FAU Wilkes Honors College's 2022 Medallion Program

Medallion

Ceremony 2022

Thursday, May 5, 2022 Florida Atlantic University | John D. MacArthur Campus

achievement!

What an impressive

Medallion Ceremony Program 2022 Order of Ceremony: Processional WELCOME ADDRESS: Dr. Justin Perry, Dean UNIVERSITY AWARDS: Dr. Justin Perry, Dean STUDENT RECOGNITION AWARDS: Dr. Warren McGovern

GRADUATION ADDRESS: Gina Marie Gruss PRESENTATION OF MEDALLIONS: Dr. Justin Perry, Dean

WILKES HONORS COLLEGE 2022 DISTINGUISHED ALUM: Dr. Cara Capp, ‘08 CLOSING REMARKS: Dr. Justin Perry, Dean

Recessional

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Cara Capp ‘08 Cara Capp graduated from the Wilkes Honors College in 2008 with a concentration in environmental studies and earned her master’s degree in urban and regional planning from FAU in 2010. Cara’s experiences at the Wilkes Honors College, including the Environmental Club’s trips to the Everglades Coalition conference and summer fellowship with FAU’s Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, shaped her career path as an environmental advocate. Today, Cara merges her passion for the environment with her expertise in planning as Senior Everglades Program Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association, a national nonprofit organization.

Cara’s advocacy was instrumental in President Biden’s recent historic announcement of $1.1 billion for Everglades restoration allocated from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, having met with multiple senior Administration officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as Congressional appropriations leadership. She also worked for years to support passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, passed by Congress in 2021. This historic legislation is providing billions of dollars to support national parks and other public lands.

A decade after attending the Everglades Coalition conference as a WHC student, Cara now serves on the organization’s Board of Directors.

Cara worked to establish a scholarship program to allow passionate high school and college students to attend the Coalition’s annual conference to learn about the ecology and restoration of the Everglades.

One of the most significant restoration projects in Cara’s advocacy portfolio is the bridging of Tamiami Trail, the east-west roadway that has cut off the natural water flow to the Everglades for nearly a century.

Bridging the roadway allows for the reconnection of natural habitat and improved water flow into Everglades National Park.

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Cara was appointed to serve on the Palm Beach County Planning Commission, where she has the opportunity to review and advise the Board of County Commissioners on proposed land use changes and future growth patterns. She was also recently appointed to serve on the South Florida Water Management District’s Water Resources and Accountability (WRAC) Forum, providing insight about the health of national parks in South Florida and overall ecosystem needs of the Everglades.

Cara is married to fellow WHC alumnus Dr. James Capp. They live with their three daughters in Boca Raton, where the girls attend elementary school at FAU. Cara and James are lifetime members of the FAU Alumni Society and remain very active with the university.

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List of

Graduates 2022

Meghana Arza CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Erik Duboué THESIS: Differentiating Between Drug-Associated Memories in Mice Exposed to Methamphetamine and Heroin-Associated Objects Treatments for substance use disorder (SUD) are not particularly effective as a large percentage of individuals suffering from SUDs relapse. There is a limited understanding of the mechanisms behind poly-SUDs, or the use of more than one drug at a time. In this project, the Object Drug Association Task (ODAT) was developed to observe two different drug-associated memories within the same animal. Mice learned to associate an object with methamphetamine (METH), heroin, or saline.

When tested, mice demonstrated increased locomotion when presented with the METH or heroin-paired object and spent more time with the heroin-paired object in comparison to the saline-paired object. In the next phase, cFos imaging of the mice brains will allow for a comparison in neuronal activation in the retrieval of METH- and heroin-associated memories. This novel paradigm allows us to disentangle multiple drugassociated memories to examine the mechanisms underlying poly-SUD, and thus could help develop new treatment options.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Between being part of a supportive research team and working in student government where I met many of my friends, I cherish the opportunities that gave me the chance to connect with my peers and grow as an individual.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to attend medical school after taking a gap year.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Ari Aviles CONCENTRATIONS: Biology and Chemistry ADVISORS: Dr. Bethany Stanhope and Dr. Eugene Smith THESIS: Tracing the Undulations of Selective Evolution: Encountering and Assessing Gene Functions Related to Optical Regression in CaveAdapted Astyanax Mexicanus Genomic comparisons of Astyanax mexicanus surface-dwelling and (eyeless) cave fish to find differences in gene function underlying eye loss.

Ablating the function of these target genes using CRISPR technology to describe their effects on eye development.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Having a pet blue crawfish in my freshman year dorm room. I named it Sal but she turned out to be Sally when we found out she was pregnant. She became our dorm mascot through freshman year and beyond.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Attending a research-based Ph.D. program in Genetics or Interdisciplinary Biology, starting in Fall 2022.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Rishiraj Bandi CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Gregory Macleod THESIS: Unraveling the Mysteries of Undiagnosed Disorders with Drosophila CRISPR Mutants The medical community struggles to identify nearly 25 million patients per year with undiagnosed diseases . Even with advances in medical research, physicians cannot determine the mechanisms by which these disorders progress within patients, resulting in a lack of proper treatment . A recent study identified patients who passed away with symptoms of hypotonia and lactic acidosis while having specific mutations in the mitochondrial enzyme, malate dehydrogenase (MDH2). Yet, little is known about the way in which such disorders arise from MDH2 mutations. Intriguingly, the mutations led to destabilization in hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α). Using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique, we recapitulated the same MDH2 mutations in Drosophila. This allows us to investigate the link between MDH2 and HIF-1α through quantification of HIF-1α’s activation in relation to the Drosophila’s disease progression. Our ability to interrogate specific aspects of disease pathology in this model system provides exciting opportunities for developing therapeutic approaches.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Intramural Sports Competitions!

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be attending medical school next semester at FAU to pursue an M.D.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Ewa Barnas-Lionarons CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Kevin Lanning THESIS: The Biology of Political Ideology: Why Genes Alone Do Not Give Us a Propensity to the Adoption of Political Views.

