Graduation/Convocation Academic Awards

School of Nursing Alumni Association Award for Leadership
presented to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate who exhibited outstanding leadership in a student organization

• Joy Christine Johnson (May 2023)
• Andrea S. Mayo (Dec. 2022)
• Christina Huynh Vo (Dec. 2022)
• Max Joshua O'Sullivan (May 2022)
• Jessica Blake Smith (Dec. 2021)
• Christopher Thomas Windebank (May 2021)
• Victoria Tyler Braudaway (Dec. 2020)
• Palmer Legare (May 2020)
• Jasmine Omoyemen Okosun (Dec. 2019)
• Alexandra Marie Shepherd (May 2019)
• Emily Anne Solomon (Dec. 2018)

Edwin and L.M. Zimmerman Award
presented to Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates who consistently demonstrated an outstanding level of professional nursing practice in caring for patients

• Tyler Wade Calderone (May 2023)
• Felix Kaleikaumaka Lee (May 2023)
• Kevin Jack Wang (Dec. 2022)
• Kiet Xuan Nguyen (Dec. 2022)
• Christine Ho (May 2022)
• Samantha Lilian Cantero (May 2022)
• Emma Louise Flere (Dec. 2021)
• Christian J. Best (Dec. 2021)
• Kendel Marie Lee (May 2021)
• Erin Patricia Balkam (May 2021)
• Elizabeth Hope Campbell (Dec. 2020)
• Raeann Gayle Niebel (Dec. 2020)
• Mikayla Forbes (May 2020)
• Madeline Rose Doll (Dec. 2019)
• Marie C. Carle (Dec. 2019)
• Rebecca Jamie Godfrey (May 2019)
• Abbigail Nicole Winffel (May 2019)
• Hannah Hope Goldberg (Dec. 2018)
• Onyinyechi Mavis Ozoji (Dec. 2018)

Excellence in Neurological Nursing
presented by the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Neurology to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate who has exhibited outstanding proficiency in neurological nursing during the senior practicum course

• Vivian Chan (May 2023)
• Danielle Steiner (Dec. 2022)
• Alyssa Jean Roskowinski (May 2022)
• Rachel Alyse Neal (Dec. 2021)
• Kayla Scott (May 2021)
• Hannah Rose Willis (Dec. 2020)
• Erin Minick (May 2020)
• Jennifer A. Cueller (Dec. 2019)
• Alyssa Marie Castellano (May 2019)

Flora Hoffman Tarun Memorial Award
presented to Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to the philosophy of the School through involvement in its activities

• Regina Sinabulya Ngondwe (May 2023)
• Tori Nguyen (May 2023)
• Margaret Kathleen Giblin (Dec. 2022)
• Elise Shin-Ae Choi (Dec. 2022)
  Mansi Vinay Sundrani (May 2022)
• Chidera C. Uzoho (May 2022)
• Alice Thar Mformen (Dec. 2021)
• Ryen Eileen Dill (Dec. 2021)
• Lucie Olivia Roach (May 2021)
• Bryant Paul Trost (May 2021)
• Temesgen Abrham Atew (Dec. 2020)
• Gretchen Quiteles (Dec. 2020)
• Keely Hollyfield (May 2020)
• Yunie Pak (May 2020)
• Janat Bashir (Dec. 2019)
• Dana Claire Bulik (Dec. 2019)
• Ejemen M. Ihionkhan (May 2019)
• Steven Francis Tourville (May 2019)
• Elvis Amardi-Frimpong (Dec. 2018)
• Maureen Elizabeth Smith (Dec. 2019)

Student Government Leadership Award
presented by the Student Government Association to graduates who have demonstrated leadership qualities that have benefited the School of Nursing community

• Jessica Sarah Pitzer (May 2023)
• Selena St. Jules (May 2023)
• Teto Lawrence Neplay (Dec. 2022)
• Andy G. Flores (Dec. 2022)
• Max Joshua O'Sullivan (May 2022)
• Jenny Ha (May 2022)
• Amelia Patricia Calderon (Dec. 2021)
• Lauren K. Barbieri (Dec. 2021)
• Lucie Olivia Roach (May 2021)
• Naomi Narat (May 2021)
• Blair D’Anne Connolly (Dec. 2020)
• Manfred P. Scott (Dec. 2020)
• Chika Okusogu (May 2020)
• Marissa Punturiero (May 2020)
• Sarah Tegan Kwon (Dec. 2019)
• Denise J. Levy (Dec. 2019)
• Rhianna Allard Moyer (May 2019)
• Alvin Francis Stewart (May 2019)
• Emile V. Ghandour (Dec. 2018)
• Travis Nathaniel Tracy (Dec. 2018)

