.C. He was active in the Theta Chi fraternity and served as an Orientation Peer Leader and a Resident Assistant. Sheldon graduated with a B.A. in Economics and Government & Politics, magna cum laude.
Jaclyn Sheldon of Staten Island won the Robert deCsipkes Memorial Prize, given for outstanding research in psychology. She was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, the Kappa Delta Pi education honor society, the Psi Chi psychology honor society, and the Psychology Club. Sheldon graduated with a B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Education Studies, summa cum laude.
Holly Shriver of Kittanning, Pa. won the Economics Department Award, given for academic excellence in the field of economics. A member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honor society, she studied abroad in Ireland for a semester. In addition to her outstanding scholarly activity, she was involved on campus as a cheerleader and a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Shriver graduated with a B.A. in Economics, with a minor in History.
Shauna Sorensen of Syracuse, N.Y. won the Robert D. Boody Memorial Award in Art, given for exceptional scholarly work in art.
Art history professor Sarah Scott called Sorensen “an accomplished artist,” saying that “her paintings have amazed and astounded faculty and fellow students. She primarily works from observation, and creates detailed and rich paintings that display humor, inventiveness and intelligence.”
When Sorensen studied this winter in Paris with Wagner College’s Expanding Your Horizons program, Scott said, “she made sure to visit as many museums as she could possibly fit into a single day.”
Scott added, “She has an unbeatable combination of talent, a strong work ethic, curiosity and graciousness.”
A member of the Art Club, Sorensen also served on the staff of the Wagnerian, Wagner College’s student newspaper.
Sorensen graduated with a B.A. in Art, with minors in Art History and Management, summa cum laude.
Rachel Sorrentino of Staten Island won the Student Nurse Association Award, given for academic merit and displayed leadership in diverse community activities. An active member of the Student Nurse’s Association, she was president of the second-degree class of nursing students. She was a member of the Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society and is employed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Sorrentino graduated with a B.S. in Nursing.
Katrina Stec of Long Valley, N.J. won the Wagner College Prize in Mathematics, given for outstanding achievement in mathematics. She participated in the Merit Awards Program and the concert band, was a member of Tau Kappa Sigma sorority, and served on the Panhellenic Council. Stec graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics, with minors in Philosophy and Physics, magna cum laude.
Leanne Surace of Staten Island won the Music History Award, given for outstanding achievement in the study of music history. She also won the Sigvart J. Steen Scholarship Award in Music, given for excellence in choir performance. A founding member of the Vocal Jazz Lab, Surace was a frequently featured soprano soloist with the Wagner College Choir, the Jazz Ensemble and the Concert Band, and she was a two-time “Italian Idol” vocal competition winner. During her senior year, Surace was president of both the Choir and the Music Society. A member of the Opera Workshop, she participated in Wagner’s Campus Activities Board and was a Resident Assistant. Surace graduated with a B.A. in Music, with a minor in Italian Studies.
Carolyn Susino of Floral Park, Queens won the Thomas Kendris Award in Expository & Journalistic Writing, given for outstanding work in writing courses and journalism. Susino was a member of the college’s concert band, the Sigma Tau Delta English honor society, and Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society. Susino wrote extensively for the Wagnerian, Wagner’s student newspaper, where she was considered an excellent sports writer and editor. Susino graduated with a B.A. in English, with minors in Journalism and Educational Studies.
Sarah Tranchina of Miller Place, N.Y. won the Nathan and Ruth Wolff Prize, given for excellence in dance. She was a member of the Dance Club and the Theater Advisory Board, and she was a featured choreographer for the 2010 “Dance Project” production. She traveled to Florence, Italy with the “Expanding Your Horizons” study-abroad program. Tranchina graduated with a B.A. in Theater and Speech, with a minor in Dance, cum laude.
Jessica Troiano of Chester, N.Y. won the Verrazano Memorial Prize, given for outstanding academic achievement in the study of government, politics and history. She studied abroad in Rome for a semester. Her senior research presentation was titled, “Canarsie, Staten Island and White Flight.” She was a member of the Pre-Law Society, the Community Standards Review Board, and the women’s volleyball team. Troiano graduated with a B.A. in International Affairs, with a concentration in International Economics, and a minor in Italian Studies, summa cum laude.
Salvatore Valenti of Staten Island won the Microbiology Award, given in recognition of scholastic achievement by a student who exemplifies outstanding work in microbiology. An exceptional student, he conducted research with Dr. Kathy Bobbitt and Dr. Adam Houlihan, and he worked part-time in the labs at Staten Island University Hospital. A member of Beta Beta Beta, the biology honor society, Valenti has been accepted into a Ph.D.program at the New York Medical College, where he hopes to conduct research in virology and vaccine development. Valenti graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology, magna cum laude.
Nicole Valinhas of Holland, Pa. won the Accounting Society Award, given to a student with outstanding achievement in the study of accounting, high standards of leadership and good moral character. Valinhas volunteered at Project Hospitality as a part of her First-Year Learning Community, and on campus she interned in the Business Office. She was a member of the Allies student nondiscrimination support group, an executive board member of the Residence Hall Association, and a resident assistant. Valinhas graduated with a B.S. in Business, with concentrations in Accounting and Finance, magna cum laude.
Holly Walker of Huntington Beach, Cal. won the Modern Languages Award, given for excellence in the study of languages.
Walker studied for a semester in Rome and was a member of Club Italiano.
“Holly’s passion for the Italian language, people and literature is evident in the beautiful papers she writes,” said Colclough Sanders, a professor of Italian studies at Wagner College.
Walker, a Writing Intensive Tutor, was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, the Kappa Sigma Alpha co-ed fraternity, and the Greek Senate. She hopes to join the Peace Corps.
Walker graduated with a B.A. in English, with minors in Italian Studies and Comparative Literature, magna cum laude.