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Student Class Notes
Mechatronics Engineering major John Aduroja won the novice division of the sixth annual Tennessee Valley Debate competition. He was also awarded fifth-best speaker.
Carlos Aldana Lira, a Computer Science junior, was awarded a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Washington to conduct computer science education research over the summer of 2024.
A senior Mechatronics Engineering major and Buchanan Fellow, Samuel Apigian landed a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) Research Internship in Science and Engineering (RISE) in Dresden, Germany, this past summer.
Sav Buist, Biology major and Buchanan Transfer Fellow, is an accomplished musician and is touring with country music artist Lainey Wilson through the Fall 2024 semester.
Buchanan Fellow Elizabeth Cannan-Knight, Sociology and Communication double-major, was awarded 2024 LGBT+ Advocate of the Year.
Biology and Psychology doublemajor Sierra Cruz was presented Undergraduate Student of the Year.
A new group of Honors Student Ambassadors were initiated: Alexis Flick, Karmina Ghobrial, Jael Guest, Jenene Grover, Rand Hasan, Trinity Henderson, Izzy Jacober, Elizabeth Kowalczyck, and Ross Sibley.
Buchanan Fellow Hannah Ferreira was one of two students at MTSU selected as the University’s inaugural Andrew Goodman Foundation ambassadors. Ferreira is doublemajoring in Psychology and Political Science. She is also a member of the Student Government Association, part of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry on campus, and a writer for Sidelines.
Buchanan Fellow Victoria Grigsby earned a spot in the 2024 Delta Scholars Program that took place over the summer at Mississippi State University. In addition to majoring in Political Science, she is president of MTSU’s American Democracy Project chapter and served as a Student Government Association senator.
Biology major Sarah Kamaridinova, pictured above, received the 2024 Robert C. LaLance Jr. Achievement Award. An immigrant from Uzbekistan at age 16, she plans to attend dental school.
Rada Ryan, a Visual Arts major, took third place in the first Tennessee Collegiate Honors Council (TCHC) essay contest in the spring.
Sydney Robbins, a Buchanan Fellow and Forensic Science major who graduated in May, was presented the 2024 Provost Award. She is continuing her education at MTSU, pursuing a master's in Chemistry.
Buchanan Transfer Fellow Jake Salter, a Computer Science major, earned a Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship.
Ross Sibley, pictured above, a Biochemistry major and Buchanan Fellow, was awarded the 2024 President’s Award. After his May graduation, Sibley is continuing his education at the University of North Carolina, where he received a generous scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He served as president of the Student Organization for the Advancement of Research at MTSU.
2023–24 HONORS AWARDS
Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship
Jake Salter, Computer Science
Summer Fulbright Institute in Wales
Victoria Grigsby, Political Science/German
Barry Goldwater Scholarship
Ariel Nicastro, Physics
Gilman Scholarship
Febronia Azer, Computer Science, and Jasper Sanders, Animation (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Switzerland)
John Farris, Aerospace (New Zealand)
Logan Gordon, Foreign Languages (Japan)
Victoria Grigsby, Political Science/Foreign Languages (Germany)
Alexis Mahon, Political Science, and
Bryce Tall-LaRue, Audio Production (Senegal)
Jessica Stites, Data Science (Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and France)
Grace Young-ah Sandidge, Geoscience (Switzerland)
RISE Germany Scholarship
Samuel Apigian, Mechatronics Engineering
Gates Cambridge
Brittney Johnson, Spanish/ Global Studies and Human Geography
Phi Kappa Phi Marcus L. Urann Fellowship
Rachel Booher, English
Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Scholarship
Ethan Estes, History
Gresham Groves, Psychology
Bridging Scholarship for Japan
Rachelle Laurel, Marketing/Japanese
Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award
Elliot Certain, Social Work
Brian Maxwell, Film and Video Production
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship
Dara Zwemer, Psychology
Monika Fouad, Physics and Astronomy
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Carlos Aldana Lira, Professional Computer Science
Izzy Jacober, Psychology
Lula Badriche, Physics
Elijah Atkins, Computer Science
Skye Neal, Chemistry/ Mathematics
Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (at Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
Ariel Nicastro, Physics
MTSU President’s Award
Ross Sibley
MTSU Provost’s Award
Sydney Robbins, Forensic Science
MTSU Community Service Award
Brian Maxwell, Video and Film Production
MTSU Robert C. LaLance Jr. Achievement Award
Sarah Kamaridinova, Biology
Gordon and Sara Bell Native American Studies Scholarship
Madison Reeves, Elementary Education
Lawrence R. Good Scholarship
Delaney Reynolds, Environmental Science/ Global Studies
Ralph and Elizabeth Gwaltney Centennial Scholarship
Hailey Harrison, Aerospace (Professional Pilot/ Flight Dispatch)
Creighton and Elizabeth Hay Rhea Centennial Scholarship in Honors
Delaney Thomas, Biology
Hannah/Harris Study Abroad Scholarship
Jenene Grover, Journalism
Michael Martinelli Memorial Scholarship
Lena Eccles, Nutrition and Food Science
Zander Sullivan, Aerospace (Professional Pilot)
Philip and Marilyn Mathis Scholarship
Matt Johnson, Biochemistry
Bart McCash Scholarship
Sav Buist, Biology
June McCash Founders Award Scholarship
Jael Guest, Foreign Language
Joseph and Teresa Olmstead Scholarship
Maheswari Ramesh, Aviation Management
Julia W. Powell Scholarship
Fison Bogale, Nursing
John and Linda Vile Award
Victoria Grigsby, Political Science/German
Vincent and Stacey Windrow Award
Cai Ward, Management and Leadership
Hanna Romans Witherspoon Scholarship
Lillian Laman, History
Academic Achievement Scholarships
Ethan Estes, History
Ellaleigh Hall, Nursing
Isabelle Legrain, Environmental Science
Paul W. Martin Sr. Scholarships
Katrina Aguilar, Political Science
Hannah Antrican, Psychology/Sociology
Jorge Avila, Political Science
Rashieq Cockerham, Biology
Luis Esmurria, Business Administration and Management
Nathaniel Harrison, Accounting
Rand Hasan, Biochemistry
Izzy Jacober, Psychology
Sarah Kamaridinova, Pre-Dental
Ariel Nicastro, Physics
Connor Prim, Instrumental Music Education
First-Year Outstanding Students
Luis Esmurria, Business Administration and Management
Hannah Ferreira, Psychology/ Political Science
Second-Year Outstanding Students
Jorge Avila, Political Science
Anna Collins, Agribusiness
Third-Year Outstanding Students
Elizabeth Counts, Nutrition and Food Science
Karmina Ghobrial, Biology
Fourth-Year Outstanding Students
Trinity Henderson, Political Science/Spanish
Ross Sibley, Biochemistry
Paul W. Martin Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award
Mary Wilgus (’73), first Honors thesis at MTSU
Paul W. Martin Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award Scholarship
Aykut Iri, Finance (in honor of Mary Wilgus)