Edwin and L.M. Zimmerman Award – Clinical Nurse Leader
presented to Clinical Nurse Leader graduates who consistently demonstrated an outstanding level of professional nursing practice in caring for patients

• Elizabeth Tali Michelle Kosowsky (May 2023)
• Taqwa Pope (Dec. 2022)
• Christopher Sze (Dec. 2022)
• Diamond Khadejah Hale (May 2022)
• Laura Zabriskie (May 2022)
• Kourtney Anne Jones (Dec. 2021)
• Sean Patrick Carmody (Dec. 2021)
• Sarah Margaret Jones (May 2021)
• Danielle Althea Renee Logan (May 2021)
• Kyrsten Ayriell Hughes (Dec. 2020)
• Christina McGee (Dec. 2020)
• Kawana Cohen-Hopkins (May 2020)
• Andrea Peters (May 2020)
• Tracy Gayle Jennings (Dec. 2019)
• Michelle K. Kovacs (Dec. 2019)
• Corie Amanda Morton (May 2019)
• Sydney Tackett (May 2019)
• Bassey Etim-Edet (Dec. 2018)
• Michelle Anne Famulare (Dec. 2018)

Excellence in Clinical Nurse Leader
presented to an outstanding Clinical Nurse Leader graduate

• Rasheda Tamar Dukhin (May 2023)
• Katherine Hope Hempstone (Dec. 2022)
• Mala Constance Tiwari (May 2022)
• Katerina Atanasova Goffigan (Dec. 2021)
• Mairead Kalis Paxton (May 2021)
• Claire Yvonne Endres (Dec. 2020)
• Rebecca Meyerson (May 2020)
• Niki Casseri Papageorgopoulos (Dec. 2019)
• Jiayi Wu (May 2019)
• Brett Kiser (Dec. 2018)

Excellence in Community/Public Health Nursing
presented to an outstanding master’s graduate who exemplifies excellence, integrity, and leadership in community/public health nursing

• Janet Lynn Miranda (Dec. 2022)
• Andrea Moraes de Oliveira (May 2021)
• Kaitlyn Elizabeth Kodzis (Dec. 2020)
• Caroline Dushel (May 2020)
• Emily Erin Yates (Dec. 2019)
• Karen Lyons (May 2019)
• Tracy Susan Roth (Dec. 2018)

Excellence in Health Services Leadership and Management Award
presented to recognize and honor a graduating HSLM student who has demonstrated the highest standard of leadership, compassion, and professionalism during his/her tenure at UMSON

• Kristen Hyde Rouse (May 2023)
• Diane Cefaratti Emond (Dec. 2022)
• Kyle Woerner (May 2022)
• Nathan Benefiel (Dec. 2021)
• Nicole Christine Beeson (May 2021)
• Cleaya Marie Antes (Dec. 2020)
• Phillipa Morse (May 2020)
• Emily Shugars (Dec. 2019)
• Kathryn Elizabeth Naughton (May 2019)
• Lindsey Colton Hammer (Dec. 2018)

Excellence in Neurological Nursing – Clinical Nurse Leader
presented by the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Neurology to a clinical nurse leader graduate who has exhibited outstanding proficiency in neurological nursing during the practicum course

• Tiffany Oluwandara Oyekan (May 2023)
• Briallen Michela DiFrancesco (Dec. 2022)
• Ofek Ovadia (May 2022)
• Elizabeth Megan Wilson (Dec. 2021)
• Grace Parrish (May 2021)
• Shannon Peretz (Dec. 2020)
• Emilyn Bauer-Burns (May 2020)
• Elizabeth Horti (Dec. 2019)
• Mattison Elise Chayhitz (May 2019)
• Lauren Kimberly Meadowcroft (Dec. 2018)

Excellence in Nursing Informatics
presented to an outstanding nursing informatics graduate

• Rachael Wyatt Hodges (May 2023)
• Alexandria Tyson (Dec. 2022)
• Iris Melissa Martinez (May 2022)
• Melinda Kay Berger (May 2021)
• Michaella Afful (May 2020)
• Michael Vincent DiJulia (May 2019)

School of Nursing Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduate
presented to a Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate who demonstrates mastery of a specialty within nursing practice and whose capstone project has significant practice implications and lays the groundwork for future scholarship