Extant research on the etiology of political opinions, particularly in behavioral genetics, presented claims abiding by the conventional nature-nurture debate, and to date, continued to sort out genetic and environmental effects. The aim of my thesis was to critique the oversimplified and outdated foundations of heritability methods, as applied to political ideology. This literature review investigated the recent advances in molecular genetics and neuroscience, revealing the highly reactive, conditional nature of the human genome and the multidirectional relations among genes, cells, tissues, organisms, and environments. Discoveries such as the epigenetic mechanisms of genes expressivity, the activity of retrotransposons, copy number variants (CNVs), variations in the number of chromosomes, and highly mutative mitochondrial DNA contribute to developmental plasticity. Therefore, the formation of opinions cannot derive merely from the inherited DNA sequence because the history of a person determines ways through which the genome is expressed, thus blurring the lines between innate and acquired political ideals.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: The Biological Psychology course taught by Dr. Maldonado and my two-semesters-long Thesis Course during which I expanded my ideas and gained knowledge on the scholarly research in the field of behavioral and molecular genetics.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Currently, in the pre-hire process for the Registered Behavior Technician position with PBS Corporation (Positive Behavior Supports). Within a year or so, I am planning to enter a behavior analysis master’s or Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program depending on my efficacy and satisfaction level in the ABA field. I would also like to engage in research that would address treatment of the effects of psychological trauma (childhood trauma) and challenging behaviors.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Brooke Baughman CONCENTRATION: Chemistry ADVISORS: Dr. Eugene Smith and Dr. Chitra Chandrasekhar THESIS: Developing an Accessible Method of Characterizing Sucrose Solutions via Laser Refractometry The objective of this project was to create an inexpensive, yet highly effective laser refractometer capable of measuring the purity, concentration, salinity and other such properties of solutions as a function of their refractive index. The laser refractometer was constructed and calibrated for measuring the concentration of various solutions made using commercial brown sugar, using the changes in peak position and intensity measured by the instrument.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Catching frogs outside the library with my best friends in the middle of the night.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to take a year to explore my options, but I see myself attending graduate school for analytical chemistry in the near future.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Jannatul Begum CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISORS: Dr. Erik Duboué and Dr. Monica Maldonado THESIS: Investigating Individualistic Behavior in Astyanax mexicanus My thesis is based on the research I am conducting at the Duboue lab by comparing individualistic turning behavior in the surfacedwelling and blind cave-dwelling fish population of Astyanax mexicanus using phototoxic assays and molecular stain for a protein precursor that may be involved in how individualistic variations in behavior are imposed on the brain.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: I really appreciated the Forum classes where I had the opportunity of listening to and understanding the research of many of the Honors College professors.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduation I plan to pursue an MS program at FAU and work for a local non-profit organization that helps students from title I schools attend college.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Michael Berg CONCENTRATIONS: International Studies and Education ADVISOR: Dr. William O’Brien THESIS: Replacing War? The Efficacy of Economic Sanctions This thesis investigates the influence that world structure has on the support of U.S.-imposed economic sanctions on Cuba. By comparing the unipolar and multipolar era, I am looking to see how support for United Nations General Assembly Resolutions concerning the U.S.-imposed trade embargo on Cuba has changed. This research illustrates a possible effect that world structure has on support for U.S. economic sanctions.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Midnight rides to the beach with friends.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduation, I will be working at Hudson High School as a teacher. After working for a few years in the education field, I plan on attending graduate school for a master’s degree in a program related to international affairs/diplomacy. Upon getting my master’s from a prestigious research university, I have the goal of joining the U.S. Foreign Service, representing our country and its democratic ideals throughout the world.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Dominic Blanco CONCENTRATIONS: Mathematics, Physics, and Economics ADVISOR: Dr. Jason Mireles-James THESIS: The Sitnikov Problem, Low Energy Transfers, and the Economic Feasibility of Asteroid Mining Using the Sitnikov Problem to find connecting orbits, which can be used for low energy transfer. Then, an argument is made for why we should look into low energy transfer for the purpose of asteroid mining missions.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: When I passed my first graduate course. It made me feel that I could continue to learn and do well. I was much more confident.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Ph.D. program at McGill University.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Renise Bleck CONCENTRATIONS: Law & Society and Psychology ADVISOR: Dr. Mark Tunick THESIS: ‘They’re Just Kids’: The Case Against Adult Sentencing for Juvenile Offenders Harsh prison sentences for juveniles in the prison system are unjust and drastic. In my thesis, I argue that the juvenile system should operate with a rehabilitative, rather than a punitive, approach to reforming the behaviors of the people who enter it.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Making friends and attending campus events freshman year with my new suitemates.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I am not entirely sure of what exactly I want to study following my time at the HC. I am hoping to do a mentorship with the Americorps City Year program. Afterwards, I will likely be attending either Graduate School to study counseling, or Law School (or hopefully both at some point).

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Madison Brockelbank CONCENTRATION: Interdisciplinary History ADVISOR: Dr. Christopher Ely THESIS: Civil War And Repatriation: The Political Struggles And Political Culture Within UN POW Camps And Throughout Armistice Negotiations During The Korean War During the Korean War, POWs within UN POW camps participated in riots and mass-demonstrations, as anxieties over repatriation increased amongst anti-Communist POWs and pro-Communist POWs. Not all POWs who were against repatriation were also against Communism and not all POWs who wanted repatriation were also radical Communists. However, almost all Chinese and Koreans living in post-World War II East Asia during this period experienced increasing pressure to pick a side. The US, North Korea, South Korea, Communist China, and Taiwan all manipulated the POWs’ fight over repatriation to support specific ideologies and legitimize new regimes.

Regardless of whether a POW was ideologically motivated or not, the POW issue was definitely a direct result of the Cold War mentality which perpetuated the recent civil wars in China and the Korean peninsula. Thus, the appalling level of POW violence in the UN camps revealed how the Cold War ideological struggle was deeply complicated by the lingering East Asian civil wars in China and the Korean peninsula.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory was working on my Honors Thesis. I learned so much about historical research, from how to find and cite sources to how to analyze various historical perspectives. Working on my Honors Thesis also helped me discover a deeper appreciation and passion for historical research. It was a one of a kind experience.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I am planning to work on my Korean and Chinese language skills so I can pursue a Ph.D. in East Asian History (with a specialization in Korea).

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Scott Bush CONCENTRATION: Psychology ADVISOR: Dr. Kevin Lanning THESIS: Predicting Happiness on Twitter The Hedonometer analyzes Twitter data using human evaluations of happiness to give a happiness score for a given day. The goal of this study was to be able to predict the Hedonometer’s happiness score for a given day using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Using a sample of over 15 million Tweets gathered from Archive.org’s Twitter Stream Grab, the positive emotion dictionary of the LIWC was able to predict happiness on an independent sample, R2 = .57, p < .001.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Campus Recreation’s camping trips.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Aaron Caudill CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISORS: Dr. Jon Moore and Dr. Kimberly Treiber THESIS: Effect of Omega-3 Supplementation in Asian Dhole (C. alpinus lepturus) and African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) on Indicators of Allergies The Asian Dholes and the African Wild Dogs at Zoo Miami have shown clinical signs of severe allergies, such as hotspots, excessive scratching, and ear irritation over the last few years. The goal of this study was to reduce these signs through the supplementation with omega-3’s (32 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) /kg) bodyweight (Bw) + 31 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) /kgBw ) into their diet via fish oil. Based on the total itching observations per dog, a trend in improvement was seen in African Wild Dog Aries, while no significant effect was observed in Asian Dholes.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Helping get the PreVeterinary Society back on its feet and impacting the pre-vet students at the school in gaining experience in the veterinary field.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to apply for veterinary school this upcoming fall. For the next year, I will be working under a veterinarian as an assistant to gain more experience in the veterinary field and may possibly take on another internship as well to bolster my experiences.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Ana Chacon Santiago CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISORS: Tanja Godenschwege and Dr. Erik Duboué THESIS: Molecular Mechanisms of Behavioral Individuality in the Astyanax mexicanus Brain Individuality is defined as the variation in behavioral responses to similar stimuli. In humans, for example, hand preference varies considerably, with the majority of humans using the right hand as the dominant limb. Previous data has shown that individuality is present in small fish models, yet how these behaviors evolve and what the molecular mechanisms are for their evolution remain unknown. This project will test the hypothesis that BDNF expression has differential asymmetrical expression in the posterior tuberculum of different Astyanax mexicanus morphs and that asymmetric expression will only be observed in fish with individual turning bias. A sensitive fluorescent in situ hybridization protocol is being optimized to stain for BDNF in surface fish and cavefish. These molecular studies will establish a foundation to examine the evolution of individualistic behavior.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory is almost every day when I feel at home working with other students and professors. Going back in person made a huge difference.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Allen Chan-Pong CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Catherine Trivigno THESIS: Identifying the Protein that Mediates SR1848’s Inhibition of LRH-1 target Gene Expression We are trying to identify the method of action by which the compound SR1848 inhibits target gene expression of the transcription factor LRH-1. LRH-1 is a nuclear receptor involved in several types of cancers, and finding a way to inhibit downstream gene expression may lead to the development of new treatment methods.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: I have some really great memories of spending time with my friends, hanging out, and just having fun with them.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I hope to attend medical school as the next step in my journey.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Kaisee Chung CONCENTRATION: Biology and Psychology ADVISOR: Dr. Gregory Macleod THESIS: Genetically-Encoded Fluorescence Probes Reveal Presynaptic Glutamate Levels to be Surprisingly Low Glutamate is a naturally produced excitatory neurotransmitter we are studying in the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Utilizing specific proteins that fluoresce in the presence of glutamate, we measure the difference in fluorescence in comparison to a protein that is neutral to glutamate.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory is having impromptu hang outs and movie marathons with my friends either in our room, or going over to Abacoa to have goofy photoshoots.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I have a job lined up for the summer and I will be looking into programs for Sonography.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Elizabeth Cohen CONCENTRATION: Marine Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Jon Moore THESIS TITLE Underwater 3-Dimensional Videogrammetry Methods and Analysis Testing different methods of recording corals to increase accuracy of 3-D generated models using Metashape and Rhino softwares. Once models were generated, surface areas were compared to “generated” vs “actual”, and I found the percent errors. Furthermore, generated data using R to analyze the values further.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My freshman year I took a class outside of my degree called “Honors Magic, Witchcraft and Religion” where I met my boyfriend. He was also taking the class as an elective. It is always funny to tell people we met in a “magic and witchcraft” class.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Master’s in civil engineering, internship with an engineering firm over the summer if not longer

