2023 Scholarship awards.

2023 Graduate Student Showcase scholarships are published below.

Distinction in Creativity Award.

Creative Disciplines Poster

The Distinction in Creativity award is presented collaboratively by the Graduate School and Office of Vice President for Research. This award recognizes the passion and personal contributions of these talented graduate students, and honors their commitment and efforts in their area of work.


Scholarship Awards.

1st place:
$250 award
  • Seojung Lee - Art and Art History
2nd place:
$150 award
  • Sumanma Wadhwa - Art and Art History
Honorable mention:
$150 award
  • Lauren Furman - English

Great Minds in Research Award.

Research Disciplines Poster

The Great Minds in Research award is presented collaboratively by the Graduate School and the Office of Vice President for Research. This award recognizes graduate student submissions that contribute to the excellence and advancement of research, scholarship, and entrepreneurial efforts at CSU. We celebrate these rising stars, and honor these graduate students for the commitment and efforts in their field.


Scholarship Awards.

1st place:
$250 award
  • Jeonghun Lee - School of Advanced Materials Discovery SAU
2nd place:
$150 award
  • Jui Hsiang Lo - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Honorable mention:
Ten $100 awards
  • Chinecherem Chime - Physics
  • Tymofiy Lutsiv - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU
  • Daniel Sanchez - Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Yayo Virgen - Chemistry
  • Rachel Brady - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU
  • Karla Cureno Hernandez - School of Advanced Materials Discovery SAU
  • Elliot Ferrell-Carretey - Chemical and Biological Engineering
  • Suraj Khanal - Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Josie Otto - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
  • Erin Snyder - Chemistry

Business for a Better World Award.

College of Business logo

The College of Business is invested in projects that offer sustainable solutions to substantive problems affecting a population. Through this Business for a Better World Award, the College is pleased to highlight outstanding scholarship from business graduate students.


Awards

1st place:
$500
  • Abisola Adedigba - College of Business

Drivers of Innovation: CSU STRATA.

CSU STRATA

The Drivers of Innovation award highlights the leading edge of the most innovative research originating from CSU research. Awardees in this category have presented innovative research capable of solving commercial needs that benefit society. Additionally, the awardees have demonstrated a solid capability to communicate their science clearly as well as a superior ability to visually represent their research in a manner that is accessible to all audiences.


Award

Platinum:
One $500 award
  • Andrea Selkow - Chemistry

One Health Institute's Award for Research Excellence.

One Health Institute Logo

CSU’s One Health Institute implements the transdisciplinary One Health approach understanding the interconnectedness of the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Global drivers such as climate change and landuse change are affecting health and bringing animals and people in contact in new ways leading to risk for new diseases and effects on health. We implement the One Health approach to solve complex problems through research, training, outreach, and advocacy to influence best practice and policy. Through the OHI Research Excellence Award, one outstanding graduate student is recognized for their research excellence.


Award

Research Excellence:
One $500 award
  • Diana Lowe - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU

Global Impact Award.

Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs seeks to honor three graduate students that demonstrate an active commitment to making a Global Impact through research. Examples might include field research that was conducted at an international location, research that was accomplished by partnering with an international organization or institution, or research that has the capacity to address a significant global challenge.


Awards

Top Scholar
Three $400 awards
  • Katherine Stevick - Sociology
  • Emilia Ravetta - Sociology
  • Rose Parham - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU

Graduate Student Council: New Graduate Student Award.

Graduate Student Council

In line with the Graduate Student Council’s (GSC) overall commitment to bring graduate students together for the purposes of networking, collaboration, and advocacy the GSC is proud to sponsor the Graduate Student Showcase. Our organization has had a strong focus on welcoming new graduate students to CSU and empowering them to succeed. Offering the New Graduate Student Award in partnership with the Graduate School, is yet another way we can help these emerging scholars reach their full potential.

The New Graduate Student Award is available to all graduate students in the first three semesters of their graduate work (anyone who started Summer/Fall 2022 or later), and four students will be selected, with each winning a $300 prize. In line with the mission of GSC, special consideration will be offered to projects focused on informing policy that may benefit graduate students and further the goals of GSC.

The New Graduate Student Award will be judged by the GSC leadership team and our administrative advisors.


Scholarship Awards.

Research Top Scholar:
Five $300 awards
  • Justin Hudson - Atmospheric Science
  • Krishnavamsi Gujju - Computer Science
  • Monika Perez - Chemistry
  • Makenna Juergens - Biology
  • Walter Jordan - Mechanical Engineering

CSU Writes: Written Excellence Award

The CSU Writes scholarship recognizes an outstanding title that reflects characteristics of excellent writing in its clarity, concision, structural alignment, and overall impression.


Scholarship Award.

Written Excellence:
$500 award
  • Ghyslaine Ramirez - Biomedical Sciences

College Specific Awards.

Top Scholars for University-Wide Graduate Programs

Graduate School logo

Presented and offered by the Graduate School and CSU Libraries.


Scholarship Awards.

1st Place:
$500 award
  • Erin Jackson - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
2nd Place:
$300 award
  • Melody Zarria-Samanamud - Graduate Degree Program in Ecology SAU
3rd Place:
$250 award
  • Sam Brill - Cell & Molecular Biology SAU

College of Agricultural Sciences Top Scholars Awards.

