Last Friday evening, May 1, Wagner College held its 2015 Undergraduate Awards Dinner, recognizing 33 students in the first, second and third years of their college careers for excellence in scholarship, leadership and community service.
Lindsey Aanonsen of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Ellen Horrmann Award for academic excellence during the nursing clinical experience. Clinical instructors have consistently praised Aanonsen’s ability to provide care to patients that follows evidence-based practice guidelines with a relentless, caring spirit. It is common that patients and their family members go out of their way to tell Aanonsen’s instructors how she made their time in the hospital less frightful.
Emily Adams of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Promising Gerontological Nurse Award for a junior nursing student who demonstrates promise as a gerontological nurse as reflected in evidence-based clinical performance. Adams raises questions and is open to learning how to critically examine situations, data and literature in order to come up with evidence-based answers. One of her clinical instructors praised her ability to care for older adults who may be perceived as “difficult” or “challenging,” and she wins the praises of the patient, family and hospital nursing staff.
Ann Attardi of Morristown, N.J. won the Business Administration Award for the student in the Business Administration Department with the highest GPA.
Emily Bovasso of Cranford, N.J. won the Robert D. Blomquist Memorial Award in Biology for an outstanding biology student of good moral character. She also won the Modern Languages Award for outstanding work in the study of a modern language. Bovasso is a junior biology major with a 3.9 GPA who minors in chemistry and Spanish. She is an academic and a community leader at Wagner College. Bovasso is the president for Habitat for Humanity and traveled to El Salvador to help a community in need. She is one of the greatest examples of a student who excels academically and civically.
Nicholas Brancale of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Margery Mayer and Sigvart J. Steen Award for Excellence in Music for excellence in choir performance. Brancale has served as a leader in several of the college’s vocal ensembles during his first 2 years at Wagner, including the Wagner College Choir, Opera Workshop and Chamber Singers.
Eric Cedeno of West Hempstead, N.Y. won the L. Willard Knight Memorial Award for a fraternity member with the highest academic average and exemplary leadership performance. Cedeno is a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He has been on the Dean’s List for three semesters and is a member of the Accounting Business society.
Rabije Cekovic of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Wagner College Award in Chemistry for academically excellent work in the study of chemistry. The chemistry faculty feel that Cekovic shows excellent promise to be very successful in her chemistry career, especially in the area of quantitative analysis.
Connor Gibbs of Easthampton, Mass. won the Academic Excellence Award in Music. Gibbs has distinguished himself as an outstanding student in both music ensembles and classes. This award recognizes his excellent work in music history and music theory.
Daniela Gutierrez de la Garza of Durango, Mexico won the Gordon McEwan Endowed Award in Archaeology for students whose studies will include an experiential learning component in the field of archaeology. She will be spending the summer researching the experience of indigenous Mexicans in the state of Durango and volunteering with local NGOs.
Brandon Hart of Mastic Beach, N.Y. won the Community Service Award for a student committed to community service through campus organizations. A member of the Bonner Leaders program, Hart is also co-president of Wagner Cares and the civic engagement chairman for the Pre-Health Society. He student teaches Advanced Placement Biology and Regents Chemistry at Port Richmond High School.
Olivia Iacono of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Kurt Goedel Award for Excellence in Mathematics for outstanding performance and achievement in the field of mathematics, based on a student’s GPA and performance in class. Iacono is a math major with a 4.0 GPA.
Jennifer Loh of Bangkok, Thailand won the Student Government Award for outstanding work, dedication to the student body and exemplary leadership abilities. Loh is president of the Asian American Student Council, director of Asian cultures for the International Connections Club, and treasurer and philanthropic chair for Tau Kappa Sigma. She is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, and is a junior senator for the Student Government Association, where she is a vital part of the Communications Committee.
Sylvia Maisonet of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Margery Mayer and Sigvart J. Steen Award for Excellence in Music for excellence in choir performance. Maisonet has served during her first 2 years at Wagner as a leader in several of the college’s vocal ensembles, including the Wagner College Choir, Opera Workshop and Chamber Singers.