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Patrick Crotty CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Eugene Smith THESIS: Bluetooth pH Meter Software Development Digitization of data acquisition has become an increasingly common and a more important aspect of the chemistry lab. With the evolution of acquiring and processing this digital data, errors are bound to happen due to the complexity of the digitizing and transmission of the data between sensors, data acquisition, and processing devices. In this project, Visual Studio is used to add code in C# to trap or identify some of these errors and possibly fix them. Additionally, code is added in VBA for trapping errors prevalent in Microsoft Excel.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory is meeting many new people over the years and making a lot of friends in the Burrow.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduation, I plan to find a position in industry, either in the medical/pharmaceutical field, or the energy industry. My preference is an analytical chemistry/laboratory environment.

After working for a time, I will likely continue with additional education as would benefit the specific job needs.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Isabela De Oliveira Caiado CONCENTRATION: Chemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Chitra Chandrasekhar THESIS: Screening for Novel Small Molecule Binders of RNA Repeat Expansions Huntington disease is a rare neurodegenerative disease most likely inherited, and it is caused by the trinucleotide repeat expansion r(CAG)exp in the huntingtin gene (HTT). Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is an untreatable neuromuscular disorder caused by the trinucleotide repeat expansion r(CUG)exp. The biology of healthy or disease-infected cells is usually determined by RNA structures, which are desirable targets for chemical probe and lead compounds. Targeting these RNAs with small molecules provides opportunities to affect their function and therapeutically change many pathologic cellular processes. The purpose of this study is to use a fragment-based approach to find small molecules that bind these two trinucleotide repeat expansions by phenotypic screening that involves a luciferase reporter assay for r(CAG)exp, and a target-based approach involving NMR spectroscopy for r(CUG)exp.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: One of my favorite Honors College memories was during Instrumental Methods of Analysis Lab, where I got to build a pH instrument. It was such an amazing experience to see my own instrument working even if it was for just a couple of seconds. Another favorite memory I have from my time here at WHC is my internship. I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to learn from such amazing and inspiring people at Dr. Disney’s lab.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: My plan after I graduate is to continue working in the research field for a couple of years before applying for graduate school.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Michael Deutsch CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISORS: Dr. Gregg Fields and Dr. Chitra Chandrasekhar THESIS: Synthesis of Fmoc-Gly-Val Phosphinic Pseudodipeptide Synthesized Fmoc-Gly-Val phosphinic pseudodipeptide as part of thesis research examining second-generation triple-helical peptide inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: October 31, 2019. For Halloween my best friends (all from the Honors College) and I traveled to Georgia for a concert. It was the first time I had ever left the state.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Currently interviewing for various positions.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Seth Dixon CONCENTRATION: Economics ADVISOR: Dr. Kanybek Nur-tegin THESIS: The Impact of Firm Size on Financial Performance: An Empirical Analysis of The SmallFirm Effect According to mainstream financial theory, no strategy can outperform the market in the long-run. Despite this, small-firms have outperformed large firms for a significant period of time. This study will determine if small-firms have a financial advantage over large firms and if this could explain the consistent outperformance of small-firms.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Being my first year on campus, it was really nice making friends with everyone at the HC. My favorite memories include hanging out with my roommates and attending Thursday night events.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Currently, I work part-time at a local investment bank. After graduation, I will transition to full-time and live in the area.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Aden Eagle CONCENTRATION: Data Analytics ADVISORS: Dr. Yingxue Wang and Dr. Bharat Verma THESIS: Distribution of Episodic Memory Feature Selectivity in the Hippocampus The hippocampus serves as a critical region for various memory-related brain functions, including the formation of episodic memories. These types of memories encode personally-experienced events such as a walk through a park or a college graduation ceremony. However, the process of how the activity of cells in the hippocampus contributes to the development and recall of episodic memories is incompletely understood. Here we use computational models to determine which sensory and behavioral cues are encoded in hippocampal cells during an episodic memory task in mice. We found that most recorded cells principally encoded features related to animals’ own movement and behavior during the task as opposed to outside stimuli.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite memory at the Honors College is taking the Horror in American Literature and Film class with Professor Strain and Professor Luria.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I am beginning my PhD in Neural Computation at Carnegie Mellon University in the Fall.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

David Engstrom CONCENTRATION: Environmental Biology ADVISOR: Dr. James Wetterer THESIS: Domestication Pacification There exists a group of life not threatened by humanaction domesticated life. By studying the process and genetic mechanism of domestication, we can protect biodiversity by making it more adapted to living alongside humans.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Aesthetically: looking up at the night sky from the bottom of the pool.

Intellectually: asking Professor April why worms are long.