• Emily Rosenstein (May 2023)
• Julie Jung You Reback (May 2022)
  Claribel Linda Sawyerr (May 2021)
• Rachel Hodge (May 2020)
• Sandy Kathleen Mulholland (May 2019)

Excellence in Adult-Gerontology Acute Nursing
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Trauma, Critical Care, and Emergency ANCP/CNS specialty

• Samantha Elise Balajthy (May 2023)
• Karen Michele Faherty (May 2022)
• Esther Southerland (May 2021)
• Natalie Babola (May 2020)
• Brett S. Weir (May 2019)

Excellence in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nursing
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty

• Mostafa Nizam Abu-Hijlih (May 2023)
• Jessica Kathryn Smith (May 2022)
• Taylor Brianna Melton (May 2021)
• Claire Regan (May 2020)
• Edwin O. Juma (May 2019)

Excellence in Family Nurse Practitioner
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty who consistently demonstrates compassion and empathy in the delivery of care to patients across the lifespan

• Nancy Heter McAlduff (May 2023)
• Mayra Alejandra Munoz (May 2023)
• Joan Ukamaka Ejiofor-Okoli (May 2022)
• Phudorji Lama Sherpa (May 2022)
• Laura Brianna Harrison (May 2021)
• Mary Catherine Marasa (May 2021)
• Carolyn Greely (May 2020)
• Denisha L. Cuffee (May 2019)

Excellence in Neonatal Nursing
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty

• Emily Rosenstein (May 2023)
• Tara Siobhan Bozel (May 2022)
• Victoria Ann Higgins Vykol (May 2021)
• Keiara Williams (May 2020)
• Sarah Olsen Gallo (May 2019)

Excellence in Nurse Anesthesia
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Nurse Anesthesia specialty who maintained an outstanding GPA in the program and who possesses exceptional clinical and leadership skills

• Dean Averell Fitzsimmons (May 2023)
• Sandi Woodhead Shroyer (May 2022)
• Adrienne Chavez (May 2021)
• Xuan Hahn Lam (May 2020)
• Lindsay Rae Simler (May 2019)

Excellence in Pediatric Nursing
presented to outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates of a pediatric nursing specialty

• Molly McComiskey (May 2021)
• Amanda Victoria Arjoon (May 2021)
• Krystal Gue (May 2020)
• Morgan Stankiewicz (May 2020)
• Lindsey Ott (May 2019)
• Harsana Showunmi (May 2019)

Excellence in Pediatric Acute Care Nursing
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty

• Kari Lynn Wheeler (May 2023)
• Chelsea Shock (May 2022)

Excellence in Pediatric Primary Care Nursing
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specialty

• Samantha Lorraine Kirk Jefferson (May 2023)
• Marinela Baltazar Babich (May 2022)

Excellence in Post-Master's Specialty Practice and Development
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Post-Master’s Option who demonstrates superior leadership

• Sharon Crawford Rochon (May 2023)
• Bryan L. Barshick (May 2022)
• Janet L. Brown (May 2021)
• Richard Paul Conley Jr. (May 2020)
• Tracy Thranhardt Douglas (May 2019)

Excellence in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
presented to an outstanding Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – Family specialty

• Tae Joon Park (May 2023)
• Dana Frank (May 2022)
• Miriam Sperling (May 2021)
• Jyoti Rimal (May 2020)
• Ciara Smith (May 2020)
• Tarleen Kaur Watson (May 2019)

School of Nursing Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Doctor of Philosophy Graduate
presented to the Doctor of Philosophy graduate who best exemplifies the integration of achievement in research, teaching, and service

• Asha Michelle Storm (May 2023)
• Ameera A. Chakravarthy (Dec. 2022)
• Anju Paudel (Dec. 2021)
• Ernest Opoku-Ayemang (Dec. 2020)
• HyoJin Son (May 2020)
• Myeung Hee Han (Dec. 2019)
• Celeste Seger (May 2019)
• Warda Amur Al Amri (Dec. 2018)

Karen Soeken Excellence in Dissertation Award
presented to a Doctor of Philosophy graduate who demonstrated application of exceptional quantitative skills in the doctoral dissertation

• Hohyun Seong (May 2023)
• Natalie N. Hunt (Dec. 2022)
• Zahra Rahmaty (Dec. 2021)
• In Seo La (Dec. 2020)
• HyoJin Son (May 2020)
• Meredid Soto Caves (Dec. 2019)
• Hamzah Mohammad Alghzawi (May 2019)
• Paul Anthony Thurman (Dec. 2018)