Candice Manetta of Brick, N.J. won the Wagner College Physician Assistant Award for the highest overall grade point average in the junior class among P.A. students. Manetta is an active member of the Physician Assistant Association and has raised funds for medical missions undertaken by the association. She has also traveled to England to learn about socialized medicine and psychiatric care.
Madeline McKnight of Carmichael, Cal. won the Gertrude Aull Award for the undergraduate who has the greatest potential as a psychologist. McKnight is fully engaged in class discussions, where her contributions show astute intelligence and creative insight. She is a member of Psi Chi, the psychology honor society, and is so captivated by research that she has applied to take part in a competitive national research program as well as engaging in research here at Wagner.
Hadeel Mishal of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Periclean Award for an abiding and active sense of social responsibility and civic concern through academic work or community activities. Mishal is being honored with this award because she is a force of energy, passion and commitment unmatched by her peers. For the past year, she has made headlines all over Staten Island because of her work with undocumented students at El Centro del Inmigrante and with the Muslim community on Staten Island. She is always the first person to volunteer her mind or hands to any issue, and never leaves anyone out or behind.
Elizabeth Murphy of New Brunswick, N.J. won the Richard Gaffney Memorial Grant to support student work in the visual arts. The Gaffney Grant is meant to help cover the costs for a student art project. Murphy’s project is to create innovative sculptural swings made from discarded items that will hang as installations on campus. Her intention is to draw attention to the environment and to re-use materials in a surprising way. Although only a first-year student, Murphy has shown excellent focus and passion as an art student in painting.
Megan Murphy of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Community Health Nursing Award for a nursing student who demonstrates volunteerism, thoughtfulness, caring and patience while promoting the health of individuals, families and groups within the community. Murphy is actively involved in our chapter of the National Student Nurses Association. She brings her interests in peer leadership and community service to everything she does, both in and out of the classroom.
Aliyya Noor of Islamabad, Pakistan won the Diversity Action Council Award for a student who has furthered, exemplified or supported diversity at Wagner College. She also won the Class of 2008 Scholarship for a model student involved in various community activities, including their senior class gift committee. At Wagner College, Noor has been a member of the Community Standards Review Board, an international student ambassador, a freshman lab instructor, and a translator. Fluent in seven languages, she works at Wagner’s Center for Intercultural Advancement and has interned with the college’s Finance and Human Resources departments over the past 2 years. She has traveled to Haiti and Washington, D.C., with the Alternative Spring Break program and has represented Wagner College at a leadership conference with other engaged Muslim scholars at Harvard University. When Noor is not leading on campus, she can be found providing translation assistance for a Sundance Film Festival juried documentary or volunteering in the greater Staten Island community. She is a remarkable leader who dares to dream great dreams.
Amanda Perez of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Education Department 5-C Award for the education major who best personifies the five Cs: a caring, curious, competent, committed and community-active professional. Perez routinely plans and implements lessons that take into consideration students’ prior knowledge and personal background, creating a safe, caring and intellectually rigorous environment for all students.
Stephanie Piscopia of Brooklyn, N.Y. won the Wagner College Award in Art for the art student with the highest grade point average. One of her professors said that Piscopia “has natural ability and is always dedicated and hard working in her assignments. Stephanie spends a great deal of time challenging herself and making her drawings visually interesting. She is a joy to have in class.”
Dillon Quinn of Chaska, Minn. won the Leader on the Horizon Award for a student who shows promise as a leader on campus. A brother of Theta Chi, Quinn is also an active member of the Society of Arts Administration Students, Project Sunshine and the Student Government Association, where he will serve as president next year.
Devon Romano of Cherry Hill, N.J. won the Wagner College Physician Assistant Award for the highest overall grade point average among members of the junior P.A. class. Romano’s outstanding academic achievements embody the professional standards of the medical field.
Laurianna Rosado of Valley Stream, N.Y. won the Education Department Culturally Responsive Award for a student with a strong commitment to being a culturally responsive teacher. Rosado consistently demonstrates through her words and work that she is developing as a culturally responsive teacher. Her work illustrates a desire to reach all students, linking their cultures to the curriculum and enabling students to make relevant connections between content and their lives.