Socially: I enjoy being in the center of a circle at the school dance.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will attempt to pursue a career in the natural resource and environmentalism side of government.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Morgan Frederick CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Monica Maldonado THESIS: Bidirectional Transport of Lysosome Related Organelles during Synapse Maintenance and Plasticity Several factors of bi-directional transport are poorly understood like the regulation, dynamics, and mechanisms of transport. Exploring the advantages of the identified neurons and synapses of the sea slug Aplysia californica has led to the study of bidirectional transport of lysosome-related organelles in presynaptic sensory neurons of Aplysia gill withdrawal reflex.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite memory was starting the Black Student Union and having an amazing time at every meeting. I will never forget the people I met and the opportunities that the Honors College offered.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After I graduate, I plan to continue research at Scripps and apply to medical school.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

William Gallese CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Monica Maldonado THESIS: An Investigation of EEG Power Spectra as it relates to the Jealousy Paradigm in Infants I will explore the relationship between EEG frequency distributions at certain power spectra as it relates to the exhibition of jealousy traits when infants’ mothers draw their attention from their offspring to that of a non-living social rival, such as a life-like doll.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Spending time with friends in the dorm and visiting Abacoa Plaza.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to attend graduate school or law school when I graduate at either FSU or UF. If not, I may take a few extra classes to apply to medical school or PA school. I currently do not have a job lined up, but wouldn’t mind working in the medical field.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Valentina Garcia-Nunes CONCENTRATION: Marine Biology ADVISORS: Dr. Andia Chaves Fonnegra and Dr. Jon Moore THESIS: Larvae Release Potential in Five Brooding Sponge Species This thesis examines the larval output of five brooding sponge species commonly found in Florida waters, Haliclona caerulea, Mycale angulosa, Niphates erecta, Spongia sp., and Tedania ignis. Larvae traps were placed on adult sponges in Summerland Key and the Fort Pierce Marina in Florida.

The traps were left overnight and collected, then the contents of each trap were examined for larvae. The number of larvae was analyzed for each night to determine which species might be suitable for a sponge nursery.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Freshman year, my roommates and I used to do painting nights together. We would go get canvases and paint whatever came to mind. It was relaxing and fun, and really helped us all get to know each other.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduating, I plan to take a year or two to work before joining a Master’s program to get a Master’s in Marine Science.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Emily Glatt CONCENTRATION: Political Science ADVISORS: Dr. Timothy Steigenga and Dr. Christopher Strain THESIS: A Political Solution to the Plastic Problem The increase of plastic use/disposal has caused a great deal of concern in the international community. The large scale of the problem and its international reach necessitates a political response; a treaty would be the best response. Establishing the harms of plastic, this thesis then pivots to examine international instruments, regime formation, institutions, and hegemony, followed by an evaluation of previous international agreements including the Kyoto and Montreal Protocols to determine what makes international regimes more or less effective, and craft corresponding suggestions for international intervention and regime formation in the realm of plastic.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Art club meetings AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to apply for a Master’s degree after taking a gap semester.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Josephine Granja CONCENTRATION: Psychology ADVISOR: Dr. Kevin Lanning THESIS: Psychology in the Criminal Justice System A literature review on how psychology is used in criminal justice systems, specifically how it’s used in criminal profiling, interrogations, and lie detection.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: All the volleyball nights and the fun times I had with my friends.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan on taking some time off to work as a bartender and to travel. Then, the goal is to work in the FBI.

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Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

Rachael Griffin CONCENTRATION: Marine biology ADVISORS: Dr. Jon Moore and Dr. Andia Chaves Fonnegra THESIS: Going Deep with Halophila Johnsonii I sampled Johnson’s seagrass blades in two spots and different depths to determine if the stress levels of the seagrass were related to depth.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: I love the stress less week hosted on campus. Goat yoga and pet-a-pup are my favorite times of the semester.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Planning to go join the Coast Guard or NOAA.

Medallion Ceremony 2022 | list of graduates

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Gina Marie Gruss CONCENTRATIONS: Creative Writing and Transdisciplinary Visual Art ADVISORS: Professor Rachel Luria and Professor Lemeh THESIS: All the Ways the World Could End: Art of the Apocalypse Inspired by current events, “All the Ways the World Could End: Art of the Apocalypse” is a transdisciplinary thesis that is a collection of short stories, poems, traditional artwork, photomanipulation, and even games that examine different armageddons: theological, environmental, sociological, improbable. It is split into three sections, each story falling at some point within an apocalypse: the Before, the Liminal, and the After. Awardwinning pieces have been featured by Amazon Prime Video, Wattpad, FCHC, Coastlines, and F(r)iction Literary Magazine.

Certain pieces investigate religious armageddons, like the breakdown of Catholic symbolism in “Thoughts and Prayers.” Split cultural identity and environmental collapse is seen in the subtle environmental piece and modern fairytale, “Wasps and Bees.” A satirical zombie apocalypse in Middle America is seen in “The Body of God, the Truth of God.” An alien apocalypse is blended with the human condition in the Orpheus retelling, “Alone.” Creative nonfiction covers disability and pandemics in “Breathe,” and so on.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: There are too many amazing memories to count! The people here are what makes the WHC special, the way that you can just walk through the campus and see at least one friendly face.

If I had to pick one, my favorite Honors College memory has to be where, in freshman year, I perused the library and found their random, but lovely assortment of different DVDs. Some were of movies I’d never heard of! That night, my friend group and I went back to the library and grabbed a variety of DVDs, watching them in a row in the multipurpose room in RH1. Our favorite pick had to be “What Would Jesus Buy,”

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which covers Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir (yes, that’s their real name), as they travel across the country to save Christmas from the “Shopocalypse.” It’s a documentary of sorts, and is both pertinent and hilarious! We downed at least ten bags of popcorn, and definitely had several kernels stuck in our throat from all the laughs. It was a movie I still can’t forget, and it brought me so much closer to many friends that I’ll have for the rest of my life. Every day at the HC has been a gift, full of memories I’ll never forget.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I currently am and will continue to be a junior editor and on the editorial and PR team for Brink Literacy Project, which is a nonprofit that greatly reduces recidivism through literacy and storytelling; and it has an award-winning literary magazine, F(r)iction, which publishes experimental and unconventional works by diverse authors.

After graduation, I will be taking a gap year, attending workshops, building an online audience for my art and writing, and then will be applying for a Master’s in Creative Writing in the upcoming cycle.

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David Harbaugh CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISORS: Dr. Catherine Trivigno and Dr. Miguel Vázquez THESIS: Development of a Kinase Translocation Reporter for High-Throughput Screening of Novel PAK1 Inhibitorse The p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is a member of the PAK protein kinase family that plays a role in cell proliferation, motility, and survival. Dysregulation of PAK1 stimulates growth of cancer cells.

Currently identified PAK1 inhibitors present challenges related to efficacy, toxicity, and selectivity of the inhibitors. To overcome these issues, this project aims to develop a novel cell-based assay, utilizing a kinase translocation reporter approach to identify PAK1-specific inhibitors that are potent and exhibit limited toxicity.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite honors college memory is busting it down on the dance floor with my friends at Spring Formal.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: My goal is to apply to medical school. Over the next year, I will be volunteering at El Sol and working as a medical assistant.

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Madison Hecker CONCENTRATION: Data Analytics ADVISOR: Professor Annina Ruest THESIS: Circuit Builder: Creating an Online Interactive Tool Circuit Builder is an online interactive tool used to teach children about electricity. The project is compiled into a website where there are videos for the children to watch, and a circuit building game where they can experiment themselves.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Me and my friends Brooke, Taylor, and Hillary went to the beach to see a meteor shower.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I am planning on teaching elementary school.

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Marium Houraney CONCENTRATION: International Studies ADVISOR: Dr. Timothy Steigenga THESIS: The Crossroads of Identity: Linguistic Shift and the Politics of Identity in Southwest Asia and North Africa The Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region has undergone many turbulent changes throughout history that have ultimately shaped the relationships between states and ethno-linguistic groups in the region today. Ethno-linguistic groups in the SWANA region, as well as other minority groups, continue their historical struggle of fighting for their rights while keeping their identifies alive in a quickly changing world. What factors have contributed to this struggle? And what must be done to keep these quickly vanishing cultures and languages alive?

