The George Washington University honored and recognized its highest achieving students for the 2024-2025 academic year Tuesday night at the annual Academic Honors Ceremony, held this year in the Grand Ballroom of the University Student Center.
The Academic Honors Ceremony recognizes the academic performance of undergraduates who have earned at least 60 credits at GW and are in the top 2% of their schools by GPA. Additionally, each school selects a Distinguished Scholar (the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences selects up to three) who has excelled both in and out of the classroom. The selection process for Distinguished Scholars differs by school.
A total of 225 students earned Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards on Tuesday, representing 48 majors across eight schools. Of these, 58 students received the award for the second time, while 15 were recognized for a third time. One student, Lauren Ottley of the Elliott School of International Affairs, was recognized for a fourth year in a row.
“These numbers are more than just statistics—they are proof points of your discipline, of your intellectual firepower and of the quality of education that elevates GW as a whole and prepares every one of you for the journey ahead,” said GW President Ellen M. Granberg.
Provost Christopher Alan Bracey told the scholars they all had gone above and beyond to meet the academic challenges GW sets for its students.
“You have all distinguished yourselves in your academic careers while continuing to grow as scholars and people,” Bracey said. “Congratulations once again on all your academic achievements.”
Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs and Special Programs Jeffrey Brand read the names of the Outstanding Academic Achievement Awardees.
Bracey then introduced the nine Distinguished Scholars, who then appeared on stage with Bracey, Granberg and deans or representatives from their respective colleges or school.
Here are GW’s 2025 Distinguished Scholars:
Logan Bennett, College of Professional Studies:
Bennett is a cybersecurity major who maintained top grades across all cybersecurity disciplines. His passion for the field was evident in his two-time participation in the VMI Cybersecurity Competition, where his skills and innovative problem-solving set him apart. Beyond academics, Bennett showed leadership within the college by mentoring peers, fostering collaboration and inspiring those around him to excel.
Zoe Carver, Elliott School of International Affairs:
A double major in international affairs and peace studies with minors in French and creative writing, Carver is part of the University Honors Program and the Elliott School Dean’s Scholars program. With funding from the Elliott School and GW, she conducted research in Senegal, interviewing migrants and refugees in Dakar, and has presented her findings at three conferences. Beyond academics, Carver has demonstrated leadership in student organizations and external initiatives, including organizing a Girl Scout trip to the UN’s 69th Commission on the Status of Women.
Adam Clarke, School of Nursing:
Clarke, a Navy veteran, was inducted into the Phi Epsilon chapter of Sigma Theta Tau international honor society of nurses and serves as a mentor to students in the GW Nursing program. He is a tutor for multiple courses and is a member of the Student Nurses' Association and the GW Nursing chapter of the American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) of which GW Nursing has been honored as a Best School for Men in Nursing for the second year in a row. Clarke has been the secretary of the AAMN and is currently its president-elect. While completing his studies, Clarke has continued to serve as a reservist in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer 1st Class.
Cecilia Culver, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences:
Culver was a double major in economics and statistics who completed her studies in the fall. During her time as a student, she researched the forecasting ability of global systemically important banks. Her paper on the effects of recreational marijuana sales on labor market outcomes was nominated for the Economics Department’s Hsieh Prize, and she was the recipient of the Excellence Award from the Federal Reserve’s Supervision and Regulation Division. She works at Ernst and Young in their quantitative economics and statistics practice.
Thimble Davidson, School of Medicine and Health Sciences:
Davidson is a clinical operations and healthcare management major whose coursework reflected a deep understanding of healthcare systems. In addition to academic excellence, he brings years of experience as a paramedic and now works as a software implementation specialist for the largest EMS provider in the United States, where he applies his operational expertise on a national scale.
Aishwarya Grandhe, Milken Institute School of Public Health:
Grandhe graduated in the fall, earning a double major in public health and nutrition while pursuing a dual degree. She interned with the Women's Congressional Policy Institute; the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee; and Pyxis Partners. On campus, she worked as a research assistant, graduate assistant, peer mediator and student liaison. She will complete her Master of Public Health in health policy next year.
Ozzy Simpson, School of Engineering and Applied Science:
Simpson, a computer science major, has shown leadership in his senior design project, which improved situational awareness in emergency response situations by deploying sensors that passively sniff Bluetooth data to display their locations. His professors commented that he seeks out a thorough understanding and mastery of the material. He received the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service and will continue his studies at GW after graduation in the computer science master’s program with a focus in computer security and information assurance.
Quinn Stefan, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences:
Stefan is a physics major and president of the Society of Physics Students. As president she, along with other students, shared their scientific knowledge with local elementary school classes. A fellowship from the Frances E. Walker Fund for Women in Physics and the Luther Rice Undergraduate Research fund led to an academic conference presentation about evaluating radiative corrections in super Rosenbluth experiments and a peer-reviewed paper published in the European Physical Journal. After graduation, she will begin her doctoral studies in physics at Duke University.
Max Wiener, School of Business:
Wiener is a business analytics major with a concentration in hospitality management and a minor in sustainability. He earned seven Dean’s List honors and has multiple other scholarships and honors, including being a Presidential Scholar. A dedicated mentor, he has co-taught the Business Leader Career Strategy course and supported first-year peers through the Honors Program. As a two-time Hilton Global Headquarters intern, Wiener earned Hilton’s top intern honor, the Winnie Larson Award, and will join Hilton’s Launch Program as a rotational analyst.
