RECENT FSU AND HONORS GRADUATE, HANNAH HETZEL-EBBEN RECEIVES COVETED URANN FELLOWSHIP
July 20, 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to recognize recent Honors graduate, Hannah Hetzel-Ebben, as the recipient of the Marcus L. Urann Fellowship. Hannah was nominated by the local chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society for consideration to receive one of the six nationally awarded fellowships of $20,000. Hannah graduated in the spring of 2021 with a degree in Vocal Performance from FSU and is currently enrolled in her first year of medical school at Case Western Reserve University. The fellowship funding will help pay her medical school expenses. She hopes to one day be an ear, nose, and throat surgeon. Congratulations!
ALEXIS COX, HONORS STUDENT, NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
July 12, 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to recognize Alexis Cox as an FSU Student Star. Alexis is a senior studying Biological Sciences. Alexis has been involved with undergraduate research while at FSU and was awarded an IDEA grant on a collaborative project to study celiac disease. She has volunteered at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's Internal Medicine Unit and currently volunteers at Covenant Care, providing assistance to caretakers and and hospice patients. Alexis will graduate during the Fall 2021 term and plans to pursue a medical and doctoral degrees and eventually work in internal medicine.
“Coming into FSU, I knew there were some research opportunities for undergraduates,” Cox said. “I had no idea that I would be given so many opportunities to participate in research. One of the biggest impacts that FSU has had on me is my love for research.”
DERICA PARATHUNDIL, HONORS IN THE MAJOR STUDENT, NAME FSU STUDENT STAR
June 9, 2021
Major: Communication and Science Disorders
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to congratulate and recognize Honors in the Major Student, Derica Parathundil, for being selected as an FSU Student Star.
"...[Derica] Parathundil knew she was interested in working with children who are D/deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. To align with this goal, she decided to take American Sign Language (ASL) to fulfill her foreign language requirement. She enrolled in Beginning ASL and quickly realized that the majority of her classmates were majoring in Communication Science and Disorders (CSD).
'That degree path was not something I had heard of before,' Parathundil said. 'This opened me up to the audiology career field, and had it not been for FSU’s CSD and Honors in the Major programs, I wouldn’t have found a career path perfect for my passion of working with the D/deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.' "
SUZAN ELZAWAHRY AND NICK HEARING AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS LANGUAGE SCHOLARSHIPS
May 21, 2021
Major: Suzan Elzawahry - International Affairs
Nick Hearing - International Affairs and Economics
[FSU News] The Honors Program congratulates recent Honors graduates, Suzan Elzawahry and Outstanding Senior Scholar, Nick Hearing, who have earned foreign language scholarships to further their study of languages "deemed critical to the interests and economic prosperity of the United States." Suzan received a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Turkish, and Nick received both a CLS and a Boren Scholarship to study Mandarin Chinese. Only five Florida State University students received these scholarships.
HONORS MEDICAL SCHOLAR, LILIAN LAMB'S ESSAY SUBMISSION PUBLISHED IN SPRING 2021 NYU MEDICAL DIALOGUE REVIEW JOURNAL
May 14, 2021
Honors Medical Scholar - Class of 2024
Major: Behavioral Neuroscience
The Honors Program congratulates Honors Medical Scholar's Lilian "Lily" Lamb, who entered the New York University's Bioethics Essay Contest and whose work was selected to be included in the Spring 2021 Medical Dialogue Review undergraduate journal.
KRISTINA LYNCH RECEIVES THE NCAA ELITE 90 AWARD IN WOMEN'S SOCCER
May 13, 2021
Graduation Year: Spring 2021
Major: Biological Sciences
Plans After Graduation: Kristina plans to pursue a master's degree in Exercise Physiology beginning Fall 2021.
The Honors Program would like to congratulate and recognize recent Honors graduate, Outstanding Senior Scholar and student-athlete, Kristina Lynch, as the recipient of the 2020 NCAA Division I Elite 90 Award in women's soccer. The award was presented to Kristina before the College Cup semifinal.
"Lynch has been a key to FSU’s success this season, tallying four goals, including one game-winner against Pittsburgh in FSU’s 4-1 win over the Panthers. She has helped lead an FSU offense that has scored 40 goals in 14 games this season as the Seminoles are 13-0-1 heading into the College Cup." [Excerpt from article on seminoles.com]
TINA LU NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
May 12, 2021
Major: Music Therapy
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to congratulate and recognize Presidential Scholar and Honors student, Tina Lu, for being selected as an FSU Student Star. Using travel enrichment funds received through the Presidential Scholars Program, Tina traveled to Beijing, China, where she shadowed music therapists working with children with autism. After her internship and becoming certified as a licensed music therapist, Tina hopes to pursue her master's or doctoral degree in Music Therapy.