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Participating in my first Model UN competition in 2019.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be working for my family’s business, pursuing internships in the Human Rights law field, and plan to apply to M.A./JD joint degree programs next year after taking my LSAT.

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Joshua Ippolitov CONCENTRATION: Economics ADVISOR: Dr. Keith Jakee THESIS: The Role of Social Norms in Buchanan’s Political Theoryh FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Orientation Week AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Graduate School

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Brianne Jacquet-Cribe CONCENTRATION: Biological Sciences ADVISORS: Dr. Tanja Godenschwege and Dr. Catherine Trivigno THESIS: The Role of the Attractin Homolog in Insulin Signaling Insulin signaling regulates biological processes of sleep, metabolism, growth, and stress resistance. Dysfunctions in transmembrane protein Human Attractin (ATRN) have been linked to diabetes, sleep disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. Atrn-Mgrn1 promotes endolysosomal trafficking of multiple melanocortin receptors, thereby regulating feeding and pigmentation. However, in rodents, loss-of-function of ATRN or Mgrn1 also results in spongiform degeneration, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. In Drosophila melanogaster, the Attractin homolog, Distracted (Dsd), associates with dMgrn1 via the MASRFP motif and null mutants exhibit conserved degenerative vacuolization. Our goal is to present the effects of dsd and dMgrn1 loss-of-function on insulin receptor signaling.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I would like to pursue a postbaccalaureate research fellowship within the discipline of Molecular Biology studying epigenetics and chromatin architecture.

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Reggie Joseph CONCENTRATION: Biochemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Gregory Macleod THESIS: An Analysis Of Mitochondrial Distribution Across Neuron Types In C.elegans Parkinson’s disease is known to have a greater impact on dopaminergic neurons when compared with other neurons .

Dopaminergic neurons regulate muscle movement and coordination, and mitochondria supply the energy needed for that function in the form of ATP. Along with ATP production, mitochondria play an essential role in various other cell processes, and it is quite plausible that neurons of different functional and neurotransmitter types have different dependencies on mitochondria. To further investigate this possibility, mitochondrial distribution was analyzed in different neuron types in electron micrographs of Caenorhabditis elegans. Mitochondria were longest (1.65±0.12 μm) in cholinergic interneurons, and shortest in GABAergic motor neurons (0.86±0.11 μm). Glutamatergic sensory neurons had the greatest mitochondrial density (7.8±1.2%), and vulval muscle motor neurons had the lowest (3.6±0.3%). Understanding mitochondrial distribution will foster a deeper understanding of mechanisms neurons use to regulate mitochondria, better equipping us for the treatment of disorders with mitochondrial pathology.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My time in Dr. Macleod’s lab was amazing.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to get my masters in biomedical engineering with FAU college of engineering then go to Medical school.

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Jaylene Kennedy CONCENTRATION: Political Science ADVISORS: Dr. Mark Tunick and Dr. Christopher Strain THESIS: Voter Disenfranchisement after Shelby County: The Need to Resume Federal Preclearance The Voting Rights Act of 1965 expanded the 14th and 15th amendments by outlawing the discriminatory practices adopted by many southern states to keep many African-Americans from voting.

Section 4(b) of the VRA required that states with a previous history of voter suppression obtain federal preclearance before enacting any new voting laws. In 2013, the Supreme Court held in Shelby County v. Holder that Section 4(b)’s preclearance requirement is unconstitutional. I argue that Shelby County has opened the door to numerous recent efforts to restrict voting.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory has to be breaking the ice with my peers at the convocation ceremony. It was truly a joy to get to know people outside of their academic focus.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I was offered a full time position with Amazon Web Services in Seattle, WA. I’ll be taking the position and attending graduate school for my Masters in Business Administration.

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Silvano Krecklau CONCENTRATION: Economics ADVISOR: Dr. Kanybek Nur-tegin THESIS: Economic Stagnation and Impacts in Japan The Japanese economy in 1990-2000 experienced economic stagnation. I am discussing the factors that led to this phenomena.

Furthermore, I am discussing how this period impacted the current economic situation in Japan.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Masters in Health Care Administration.

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Julia Latchana CONCENTRATION: Biological Anthropology ADVISOR: Dr. Rachel Corr THESIS: The Resurgence Of Forced Sterilizations Of Migrant Women In The United States And The Lack Of Change Female sterilization is a medical procedure used to prevent pregnancy. The United States has a history of disproportionately coercing women of disadvantaged socioethnic backgrounds into getting sterilized over others. For instance, a recent resurgence of forced sterilizations of migrant women have come to light in the American press. I will discuss how the concepts of fit vs. unfit that informed early anthropological theories and scientific racism describe why women in particular are targeted for reproductive control. Though these theories are now thoroughly discredited in anthropology, their lasting impacts still carry weight in modern-day policymaking. Current migrant laws, past incidents of sterilization, and other forms of reproductive control continue to allow these incidents to occur in the present day.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite HC memory is taking pictures at the rocks during the Islands of Adventure trip and almost falling off.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: My hope is to get into a masters program for Anthropology, and in the meanwhile, building my resume.

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Kristina Latchana CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Ericca Stamper THESIS: The Effects of Misinformation on the COVID-19 Pandemic Since December 2019, the COVID-19 Pandemic has led to millions of deaths and created something of a ‘new normal’. However, along with the virus came an additional “infodemic,”: a veritable flood of misinformation about vaccines and treatments. I will examine how misinformation has affected the pandemic in the United States by looking at relationships between indicators of the prevalence of misinformation and COVID numbers in a geographical region.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite memory was setting up stuffed animals in the SG office to look like they were having a board meeting.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be applying to medical school and volunteering at hospitals.

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Joseph Lawless CONCENTRATION: Chemistry ADVISORS: Dr. Eugene Smith and Dr. David Myers THESIS: CamAtom 2.0 A Reiteration of a spectroscope cellphone application originally created by Dr. Smith. Which allows users to observe and record wavelength peaks of different forms of light sources in the visible light portion of the EM spectrum.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite memory from the Honors College is studying at the library with various friends in order to get the last minute test cramming before exams.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan on attending FAU Boca for either a Masters in Chemistry or a Ph.D in Chemistry.

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Ashlee Li CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Yaouen Fily THESIS: Semi-Automation of Mitochondrial Morphology Analysis in Drosophila Brain Scans Mitochondrial dysfunction is the core of several neurodegenerative diseases that include Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. One strategy to understand these diseases is to analyze the geometry of mitochondria, which requires analysis of hundreds of microscope images. We collaborated with the Ron Davis Laboratory at Scripps Florida to develop a program to automate this tedious process. It cut processing time from one week to a couple hours.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory is meeting people with the same passions as I do. We talk about the stories we’re writing that make us excited and show each other the art we’re proud of. I’ve met some of the most talented and skilled people here. Together, all my friends and everyone else here encouraged each other and made such a fun and relaxing community. I will always think back on them and hope we can bounce our ideas and creations back and forth even after this. Cheers to another cup of boba!

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be attending medical school at FAU Boca.

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Eleonora Lurie CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Robert W. Stackman, Jr. THESIS: Novel Context Exposure Enhances Object Recognition Memory: Assessing Involvement of Norepinephrine Neurotransmission The purpose of the research conducted was to show that brief exposure of mice to a novel context following encoding of object memory significantly enhanced consolidation of the object memory. The memory-enhancing effect of posttraining novelty may rely on locus coeruleus tyrosine-hydroxylase expressing neurons which co-release norepinephrine and dopamine in the hippocampus.