Taylor Secemski of Scottsdale, Ariz. won the C. Wright Mills Award for a student with outstanding academic potential who embodies the spirit of sociological imagination. Secemski is a hard-working student who takes learning very seriously and has the highest GPA among the junior sociology majors. She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, and plays for Wagner’s softball team. While softball keeps her busy, she always puts academics first, as demonstrated by the fact that she has the highest GPA among her peers.
Greg Senat of Elmont, N.Y. won the Distinguished Leader Award for superior qualities of cooperation, decision-making and management. Whether leading as a forward on the men’s basketball team or serving as a mentor in the Port Richmond Academy, Senat’s ability to effectively communicate and inspire those around him is admirable. He has been recognized as one of only two students to represent the Northeast Conference at the 2015 Student Athlete Leadership Forum in Orlando, Florida. He has also been nominated to the 2015 Allstate NABC Goodworks Team.
Bailey Shada of Mahwah, N.J. won the Panhellenic Council Award for exemplary service and leadership to the Panhellenic Council, and for high academic achievement. Shada is a sister of Alpha Omicron Pi and serves as the sorority’s properties manager and assistant new member educator. She is also president of the college’s Panhellenic Council.
Brittany Sullivan of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Marie Picket Award for a nursing undergraduate student who has given outstanding community service and is a great role model in our community or abroad. This student also shows patience, compassion and leadership in the field of nursing by always being willing to assist others in their time of need. Sullivan receives the Marie Pickett Award for consistent dedication and commitment to helping infants, children, adults and whole communities with great health disparities by improving their health and wellbeing through fund raising and awareness. She is always seeking ways to improve the lives of others. She graciously volunteers her time and efforts to any charity cause or health care event the nursing school asks her to, and she finds charities to help on her own in addition to her nursing studies and holding a part-time job.
Benjamin Teincuff of Mission Viejo, Cal. won the Greek Senate Award for service to the Greek community, developing unity and direction. Teincuff is a member of Theta Chi and serves on Greek Senate.
Alyssa Thompson of Staten Island, N.Y. won the Socrates Prize for outstanding thought that has application to human concerns in a community. Thompson’s areas of interests are philosophy of mind, history of philosophy, and ethics, with her recent work focused on a reinterpretation of consciousness and self.
Anthony Tucker-Bartley of Trenton, N.J. won the Biological Sciences Award for demonstrating the highest academic promise in the biological sciences. He is a sophomore biology major with minors in chemistry and Spanish and has a 3.82 GPA. He is a member of the football team and the Bonner Leaders program.
Erynn Tuerk of Douglassville, Pa. won the Resident Assistant Award for strong social skills, ability to work with a diverse student population and supervise day-to-day operations in residence halls, and well-rounded programs. As a second year R.A. in Harborview Hall, Tuerk has faced many challenges, but she hasn’t let any of them affect her positive attitude and passion for the work. Her leadership has been invaluable to the new professional staff members who have often looked to her for guidance and support.
Danielle Vlachos of Rockland, Mass. won the Nursing Faculty Award for a compassionate student leader who is patient and family-centered. The award winner is selected by the nursing faculty. Vlachos is being honored for her ability to provide consistent patient and family-centered care during her clinical rotations. As an active member of Project Sunshine and the National Student Nurses’ Association, and with interest in student government and LBGT issues, she brings her passion for patients and their families wherever they may be — nursing home, hospital or community. She plans to lead a TEAL team to “Tell Every Amazing Lady” about Ovarian cancer this fall.
Faber Park on Staten Island, N.Y., part of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, won the Periclean Community Agency Award for an abiding and active sense of social responsibility demonstrated through collaboration with the work of Wagner College students. For the last several years, the Center for Leadership & Community Engagement has worked closely with the staff at Faber Park fieldhouse to align the efforts of the Port Richmond Partnership with non-profit organizations on Staten Island. The staff of New York City’s Faber Park have worked with Wagner students in many capacities, hosting events like the Sounds of Port Richmond as well as weekly meetings to keep community activists move forward together. Faber Park is truly changing the landscape of Port Richmond, and it serves as a role model for city parks across Staten Island and the City of New York.