“I realized that FSU provides an extraordinary amount of support to undergraduate students through extensive research opportunities and unparalleled instructional quality. The Presidential Scholars Program allowed me to envision the numerous opportunities and support available to me at this institution which ultimately propelled me to commit to FSU.”
HONORS IN THE MAJOR STUDENT SPOTLIGHT - 2021 KINGSBURY UNDERGRADUATE WRITING AWARD WINNER - CAROLYN SIZEMORE
April 20, 2021
Major: English
Thesis: Hidden in Plain Sight: Activism and Materiality in the Tallahassee Zine Community
Thesis Director: Dr. Michael Neal
Graduation: Spring 2021
The Honors in the Major Program would like to congratulate and recognize Carolyn Sizemore as the 2021 Kingsbury Undergraduate Writing Award Winner for her honors thesis project submission.
"Completing my honors thesis was the most rewarding academic achievement of my undergraduate career, and by far the most challenging....It allowed me to gain a lot more confidence in my writing and problem-solving in general, and it made me feel more hopeful that the things I am interested in learning more about are meaningful to others, too."
-Carolyn Sizemore
2021 NOAA HOLLINGS UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT - ABRIL HUNTER
April 16, 2021
Major: Environmental Science and Policy Minor: Urban Regional Planning
FSU Involvement: Presidential Scholar, Honors Program, Honors Experience Program, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), Florida Collegiate Honors Council Presenter, Renegade Leadership Honor Society, W.E.B. Du Bois Honor Society, Student Government Association Senate, Alliance for Black Women, Power of WE, Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society
The Honors Program would like to congratulate and recognize Presidential Scholar and Honors Student, Abril Hunter, on being selected to receive the 2021 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship. The faculty and staff of the Honors Program, as well as Dr. Yana Bebieva, Postdoctoral Associate at Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Institute, Florida State University, wish you many successes with this new opportunity and look forward to hearing more about your research. Congratulations!
2021 GLOBAL CITIZEN AWARD RECIPIENT - MADDY JOHNSON
April 16, 2021
Major: Middle Eastern Studies & International Affairs
Graduation: Spring 2021
FSU Involvement: Presidential Scholar, Honors Program, Honors Experience Program, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), Power of WE
Congratulations to Honors student, Maddy Johnson. Maddy was chosen as one of three students, out of a total of 23 nominees, to receive the Center for Global Engagement's 2021 Global Citizen Award.
“This award has helped me appreciate the value of my actions and it reinforced the idea that I can make a difference in the world,” Johnson said. “I am so grateful to FSU for supporting me as I pursue international refugee advocacy.”
HONORS IN THE MAJOR STUDENT SPOTLIGHT FOR OUTSTANDING THESIS PROJECT & DEFENSE- ALEC JIMENEZ
April 13, 2021
Major: Sociology
Thesis: Cultural Capital, Social Capital, and Horizontal Stratification Among University Undergraduates
Thesis Director: Dr. John Reynolds, Department of Sociology
Graduation: Spring 2021
The Honors in the Major Program and the Thesis Supervisory Committee, headed by Dr. John Reynolds, would like to recognize the honors thesis project work and defense of senior, Alec Jimenez. Congratulations on your stellar work!
"The experience of an honors thesis here makes me feel more comfortable with what is to come as I enter a new world post-graduation." -Alec Jimenez
HONORS IN THE MAJOR STUDENT SPOTLIGHT FOR OUTSTANDING THESIS PROJECT & DEFENSE - AMBER HEDQUIST
April 13, 2021
Major: English - Literature, Media & Culture
Thesis: Semantics of Space: Investigating Perceptions of Space Within the Tallahassee Community
Thesis Director: Dr. Tarez Samra Graban, The English Department
Graduation: Spring 2021
The Honors in the Major Program and the Thesis Supervisory Committee, headed by Thesis Director, Dr. Tarez Samra Graban, would like to spotlight Amber Hedquist for exemplary work on her thesis project and oral defense. Congratulations!