The experiment revealed that propranolol, a synthetic beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist used to block norepinephrine, did not prevent the memory-enhancing effect of post-training novel context exposure. The findings support the view that enhanced consolidation of object memory brought about by post-training novel context exposure is not dependent upon norepinephrine neurotransmission.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite Honors College memory was meeting the most genuine people I’m lucky enough to call my friends. We all had hectic schedules throughout the day, but we always found time to eat dinner together in the dining hall and share our stories. I would not have appreciated my Honors College experience as much as I did if not for these people. Another fond memory I would like to share was joining the Owlettes Dance Company and performing at the Annual Spring Showcase during my first year.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: My plans after graduation are to continue my research at the FAU Life Sciences Initiative at Dr. Robert Stackman Jr.’s laboratory and my volunteering at The Guatemalan Maya Center’s after-school Escuelita program. I will be taking the MCAT exam shortly after the graduation ceremony and shadowing doctors at one of my local hospitals to continue gaining medical knowledge before I submit my medical school applications in the fall of 2022.

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Samuel Manoharan CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISORS: Dr. Shailaja Allani and Dr. Catherine Trivigno THESIS: The Effect of Sulindac on Senescence in RPE Cells using senescence β-galactosidase assay.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in industrialized countries. One of the potential contributors to AMD pathology is retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell senescence.

We have shown that sulindac protects normal cells such as retinal cells against oxidative damage through a preconditioning mechanism. To test this, in vitro, we established an RPE senescence model by a treatment of hydrogen peroxide (oxidative stressor) for 12 hours followed by incubation for four days. We assayed for senescence by Beta-galactosidase assay to stain senescent cells. Effect of sulindac was tested by pre-treating cells with sulindac at different concentrations for 24 h prior to TBHP treatment.

The data shows that there was a reduced number of senescent cells in the samples treated with sulindac compared to the control groups.

These findings indicate that oxidative damage induces cell senescence and sulindac can lower the amount of senescence by protecting from oxidative damage.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Late night study sessions and being President of Kingdom Club and speaking at different events.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Take 6 months to study for the MCAT and then apply for medical school shortly after. During my time in between applying for medical school and going to medical school I am thinking of going back to my old high school, The Kings Academy, and teaching a science course.

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Fredy Jader Mendez Bernal CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Monica Maldonado THESIS: TOXOPLASMOSIS: A Possible Link to Mental Disorders through Neuroinflammatory Processes Toxoplasmosis gondii (T. gondii), a parasitic protosoan, can manipulate its host by neuroinflammatory processes that have been linked to multiple mental disorders, including suicide-individuals with detectable levels of T. gondii, i.e. are seropositive for the parasite.This thesis aims to understand how the protozoan parasite manipulates its hosts for its benefit and survival, the association with multiple mental and chronic disorders including suicide, the importance of continued research on antiviral drugs and vaccine development to include novel approaches for prevention.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will continue to focus on “DermeHome,” a veteran`owned small business, with my wife and prepare to apply to medical school in 2023.

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Kirk Meyers CONCENTRATIONS: Environmental Policy and Planning, Economics ADVISORS: Dr. William O’Brien and Dr. Kanybek Nur-tegin THESIS: How the Virtualization of Jobs will Impact Demand for Offices: A Case Study of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The COVID-19 outbreak coerced companies and institutions around the world to integrate remote work into their business operations in order to maintain continuity during the pandemic. Numerous academic studies and institutional reports suggest that the rapid evolution of remote work will inspire significant changes in workplace activity and will surely be adopted within post-pandemic workplaces to some degree. However, while many business executives intend to rely on remote work to conduct business activities, the effects of permanently adopting remote work on the supply and demand for office property is to be determined. A majority of recently published reports suggest that demand for office property will gradually decline, which can have significant implications on future land use designations created with pre-pandemic demands for office property in mind. Therefore, this study provides researchers and planning departments with a guide for re-evaluating the need for office property.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: During Freshman year, my roommates and I bought $300 of Chick Fil-A and invited all students to the housing courtyard to enjoy some free food.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Accepting a GIS Specialist Level 1 position with an international engineering company

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Pedro Millan CONCENTRATIONS: Neuroscience and Psychology ADVISORS: Dr. Laura Vernon and Dr. Miguel Vázquez THESIS: Does Bilingualism Affect Mental Health Stigma?

To what extent does learning a new language cause us to adopt other cultural attitudes/values? The purpose of this study is to observe whether individuals who are English/Spanish bilinguals experience an attitude shift towards mental health stigma when interviewed in English and Spanish, separately.

Given the increasing numbers in the Latino/Hispanic community, especially in South Florida, this study aims to increase awareness of bilinguals’ idiosyncrasy arising from their knowledge of English and Spanish, and the differing sets of attitudes that each language accompanies.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: As I search through time for the memories I have formed at the Honors College, I find it increasingly hard to settle with just one. I think about the moment I realized what truly captivated my heart, and how that completely changed the plan that I had designed for myself. Still, this memory, along with everything that came afterwards, is shaped by those who accompanied me. What I wish to celebrate is the people of the Honors College. I have had the privilege and pleasure of meeting some of the most wonderful, hard-working, and dedicated souls during this part of my journey. They have become friends, mentors, and family - whose voices have become part of my story; and I am beyond grateful that they have allowed mine to become part of theirs. I cherish our time together and I have no doubts that sometime in the future, our paths will cross again.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Beginning Fall 2022, I will be attending Pennsylvania State University for a Dual Doctoral Title in Hispanic Linguistics and Language Sciences.

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Hillary Moran CONCENTRATIONS: Political Science and Spanish ADVISORS: Dr. Mark Tunick and Dr. Cañete-Quesada THESIS: State Level COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates: A Constitutional Analysis A legal analysis based in Supreme Court precedent of whether statelevel COVID-19 vaccine mandates are constitutional.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Late-night trips to the beach with my friends.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be attending law school.

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Bilal Mutluguler CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Andia Chaves Fonnegra THESIS: Tedania ignis Cell Fractions: Their Symbionts and Serotonin Sponges (phylum Porifera) are the most basal of all animals, yet, paradoxically, they still puzzle scientists with their complexity.

One mystery baffling researchers since its discovery in the mid-1960s, is the presence of serotonin in these brainless animals. The current controversy is who produces serotonin, the sponge cells or the sponge-associated microbes? Sponges are holobionts, comprised of both the sponge cells themselves and the affiliated microorganisms that live with them. This honors thesis aims to determine whether the Tedania ignis cells or their associated symbionts contain the serotonin detected in previous studies.

A Percoll gradient was used to create sponge-enriched cell fractions and symbiont-enriched fractions. Each fraction was then analyzed by an ELISA assay (immunoanalysis). Results of this project will contribute to find the possible source of serotonin in sponges.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: I have many, actually.

But any time that I am with an instructor after class, or in their office hours (talking with them about an academic subject or a casual conversation). I really enjoy these times.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be attending medical school (by 2023)…which one: I would be in the process of figuring it out by the time that I am attending the ceremony. Maybe for the meantime, continuing research in my lab.