College of Agriculture logo

The College of Agricultural Sciences is proud to present the Top Scholar award.


Scholarship.

Top Scholar:
Three $500 awards
  • Henrique Vieira - Agricultural Biology
  • Eliza Gross - Horticulture & Landscape Architecture
  • Afrin Jannat - Animal Sciences

College of Business Dean’s Award for Research Excellence.

College of Business logo

For the College of Business graduate student that provides a creative research solution to a substantive business problem. Through this award, the College of Business is pleased to honor a business graduate student for outstanding research.


Awards

Top Scholar:
$500
  • McKenna Petri - College of Business

WSCOE Excellence in Research Award.

College of Engineering logo

The Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering is proud to honor graduate students demonstrating research excellence and outstanding potential as a scholar.


Scholarship Awards.

Top Scholar:
Three $500 awards
  • Kyler Howard - School of Biomedical Engineering
  • Sarah Hernandez - Systems Engineering
  • Emmanuel Ezika - Chemical and Biological Engineering

College of Health and Human Sciences Awards.

College of Health and Human Sciences logo

The College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to provide five awards.


Scholarship Awards.

Excellence in Research and Scholarship:
Five $250 awards
  • Bri Risk - Food Science & Human Nutrition
  • Scott Wrigley - Food Science & Human Nutrition
  • Chris Patrick - Health and Exercise Science
  • Matthew Bomar - Health and Exercise Science
  • Darby Easterday - Health and Exercise Science

College of Liberal Arts Awards.

College of Liberal Arts logo

Awards to Graduate Students in Liberal Arts Disciplines/Departments for highest achievements in:


Creative and Performing Arts, including visual arts, music (solo and ensemble), theatre, dance, poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction:

Scholarship Awards.

Top Scholar:
Two $500 awards
  • Nikoo Monem - Art and Art History
  • Liz Ramirez - English

Scholarly/Research-based poster presentations:

Scholarship Awards.

Top Scholar:
Three $500 awards
  • Tewabe Kassaw - Anthropology and Geography
  • Sarah Kubiak - Journalism and Media Communication
  • Sarai Benitez - Political Science

College of Natural Sciences Outstanding Scholar Award:

College of Natural Sciences logo

The College of Natural Sciences Outstanding Scholar Award honors the scholarship of graduate students who exemplify the college’s commitment to cutting-edge research.


Scholarship Awards.

Outstanding Scholar:
Four awards of $500 each
  • Chris Stubbs - Chemistry
  • Paahuni Khandelwal - Computer Science
  • Rose Rossell - Chemistry
  • Jacob VanderRoest - Chemistry

College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Awards.

College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences logo

CVMBS Top Scholar Awards


CVMBS values discovery and celebrates development of the skill set to advance knowledge with original research. Our mission is to help animals, people and the planet through restorative and preventive strategies for the health of these systems – a One Health perspective. This award recognizes promise in a research student in developing the skills to advance knowledge.

Scholarship Awards.

Top Scholar:
Five $500 awards.
  • Oshani Ratnayake - Micrbiolgy, Immunology & Pathology
  • Kate Williams - Clinical Sciences
  • Hannah Braun - Biomedical Sciences
  • Alissa Threatt - Environmental & Radiological Health
  • Jacob Lewey - Biomedical Sciences

Warner College of Natural Resources Award for Graduate Student Achievement.

Warner College of Natural Resources logo

Warner College of Natural Resources Award for Graduate Student Achievement: This award recognizes excellence in graduate student achievement and excellence in scholarship and research that sets the foundation for outstanding career-long contributions to the natural resources field.


Scholarship Awards.

Warner College Graduate Student Achievement Award
Three $500 awards
  • Becca Windell - Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
  • Jacob Ney, Forest & Rangeland Stewardship
  • Cassandre Venumiere-Lefebvre - Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology

GradShow Committee

Planning committee members:

  • Dr. Colleen Webb, Dean
  • Dr. Kristina Quynn, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School
  • Ludy Avalos
  • Madison Colley
  • Allison DeWaele
  • Lynna Dicamillo
  • Alexa Jayne
  • Derek Newberger
  • Julie Paolucci
  • Emma Smith
  • Erin Snyder

Graduate School Support:

  • Jozsef Vigh, Associate Dean of the Graduate School
  • Vincent Avalos
  • Sandy Dailey
  • Dustin Grantham
  • Brandon Fuller
  • Teresa McClure
  • Serena Penn
  • Jennifer Wang
  • Marian Willis

Special Thanks to Presenters and Judges

Thank you for joining us at the GradShow. Special appreciation goes to all of the graduate students who presented, as this celebration would not be possible without your willingness to share your creative works and scholarship. An additional thank you to the judges who volunteered. Your time and efforts truly made all the difference in allowing us to recognize and celebrate graduate student excellence here on campus.

Awards Subject to Change

While we do our best to provide correct and current information regarding the award categories and amounts, occasionally this information may change. All awards and award amounts are subject to change.

2023 Discretionary Scholarship Awards.

All 2023 awards are provided in the form of Discretionary Scholarships and are acknowledged by the Office of Financial Aid as a resource to support the student’s cost-of-education. The addition of the scholarship could cause a student to have total financial aid in excess of their cost-of-education, which would adjust accordingly.