Selecting the 2015 George Washington University “distinguished scholars” comes down to more than stellar academic achievement—it is about dedication to the university community, according to Provost Steven Lerman.
“This is one of my favorite events at the end of the year because it is a chance to honor those students who have done extraordinarily well in our academic programs,” Dr. Lerman said at the annual Academic Honors Dinner Monday evening in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom.
The event honors those students in the top 2 percent of their classes by GPA.
Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards were presented to 170 sophomores, juniors and seniors, and the eight distinguished scholars—Rachel Sterling, Kevin Flemens, Dustin Marks, Jennifer Hamilton, Amisha Sisodiya, Eric Prokop, Matthew Zahn and John Kopriva.
“These students are not just extraordinary scholars, they have made contributions to their communities through their service and the many things they have accomplished outside the classroom,” Dr. Lerman said.
Deans from each school presented the awards to the honorees.
A list of the 2015 distinguished scholars is below:
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
John Kopriva, B.S. ‘15 (not pictured)
Matthew Zahn, B.S. ‘15
CCAS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Students Dan Ullman announced Mr. Kopriva as the first honoree. He said that at “6 feet, 8 inches tall and 210 pounds” Mr. Kopriva—who was not on hand to accept the award—puts the “student,” in student-athlete.
Mr. Kopriva was a three-year captain of the men’s basketball team and was named to the National Academic All-American Third Team for his exceptional scholarship.
Mr. Zahn, who will join Bates White Economic Consulting following graduation, was honored for his exceptional work improving real time employment statistics as a Luther Rice Undergraduate Research Fellow.
“Research was never something I had an opportunity to do before, and it really helped to solidify my interest in economic modeling and set me up well for my position at Bates White Economic Consulting,” Mr. Zahn said.
School of Engineering and Applied Science
Eric Prokop, B.S. ‘15
Mr. Prokop became a leader in the civil engineering program after leaving the Department of Geography, according to SEAS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Bhagirath Narahari.
Mr. Prokop served as vice president of the American Society of Civil Engineers and dedicated himself to service through the GW chapter of Engineers without Borders. He will study structural engineering at Stanford University beginning in the fall.
School of Business
Amisha Sisodiya, B.B.A. ‘15
School of Business Dean Linda Livingstone described Ms. Sisodiya as a “self- motivated team player” with a “unique sense of self” before presenting her with the distinguished scholar award.
Ms. Sisodiya was named on of American Advertising Federation’s “most promising multicultural students” and received the General Mills Champion Award for service.
“My coursework and case studies really solidified my passion for business,” Ms. Sisodiya said. “Following graduation, I will be moving to San Francisco and working for Visa in their recent graduate development program.”
Elliott School of International Affairs
Jennifer Hamilton, B.A. ‘15
ESIA Dean Michael Brown commended Ms. Hamilton—an international affairs major focusing on Africa—for her work as an intern at the School for International Training in South Africa where she interviewed locals on their perceptions of democracy.
Ms. Hamilton will continue her global education as a member of the WorldTeach Program in the Marshall Islands.
Milken Institute School of Public Health
Dustin Marks, B.S. ‘15
Milken Institute SPH Associate Dean for Academic Programs Julie DeLoia said Mr. Marks is know as a “Groupon master” by his friends because he traveled to Iceland and Paris with the popular discount service, and he was called “incredibly conscientious” by Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Chair Melissa Perry.
He will attend George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences following graduation.
College of Professional Studies
Kevin Flemens, B.P.S. ‘15
Adele Ashkar, CPS director of the sustainable landscapes program, said Mr. Flemens became the informal leader of his Police and Security Studies cohort, offering advice and insight from his 25-year career with the Metropolitan Police Department. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served as an active duty master sergeant.=
“This experience has opened up my mind to a whole other realm of critical thinking that I can use in my work, and it’s just been overwhelmingly positive,” Mr. Flemens said. “I’ve already applied for a master’s program, so hopefully this can continue.”
School of Nursing
Rachel Sterling, B.S.N. ‘15
After SON Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Billinda Tebbenhoff told her colleagues that Ms. Sterling was being honored, her inbox was flooded with encouragements. She said Ms. Sterling received the highest compliment for a nurse from a colleague who said—“I would be honored to have her care for one of my family members.”
The San Antonio native was celebrated for her commitment to the intensive 15-month accelerated nursing program.
“I have had an opportunity to be able to help families through some really tough times and I’m looking forward to continuing that type of work,” Ms. Sterling said.