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Kaitlyn Nieman CONCENTRATION: Environmental Geoscience ADVISOR: Dr. William O’Brien THESIS: Do Certain Species of Anchovy have a Greater Tendency to Consume Plastic than Others?

Certain species of anchovies have been found to consume more plastic than others. This is due to several contributing factors, such as feeding behaviors, patterns of oceanic gyres, and nearby outputs of pollution.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: I have enjoyed all of my classes here, but I enjoyed the discussions in Dr. O’Brien’s classes the most. I remember a specific class in Environment and Society where we were discussing the book Better Safe Than Sorry, which explores the prevalence of toxic chemicals in so many of our products, and listening to the different perspectives of other students, especially regarding poverty and the inability to afford non-toxic alternatives that so many Americans face. It was life-altering, to say the least; this is just one of many conversations from Dr. O’Brien’s classes that completely changed my outlook.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduating from the Honors College, I will be attending FAU in the Fall to earn a Master of Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on Environmental Planning.

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Matthew Pacheco CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISORS: Dr. Sarah Stern and April Schimmel THESIS: Differential Consumption Behavior in Mice Following Chemogenetic Activation of a Limbic Circuit Stress is a common factor dealt with in every day life. Neural circuits activated by stressful stimuli respond in a variety of ways, one being decreased consumption. Evidence suggests that decreased consumption can be observed in mice following restraint stress. This response was associated with the activation of neurotensin (Nts)-expressing neurons projecting from the lateral septum (LS) to the lateral hypothalamus (LH). By using chemogenetic techniques to activate LS->LH Nts neurons, my thesis project seeks to establish whether this specific neural circuit is mainly associated with the decrease in consumption. Consumption was measured using an automated feeding device developed for this project.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite memory at the Honors College was the late night studying sessions before exams.

Everyone would get together in the atrium of the library and help each other study. It created bonds that will always be dear to me. While we spent most of the time studying, we also got the chance to have good late night talks and you never felt alone through the struggle.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan on continuing my research projects at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and pursuing my community-centered entrepreneurial interests during my two gap years.

I intend on applying to MD-PhD programs with the goal of becoming a neurologist and research therapies to combat neurological disorders.

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Alexandra Perez CONCENTRATION: Marine Biology ADVISORS: Dr. Andia Chaves Fonnegra and Dr. Jon Moore THESIS: Do Sponges Niphates digitalis and N. erecta Survive a Multi-year Coral Reef Bleaching Event?

Climate change increases the frequency and duration of severe thermal anomalies, creating multi-year coral bleaching events. The 2014-17 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) had a severe global impact on coral reefs; however, it is unknown if all reef organisms were negatively impacted. This study analyzed how populations of the conspicuous Caribbean sponges, Niphates erecta and Niphates digitalis, were affected by the 2014-17 ENSO event in Florida, Broward County Reefs, and determine if sponges utilize their regenerative ability under extreme thermal stress. We found that N. erecta sponges were significantly impacted in a positive way while N. digitalis were not affected. There was an overall trend of increasing occurrences of fragmentation while instances of merging decreased during the event, although not significantly.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Having intense Mario Kart tournaments in the multi-purpose room.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be taking a gap year to strengthen my veterinary school application, shadowing both wildlife and domestic veterinarians as well as studying for the GRE.

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Jitesh Persaud CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Monica Maldonado THESIS: Psychedelics: A Mental Health Revolution My thesis examines the ways in which psychedelics affect neural plasticity and brain function.

Additionally, it explores how its effects can be utilized in the treatment of mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and addiction.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Hosting and speaking at the Governor’s Address.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I hope to become a Fulbright Scholar and travel the world before attending medical school.

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Cypress Potter CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Gregory Macleod THESIS: Starvation Analysis of DSD and Dilp Mutated Drosophila melanogaster.

This thesis project analyzed longevity data of drosophila in starved conditions. DSD and Dilp mutations were studied in order to help answer the question of what role these mutations have in stress and metabolism signaling. This thesis helps to establish a direct correlation between diabetes and adult-onset, spontaneous neurodegeneration.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Making jokes in chemistry lab to pass the time between long experiments.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan on working as a lab technician in a neuroscience lab for a year before applying to PhD programs for neuroscience!

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Grace Putnam CONCENTRATIONS: Neuroscience and Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Tracy Mincer THESIS: The Neurological Effects of Domoic Acid Toxicosis on Marine Mammals and Its Implications on Florida Wildlife Domoic acid producing algae has been found for the first time in Florida in the Indian River Lagoon in 2017. A bloom of this algae could result in a massive novel release of the neurotoxin domoic acid in a Florida ecosystem. Using the research involving neurological and behavioral effects of domoic acid toxicosis on sea lions in California, the results of this excitatory neurotoxin on Florida marine mammals were able to be predicted.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Organizing and volunteering at the open house events for admissions, and then getting to be the orientation leader for some of the students I met there!

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be working as a medical assistant at an interventional pain management office for a year until I go to medical school.

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Esha Rananweera CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISOR: Dr. James Wetterer THESIS: Altruistic Behavior among Chimpanzees and see how it has been linked and impacted the evolution of human altruistic behavior Chimpanzees, because of their close evolutionary relationship to humans, are attractive models for physiological, biomedical, and behavioral studies. My purpose of this study is to observe the behavior of chimpanzees and find the link of their Altruism and analyze how that impacts the evolution of human altruistic behavior.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Making new friends, participating in internships.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Apply to Veterinary School, start working full time at an animal hospital.

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Maria Gabriela Restifo Rosales CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Gregory Macleod THESIS: An Ultrastructural Analysis of the Relationship between Synapses and Mitochondria Across Neuron Types in C elegans My goal is to test whether mitochondria are randomly distributed with respect to synapses by analyzing their degree of co-localization in 15 neurons, using EM data from a hermaphroditic Caenorhabditis elegans nematode. This analysis aims to better understand neuronal energy dynamics and any essential requirements of synaptic transmission through uncovering hitherto unknown relationships between synapses and mitochondria.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Participating in the Owlettes showcase.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be applying and plan to attend medical school.

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Andres Serrano CONCENTRATION: Psychology ADVISORS: Dr. Kevin Lanning and Dr. Julie Earles THESIS: A Literature Review on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder I discuss several facets of PTSD including its neurological basis, its role in memory and attachment. As well as focus on EMDR as a method of treatment.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: The first time I won an intramural championship game and received my shirt is one of the best memories I have here.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduation I plan to pursue a Ph.D or Psy.D after taking some time to gain experience either in a substance abuse setting or a general mental health facility.

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Marissa Shank CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISORS: Dr. Catherine Trivigno and Dr. Nicholas Baima THESIS: An Examination of the Ethical Implications of Prescribing Opioids to Patients in Recovery My thesis aimed to answer the question of whether it is ever ethical to prescribe opioids to people recovering from drug addiction. It is important that patients are able to make autonomous decisions regarding their medical care. This paper explored the ideas of autonomy and drug addiction and proposed treatment follow-up options for clinicians and patients, which may prevent relapse from occurring in cases where opioid prescription is necessary for the patient’s well-being.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: There are many memories I have from my time at the HC that I will carry with me forever, but some of the best include early mornings at the beach watching the sunrise, playing intramural sports, and countless late nights with some of my favorite people.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduation I will spend time working in the medical field as I prepare to apply for medical school.