"My success is due entirely to my committee. Together, they were an invaluable support system that prioritized encouragement and intellectual challenges. They offered invaluable advice as I approached my defense: confidence and presence. This mentality directly affected the success of my defense. I would be remiss if I did not directly thank Dr. Graban for her unwavering support as my thesis Chair." -Amber Hedquist
CONGRATULATIONS TO FSU'S AND HONORS EXPERIENCE PROGRAM'S THREE STUDENTS, WHO RECEIVED THE BARRY GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP
April 8, 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to congratulate three of its outstanding Honors students, Trystan Loustau (Presidential Scholar), Jessica Moser, and Kylee Hillman on receiving the Barry Goldwater Undergraduate Scholarship. The three Honors Experience students were featured on April 8, 2021 in an FSU News article, which describes the scholarship as "a prestigious national award that annually recognizes the brightest mathematics, science and engineering college sophomores and juniors." [FSU News]
“To have three Goldwater Scholars is not only a testament to the merit and resiliency of our applicants but the outstanding resources and faculty mentors at FSU who are invested in the success of their students." “My hope is this unprecedented achievement will continue to inspire the undergraduate STEM community and showcase what Florida State students are capable of achieving inside and outside of the classroom.”- Jesse Wieland, Office of National Fellowships.
GIOVANNA GARCIA NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
April 5, 2021
Major: International Affairs and Political Science
Graduation: Spring 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to congratulate Giovanna Garcia for being named FSU's Student Star for April 2021. Giovanna is a Presidential Scholar, Honors and Honors in the Major student, who has studied International Affairs and Political Science while at FSU. She will graduate this spring and plans to take a gap year to teach English in Spain. After her gap year, she hopes to attend law school, studying international human rights law.
“FSU has taught me to invest my time in things that I am passionate about, and that makes me feel fulfilled,” she said. “Take the opportunities as they come to you. I credit FSU for a lot of the opportunities that I have had as most of my involvement has been through Florida State.” - Giovanna Garcia, FSU News Article
MICHAEL COLLINS NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
March 3, 2021
Major: Biological Science
Graduation: Spring 2021
[FSU News] Congratulations to Honors student, Michael Collins, for being named FSU Student Star for March 2021. "Collins has been fortunate to experience a breadth of opportunities since arriving at Florida State. He became a member of the Honors Program in fall 2017, achieved the Dean’s List for four semesters and President’s List for one semester." He has served as a University Ambassador, a Freshman Interest Group Leader, and has volunteered with the Big Event, an organization that "partners with TCC and FAMU students in volunteering around the Tallahassee community."
'I was encouraged through everything I did,” Collins said. “I was always pushed to achieve everything I could and more.'
"When Collins graduates in April 2021, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration with hopes of educating others who want to go into the same career field and learning more about how one personal experience can shape others."
THE FLORIDA COLLEGIATE HONORS COUNCIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FSU Honors Student Winners
February 12-13, 2021
Three Florida State University Honors students received awards for their paper submissions in the category of Documented Research or Critical Thinking. Ollie LeClerc and Alison Roush were awarded in the Freshman/Sophomore section, and Allison Laudadio was awarded in the Junior/Senior category. This is Allison Laudadio's second year winning an award at the conference. Winning contestants were invited to present an overview of their papers at the annual Florida Collegiate Honors Council Conference, which was hosted virtually the weekend of February 12-13, 2021 via Zoom.
Read more about our three outstanding Honors students, their research paper overviews, and their reflections on their work and the conference experience.
[Photo of Allison Laudadio]
ERIN MURPHY NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
February 3, 2021
Major: Computer Engineering
Graduation: Spring 2023
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to congratulate Erin Murphy for being named FSU's Student Star for February 2021. Erin is an Honors student and the first student-athlete to be selected as a Presidential Scholar. She has volunteered extensively while at FSU through the FSU beach volleyball team and Presidential Scholars with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, the FSU Office of Accessibility Services, the homeless shelter and a local area middle school, serving as a sports coach. She has participated in the Undergraduate Research Program and was awarded an IDEA Grant toward her research last summer.
“I am so grateful to Florida State University for all the opportunities I’ve been a part of because it’s honestly been so much better than I could have ever imagined – and I imagined it would be pretty great. ”-Erin Murphy, FSU News
"Murphy plans to use FSU’s 4+1 program to start taking electrical engineering graduate coursework while she completes her computer engineering undergraduate degree. She hopes to use all five years of her NCAA eligibility and earn her master’s degree while still playing for FSU’s beach volleyball team." -FSU News
GRACE ROBBINS NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
December 8, 2020
Major: Classical Archaeology Minors: Museum Studies and Anthropology
Graduation: Spring 2022
[FSU News] The Honors Program is happy to announce that Grace Robbins was named an FSU Student Star for December 2020. Grace is a Presidential Scholar and Honors student. She has been involved with the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, as well as one of FSU's excavation projects in Tuscany, Italy, which was funded by her Presidential Scholarship. "That [her research] has led to an IDEA Grant and an internship with the FSU Office of Digital Research (DRS) through the InternFSU program to experiment with 3D technologies and enhance interaction with archeological data and scholarship in different media."
