GS Students Honored at 2023 Academic and Leadership Awards Ceremony

Honoring the academic excellence and community contributions of students, the Academic Prizes and Student Leadership Awards Ceremony provides an annual opportunity to celebrate individuals whose brilliance, generosity, and innovation exemplifies the spirit of GS. Over 100 students were recognized at this year’s ceremony, which took place at Low Memorial Library with a buoyant crowd of students, faculty, administrators, and distinguished guests. 

“I am continually inspired by the talent, creativity, and dedication of our students,” said Dean Lisa Rosen-Metsch ’90GS in her remarks. “I have no doubt that you will continue to make a positive impact in the world long after you leave GS, and many of you in this room have made a mark on our school that we will benefit from for many years to come.”

Ahead of Class Day and Commencement celebrations, Dean Rosen-Metsch took the opportunity to highlight honorees from the Class of 2023, including Alumni Key Award recipients Grayson Noyes ’23GS and Hannah Ressinger ’23PBPM, Campbell Award winner James Harvey Elliott II ’23GS, and Dean’s Citation recipients Allison Darne ’23GS and Tucker Tiedeman ’23PBPM.

Addressing members of the Class of 2023 as she brought the ceremony to its conclusion, Dean Rosen-Metsch said “We will miss you, but we know that you’ll always be a treasured part of our alumni community. We congratulate you, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you at Class Day!” She continued, “For the student leaders who are continuing their studies at Columbia GS this summer or in the fall—our new GSSC, PPSC, Milvets members, and others—we very much look forward to continuing to work together to take GS to even greater heights.”

Awards for Leadership Excellence

Alumni Key Award: Grayson Noyes and Hannah Ressinger
Awarded to a graduating senior for exceptional academic achievement and ongoing commitment to leadership and service to the School of General Studies community.

Campbell Award: James Elliott
 Awarded to a student leader who shows exceptional leadership and Columbia spirit as exemplified by Bill Campbell ‘62CC, ‘64TC.

Dean’s Citation: Allison Darne and Tucker Tiedeman
Awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to outstanding leadership and service to the School of General Studies community throughout their academic tenure.

Honorary Owl Award: Rachel Chang and Leslie A. Zukor
Awarded to a Columbia student at a school other than GS who has made a contribution to the School of General Studies community through their leadership and service this academic year.

Change Agent Award
Awarded to a group of students who have made impactful contributions through their dedication to equity, inclusion, and social justice to the School of General Studies and the Columbia community.

Andrea Abi-Karam, Elizabeth Bordi, Tom Chalamish, Ebonnie Goodfield, Bruce Goumain, Alanna Kelly, Davey Liu, Liam McGrane, Nasser Odetallah, Pooja Patel, Charissa Kathleen Ratliff-D’Addario, Antonio Rodriguez, Kat Slagell, Eirene Tomlinson, and Jay Juan Vasquez 

Spirit Award
Awarded to a select group of students who have made outstanding contributions through their dedication to leadership and service to the School of General Studies and Columbia community.

Talia Adler, Olivia Anakwe, Victoria Ardelean, Caleb Bowen, Thomas Chen, Tomas Davila, Marie Febrillet, Elena Flack, Neelufar Franklin, Garrett Gregor-Splaver, Maya Platek, Yarin Reindorp, Emily Glenn Robinson, and Ashley Tan 

Service Award
Awarded to students who have distinguished themselves this academic year with a dedication to service and leadership within the School of General Studies and Columbia University community.

