Student Scholars and Fellows Recognized at Honors Convocation

SHERMAN, TEXAS – Austin College celebrated the accomplishments of its students during the annual Honors Convocation, held in Wynne Chapel, Clifford J. Grum Sanctuary on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

The Honors Convocation highlights the achievements of Austin College students through the presentation of more than 100 endowed scholarships and awards. The students are chosen by faculty to represent academic excellence in departments across the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences. Some scholarships have existed for decades, having been established by donors in memory of faculty, family, or fellow alumni.

Division deans Dr. Lisa M. Brown, Michael Higgs, and Dr. Greg Kinzer, along with departmental chairs, presented the students’ awards.

Following is a list of student award recipients, in alphabetical order, along with their awards:

Lana Abou-Khamis received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Shambhavvi Anand received The Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Erwin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies.

Luis Balderas received The Henry L. and Laura H. Shoap Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences.

Katie Beckman received The Reverend David A. Sharp Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Music and Religious Life.

Camila Bocanegra received The Daniel L. and Martha P. Nuckols Award for an Outstanding Student in Economics.

Jimmie Brannen received The Catherine Rosalie Fincher Kucera Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in English or History.

Selina Brooks received The Dr. Paul Geers Award for Excellence in Pre-Medical Achievement.

Leena Brown received The Scott H. Boyd, M.D., Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Psychology.

Angie Butler received The Hope Ridings Miller Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Humanities and The Hope Ridings Miller Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Literature.

Emma Cain received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership and The Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship for academic excellence, civic responsibility, and potential for leadership.

Joshua Campbell received The Gerald H. Hinkle Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Philosophy.

Devon Carrillo received The Dr. Ruby Nell Ruth Ormon Award for Outstanding Women in Chemistry and The Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Erwin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies.

Isaac Cervantes received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Sarah-Tony Chavez received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Karsyn Clouse received The Bradshaw Frederick Armendt Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry.

Selah Coleman received The Karen Toda Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Art and Health Sciences.

Andrew Cowin received The Hope Ridings Miller Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Journalism and The Jerry Lincecum and Peggy Redshaw Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in English.

Lily Davidson received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Kiana Davis received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership and The Russell V. Rogers Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund for an Outstanding Student Studying for the Ministry.

Mario Diaz received The Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship for academic excellence, civic responsibility, and potential for leadership.

Bonnie Dong received The Dr. Arthur Springall Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies.

Grace Downing received The Minnette C. Shipley Endowed Award for an Outstanding Student in Art.

Deron Dwomo-Bediako received The Anna L. Anderson Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences.

Strey DuBose received The Shellene Kelley Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Computer Science.

Corbin Dymek received The Wilbur Powell Computer Science Award for an Outstanding Student in Computer Science.

Pedro Echeverria received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance and The Joaquin Johnson Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Law.

Alicia Flores received The Thomas W. Folbre Jr. Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in History.

Jasmine Galdamez received The Christopher L. Elliott Memorial Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Political Science.

Touya Garcia received The Wendy Adams ’91 Memorial Endowed Award for an Outstanding Student in Theatre.

Emma Gibson received The Jerry Lincecum and Peggy Redshaw Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in English and The Peggy Redshaw and Jerry Lincecum Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Biology.

Tanya Gonzalez received The John Peyton and Mary Louise Shoap Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Modern Languages and The Jace Powell ’09 Award for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Law.

Jack Graman received The Clara Zauk Binkley and James Binkley Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Foreign Languages and The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics.

Eliazar Greer received The Jayne C. Chamberlin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Communication Studies.

Pragna Gundupalli received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Niki Hamraei received The Howard McCarley Biology Student Research Award for an Outstanding Student in Biology.

Rahul Hanumandlu received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Michael Hare received The Virginia Love and Bill Freeman Creativity in Teaching Award, The Bernice and Sara Rebecca Honea Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education, and The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education.

Nabiha Hasan received The Bonnie J. Beardsley Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Communication.

Roy Herrera received The Jess Barrett, Romans 5:8 Memorial Award for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics in Honor of Dr. David Griffith.

Jasmine Houston received The Jim ’53 and Ruth Hardy ’55 Award for an Outstanding First-Generation Student and The Paul W. Beardsley Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Communication.

Melody Hukill received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Jessica Hunt received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Abhigna Isukamatla received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Elizabeth Jacobs received The John S. and Rachel Heard Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Religious Studies.

Ismael Jasso received The Hope Ridings Miller Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Humanities.

Macey Johnson received The Hope Ridings Miller Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Humanities and The Frank Mayborn Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Journalism.

Saahas Kaul received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Erwin Kingston received The P. S. Wharton Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry.

Nayan Kondapalli received The George L. Landolt Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry and The Suzanna B. and Joe M. Norwood Endowed Award for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies.

Kenedie Lane received The Charles “Bo” Miller Scholar/Athlete Award for an Outstanding Athlete who Excels in Academics.

Ryan Laventure received The Hope Ridings Miller Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in American History.

Cassidee Levine received The Charles Curtis McKinney Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Psychology.

Renata Loyo Perez received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance and The John Cameron Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in French.