“I felt like the Presidential Scholars and honors communities gave me a place to thrive without feeling overwhelmed or lost in the crowd,” she said. “I never felt like I couldn’t explore what I wanted to." - Grace Robbins, FSU News
DIANA CONRAD NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
November 4, 2020
Major: Chemistry
Graduation: Spring 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program congratulates Diana Conrad, who was named FSU's Student Star for the month of November. Diana is an Honors student and Honors in the Major student, studying inorganic chemistry. During her time at FSU, Diana volunteered extensively with the Food Recovery Network, part of FSU's Sustainable Campus chapter and now heads up the program. Diana plans to pursue a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry and one day become a professor at a university.
“I’ve learned so much about how to be a good teacher, about how to be there for your students,” she said. “FSU showed me the kind of person I want to be and the kind of teacher I want to be for the students of the future.”
OSMAN MAHBOOB NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
October 1, 2020
Major: Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences
Graduation: Fall 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program recognizes and congratulates Osman Mahboob for being named FSU's Student Star for October 2020. Stemming from Osman's interest in serving underrepresented populations, both medically and personally, he established "Project Lake Ella," partnering with the FSU Muslim Student Association to provide food, necessities and a listening ear to people experiencing homelessness in Tallahassee. Osman has also been involved with research in Dr. Michael Roper's laboratory, which works extensively with diabetes. Osman's lab research led to a proposal that earned him the 2020 Professor Jack Saltiel Undergraduate Research Award.
“Looking back on my time at FSU, I am incredibly proud of what I have accomplished with the help of inspiring mentors, faculty and fellow students,” he said. “I have learned to always lean on my family for support and guidance and always keep a positive attitude when faced with adversity and challenges.”
2020 NCHC FREDDYE T. DAVY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNER
September 28, 2020
Sneha Kapil, FSU Presidential Scholar and Honors Experience Program student, was awarded the National Collegiate Honors Council's Freddye T. Davy Scholarship Award in September 2020. She was one of only four recipients to receive this prestigious award nationally. The award comes with a monetary scholarship, as well as paid registration fees to the National Collegiate Honors Council's (NCHC) 2020 virtual conference. The Honors Program could not be more proud of Sneha and her continued contributions to the honors community and beyond!
NICOLE HEIM NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
September 1, 2020
Major: Biological Science
Graduation: Spring 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program would like to congratulate Presidential Scholar, Honors Colloquium Leader, Honors in the Major student, and University Ambassador, Nicole Heim, for being named FSU's Student Star for September 2020. Nicole was awarded an IDEA Grant, which she will use towards her Honors in the Major thesis project on the sundial lupine plant's phenology as it relates to controlled burns in the Apalachicola National Forest. Nicole has also volunteered extensively in the local area and served as Speaker Coordinator and Treasurer with FSU Pre-Veterinary Club. She hopes to attend veterinary school after graduation.
“The Honors Program has provided me with incredible mentorship and tools for success,” Heim said. “Being able to work with students was a wonderful experience and I loved being able to learn from them and see how there are so many different paths one can take to get to the same goal.”
AMBER HEDQUIST NAMED FSU STUDENT STAR
September 1, 2020
Major: English Minor: Communication
Graduation: Spring 2021
[FSU News] The Honors Program and the Honors in the Major Program would like to recognize and congratulate Amber Hedquist, who was named FSU's Student Star for September 2020. Her journey at FSU started with a year abroad with FSU International Programs in Valencia, Spain. Upon return to FSU campus, Amber became interested in pragmatic applications of rhetoric in government and applied for an IDEA Grant to continue her research on spatial rhetoric. She will present her research findings at the President's Showcase in November 2020. She will also use this information to complete her Honors in the Major thesis project, under the direction of Dr. Tarez Samra Graban, which analyzes the railroad system in Tallahassee and how that "affects, reflects, and provides commentary on the surrounding community." [FSU News]
“The best thing about research is that you are actively asking questions to improve something,” she said. “I truly believe that that is what we are here to do. We are here to create and ask hard questions and not simply accept facts as they are told.”
HONORS EXPERIENCE PROGRAM'S HANNAH "GRACE" HOPKE PUBLISHED IN THE MACKSEY JOURNAL
September 2020
HEP student Hannah “Grace” Hopke's paper, “Communist Deus Ex Machinas: The Brechtian Epic and Its Influence Today” has been published in The Macksey Journal, which includes the works from The Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium. Grace originally presented her paper at the inaugural Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium held virtually on May 1, 2020.