Eliana Aiken, Logan Allen, Jake Babcock, Giancarlo Barrios, Rachelle Batichon, Jonathan Baumgarten, Leslie Blanco, Isabelle Bohn, Jule Boudreaux, David Kim Brady, Gregory Brook, Avidan Brown, Joshua Brunnlehrman, Kasey Buckley, Gianna Campa, Freida Candido, Daniella Coen, Kae Cogswell, Christopher Cox, Victoria Daylor, Aylin Demiralp, Maya Dornbrand-Lo, Savannah Eklund, Lester Falcon, Adam Frank, Alexander Friedman, Kambi Gathesha, Ferdinando Castro Gonzalez, Kyle Gordon, Faith Grady, Angie Huang, Isabella Hung, DeAngelo Hunter, Cajay Jacobs, Emma Jalees, Teddy Jang, Jack Jeong, Mila Jovanovic, Daniela Gricelda Juarez, Alisa Shodiyev Kaff, Kaya Kim, Salina Kuo, Yenchi Kuo, Gary Mayta Lizarraga, Jessica Minhas, Maria Monzon, Robert Mueller, Robert Mulvey, Nedira Mustefa, Jennifer Odum, Sara Olney, Hailee Olson, Tahmina Painda, Rachel Papirmeister, Lily Penn, Jonah Pitkowsky, Shatize Pope, Matt Rambo, Hunter Rhoades, Wesley Rey Rivera, Angie Maldonado Rodriguez, Elise Sanders, Josh Sandy, Raysa Schumacher, Sindy Serrano-Maradiaga, Stefani Shoreibah, Savanah Shulkin, Zarria Simmons, Terrelle Stephens, Malaika Tayi, Isabella Tincher, Jenn Todaro, Sagar Trivedi, Eric Uster, Sara Wahedi, Emily Weaver, Jordan Weiss, Matthew Wilds, Justin Wilson, Taejeong Woo, Claire Yoon, Luke Yuan, Joanna Zhang, and Katherine Zimmermann

GS Student Council (GSSC) Excellence in Service Awards

Awarded to a faculty member, a teaching assistant, and an administrator who have made exceptional contributions to the School of General Studies community and its student body.

GSSC Excellence in Teaching Award: Professor Aled Roberts
Department of English and Comparative Literature

GSSC Excellence in Teaching Assistance Award: Angie Maldonado Rodriguez 
Department of Psychology

GSSC Excellence in Administration Award: Curtis Rodgers
Vice Dean, School of General Studies

Academic Prizes

Dean’s Prize in Anthropology
Awarded for excellence in the study of anthropology
Tomas Dias Piva Imparato

Judith Lee Stronach Memorial Prize
Awarded for outstanding contributions in art history or archaeology
Joshua Becktell

Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts
Awarded for excellence in performance or execution or in the field of composition in one of the general areas of performing and creative arts
Katarina Bustoz and Valerie Pires

Jonathan L. Gross Award
Awarded for promising innovations in computer science
Cecilia Takacs

Russell C. Mills Award
Awarded for excellence in the study of computer science
Zifan Wang

Dean’s Prize in Creative Writing
Awarded for excellence in the study of creative writing
Agatha Wuh

The Walter Pitman Senior Thesis Award in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Awarded in recognition of the best thesis paper in earth science or environmental science
Connor Metz

Dean’s Prize in Economics
Awarded for excellence in the study of economics
Noah Simon

Romine Prize
Awarded in recognition of the best paper in a senior seminar in economics
Zuzanna Bijoch

Professor John Angus Burrell Memorial Prize
Awarded for distinction in English and comparative literature
Runnie Exuma, Elise Houlihan, and Hussain Taymuree

The Andrew Sarris Prize
Awarded for outstanding artistic achievement
Tara Jovic

Albert E. Gollin Prize
Awarded for excellence in the study of sociology, media, or journalism
Sorina Szackacs

Medaglia D’Oro Prize
Awarded for excellence in Italian studies
Elisabeth Malanga

Herbert H. Lehman Prize
Awarded for outstanding accomplishments in the study of history
Isabella Noonen

Lily Prize
Awarded for the best senior thesis in History on a non-U.S. topic
Robbert van Batenburg

Arthur Ross Foundation Award
Awarded for excellence in the study of political science
Aditi Chatradhi

Jennifer A. Pack Prize
Awarded for excellence in the study of psychology
Mareike Keller and Amber Ray 

Stacy M. and Russell D. Paul Prize
Awarded for excellence in the study of neuroscience and behavior
Joshua Kolberg and Daniela Juarez

Antonio G. Mier Prize
Awarded for excellence in Spanish
Fabian Carchi

Lillian L. Hacker Prize
Awarded for excellence in the study of sociology
Alice Chu

Queer Studies Award (Institute for the Study of Sexuality and Gender)
Awarded for excellence in research and writing in queer studies
Trevor Kodzis

Stuart Gaffen Award for Leadership and Engagement
Awarded for demonstrated leadership and service in the spirit of sustainable development
Nour Elgoweili and Taejeong Woo