Kylie Lyle received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Abhivarth Malladi received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Madison Manning received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership and The Mary Foulks Gourley and Lloyd E. Gourley Prize for an Outstanding Student in Physics.

Emma McLemore received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership and The Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship for academic excellence, civic responsibility, and potential for leadership.

Grace Moothart received The Emily A. Coe Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Exercise and Sport Science or Education.

Isaac Myung received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance and The Alfred Lafayette Ridings Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences.

Natalie Nechamkin received The Carl B. and Florence E. King Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Classics.

Ainsley Nelson received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Andromeda Newsom received The Lemuel Scarbrough Jr. Summer Research Fellowship in English to support faculty-sponsored research.

Joseph Nguyen received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance, The Stephen Dudley and Lillie S. Heard Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in the Sciences, and The Hanschen Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies.

Hannah Oberbeck received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Chizuruoke Onyedim received The Thomas Edgar and Kathryn Heard Craig Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics.

Jeannine Paredes received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Paola Paulin received The E. H. Black Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education and The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education.

Madeline Pieper received The E. Don and Ann R. Williams Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Jorge Pineda received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Zaria Porter received The Lois Jenkins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in English.

Josef Potter received The Will Mann Richardson Prize for Outstanding Scholarship and Service.

Erika Ramirez received The Bill Kugle Memorial Honors Convocation Award for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics.

Maggie Reed received The Carl B. and Florence E. King Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education and The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education.

Abbey Rennaker received The Andy and Narcadean Buckner Biology Student Research Award for an Outstanding Student in Biology.

Jackson Rennie received The Sig Lawson Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education, The Nancy Schenewerk Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education, and The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education.

Emily Rodriguez received The Clara Zauk Binkley and James Binkley Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Foreign Languages.

Nick Rolfi received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Erica Romm received The S.D. Heard Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in English and The Anna Laura Page Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Music.

Mikayla Ross received The Lemuel Scarbrough Jr. Summer Research Fellowship in Sociology to support faculty-sponsored research.

Luke Rostyne received The Foster Award for an Outstanding Student in Music, The Laura H. Shoap Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Music, and The Margaret Zauk Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Music.

Trey Salyer received The Lemuel Scarbrough Jr. Summer Research Fellowship in Classics to support faculty-sponsored research.

Alyssa Sharp received The Verta Eckman Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Music.

Benjamin Shegon received The Bill Kugle Memorial Honors Convocation Award for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics.

Rund Shehadeh received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Shea Simmons received The Stephen F. Austin Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in History.

Emma Sinclair received The Anna Laura Page Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Music.

Mel Smith received The William B. Steele, Genevieve Wakefield Steele, and Sue Steele Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Liberal Arts, The M.D. “Bud” Bryant Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Biology, and The Dorothy Abernathy Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Leadership in the Church.

Elisabella Solis received The Sally Posey Leadership Institute Fellowship as an Outstanding Student in Leadership.

Jackson Stirnweis received The Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship for academic excellence, civic responsibility, and potential for leadership.

Hailie Swiatkowski received The Virginia Love and Bill Freeman Creativity in Teaching Award, The Bernice and Sara Rebecca Honea Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education, and The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education.

Arturo Tarin received The Sarah and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholarship for commitment to community service in addition to outstanding academic performance.

Tracee Tarleton received The Frank Mayborn Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Journalism.

Alexis Taylor received The Lemuel Scarbrough Jr. Summer Research Fellowship in Psychology to support faculty-sponsored research.

Asher Thompson received The Charles “Bo” Miller Scholar/Athlete Award for an Outstanding Athlete who Excels in Academics.

Autumn Vance received The Grace Dupree Ridings Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Literature and The Mary Edna Finch Bryson Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in the Austin Teacher Program.

Emeri Watson received The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics.

Micaiah Wetzold received The Brittain Memorial Biology Student Research Award for an Outstanding Student in Biology.

Hannah Wilemon received The Wendy Adams ’91 Memorial Endowed Award for an Outstanding Student in Theatre.

Courtney Wise received The Folbre Prize for an Outstanding Student in History, The Dr. Thomas Baker Memorial Endowed Academic Honors Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education, The William B. “Bill” Davis Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education, and The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education.

Will Woulfe received The Anne Lorraine Dennis Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry.

Chris Walstad received The E. Don and Ann R. Williams Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Members of the College’s 16 national and international honor societies were also recognized at the Honors Convocation. The College houses chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, national undergraduate honor society; Alpha Chi, national college honor society; Alpha Lambda Delta, national first year honor society; Alpha Psi Omega, national theatre honor society; Beta Beta Beta, national biological honor society; Chi Alpha Sigma, national college athlete honor society; Delta Phi Alpha, national German honor society; Eta Sigma Phi, honor society for classical studies; Omicron Delta Epsilon, international honor society of economics; Phi Alpha Theta, national history honor society; Pi Delta Phi, national French honor society; Pi Sigma Alpha, national political science honor society; Psi Chi, international honor society in psychology; Sigma Delta Pi, national collegiate Hispanic honor society; Sigma Pi Sigma, physics honor society; Sigma Tau Delta, internation English honor society.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.