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Alyx Shechtman CONCENTRATION: Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Jon Moore THESIS: The Extended Reproduction Season of Gopher Tortoises in South Florida Ultrasound evidence for out of season reproduction in the Gopher Tortoise in Southeastern Florida.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Meeting the gopher tortoises for the first time in my field ecology course with Dr. Moore and Dr. Wetterer.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be attending veterinary school at Ross in the British Virgin Islands.

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Vivek Sreejithkumar CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences ADVISOR: Dr. Terje Hill and Dr. Chitra Chandrasekhar THESIS: Identifiability Analysis of Outbreak Models for Infectious Diseases The focus of my thesis is using mathematical models to represent the spread of infectious diseases, such as H1N1 influenza and COVID-19.

The identifiability of the models are studies, and the model is validated using epidemiological data. By fitting the model to the data, the values of the epidemiological parameters in the models can be estimated, which provides valuable insight to study epidemiological characteristics of the disease and guide public health control measures.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: The Universal trip.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduating, I will be taking my MCAT and applying to medical schools. In my gap year, I am looking to enroll in a 1 year master’s program in Bioinformatics.

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Tristan Stinchcomb CONCENTRATION: Psychology ADVISOR: Dr. Laura Vernon THESIS: Ethnic Differences in OCD Symptomatology: Examining Variations between Asian-American, Caucasian-American, and Hispanic-American Groups This study investigated the magnitude and directionality of differences in obsessive-compulsive symptoms in Asian-American, CaucasianAmerican, and Hispanic-American groups. It was observed that AsianAmerican and Hispanic-American group membership significantly correlated with greater mean obsessive-compulsive symptom scores than the Caucasian-American group. This suggests that Asian-American and Hispanic-American groups both have a greater proclivity for obsessivecompulsive symptoms than Caucasian-American groups.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: My favorite memory from the Honors College is getting to present my own research at Johns Hopkins University.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: After graduation, I will be taking a year off to prepare to move away from Florida and attend a doctoral program to get my Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology.

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Zion Strasser CONCENTRATIONS: Writing ADVISOR: Prof. Rachel Luria THESIS: The Efficacy of Invented Language in Storytelling By spanning the chasm between characters and setting, invented language increases the scope, consistency, and believability of a story. Rather than relying on the writer’s language to orient characters within a world, invented language grants the characters the ability to connect to their own world via a language suited to their culture and experience. In creating or “uncovering” an invented language of my own as well as studying the invented languages of others, the immense creative benefit of invented language becomes obvious and undeniable.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: So many to choose from!

Probably spending time with friends at CarnivOwl! AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: No graduate school immediately, but maybe later. I am pursuing a career in writing, publishing, and/or teaching English.

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Craig Stridinger CONCENTRATIONS: Biology ADVISOR: Dr. Chitra Chandrasekhar THESIS: Genetics of Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Atherosclerosis is a disease characterized by plaque lesions forming in arteries which result in the narrowing and hardening of the vessel. This process causes a restriction in blood flow and can lead to further complications including coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. For many years, atherosclerosis was thought to be a disease resulting from hypercholesterolemia. It is now known that the atherosclerotic process is a process of inflammation, and that plaque lesion formation is mediated by leukocytes, monocytes, and macrophages. The goal of my thesis is to discuss the atherosclerotic inflammatory process, discuss the genetic factor of atherosclerosis, and how early detection of these inflammatory markers and genetic profiling can be used to prevent an acute coronary event.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: The relationships that I have formed with my fellow students. Many hours were spent with them studying and they have become like family to me.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I am getting married May 14th to the most beautiful woman (inside and out) that I have ever met. Afterwards, I will be taking the MCAT and applying to medical school.

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Madison Weisenberg CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Erica Young THESIS: A Review of the Current Literature Regarding Research for the Effectivity of Psychedelics in Treatment-resistant Psychiatric Disorders A review of the current literature regarding research for the effectivity of psychedelics in treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Going on a medical mission trip through medical missions abroad.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: Physician assistant school.

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Ethan Xu CONCENTRATION: Biological Chemistry ADVISOR: Dr. Chitra Chandrasekhar and Dr. Catherine Trivigno THESIS: Analysis of Menthol Extracted from Mint using VCD/Computational Spectra Generation Compounds that have differing connectivity of functional groups (isomers) can have different properties. Many biochemical processes possess selective recognition of these isomers based only on their stereo orientation (optical isomers), allowing them to rotate plane polarized light a certain direction. One example are enantiomers, which are two chiral forms of molecules that are non-superimposable mirror images and share an equal but opposite rotational effect on plane-polarized light. Without verification of the individual effects of the enantiomers, a potential drug can have unintended consequences, such as in the case of thalidomide, in which the S enantiomer was found to have teratogenic properties while the R enantiomer had the desirable effect. In this thesis, the determination of the enantiomeric form of menthol isolated from the Japanese mint Mentha arvensis was accomplished using VCD/ IR spectroscopy, and the experimental spectrum was compared with the spectra of known enantiomers and those from DFT computational predictions.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: The hand sanitizer project of General Chemistry 2 Lab. AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I would likely be going to a Master’s program of Chemistry, originally at FAU before moving to a graduate school to work towards a Ph.D. I am unsure of where I will go for a Ph.D. program at the moment.

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Frida Zavala CONCENTRATIONS: Biology and Philosophy ADVISOR: Dr. Nicholas Baima THESIS: On Humility in Medicine Medical virtues are character traits that allow physicians to deal with their co-workers, themselves, and, most importantly, their patients virtuously. Though much attention has been paid to virtues like compassion and integrity, the virtue of humility has been overlooked. This is unfortunate because humility, I will argue, is deeply important to being a virtuous physician. The humble physician collaboratively works with their patients to understand their concerns and find a solution in the patient’s best interest. In addition, I will argue that humility is the backbone of other virtues such as compassion and integrity.

FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: When I was a freshman, my roommates and I found a coconut outside at night. We made it our life’s mission to try to crack open this particular coconut without the right tools. After numerous attempts at stabbing the coconut with forks, butter knives, and throwing it on the concrete, we were finally able to enjoy some delicious coconut water. Just kidding- it wasn’t that good. But the experience sure was.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I plan to apply for my teaching certificate in order to teach high school biology. My goal is to work in education for a few years before pursuing a masters or Ph.D in one of the many interests I have, bioethics and philosophy being a couple. I also plan to continue my involvement in the community, advocating for the children in our community.

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Tiffany Zhang CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience ADVISOR: Dr. Randy Blakely THESIS: Assessment of a New Model for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Studies of the Viral Mimetic Poly I:C on Biochemical Measures of Brain Inflammation and Serotonin Signaling Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating, multisystem disease characterized by severe fatigue without medical explanation. To develop treatments and understand its etiology, we need to study valid preclinical models, which are currently lacking. Evidence shows that infection may play a role in the development of CFS and prolonged fatigue may be due to changes in central serotonin homeostasis. We aim to establish a valid model of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in mice using an acute infection with a viral mimetic, polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C), to trigger prolonged brain inflammation and fatigue. Three mouse strains were examined for their reaction to poly I:C and only CD1 mice demonstrated prolonged fatigue. Next, examination of brain tissue will reveal whether our mouse model displays similar alterations in markers of neuroinflammation and serotonin-related genes compared to the clinical CFS population. Upon establishment, this model furthers the understanding of the role serotonin homeostasis and signaling plays in the manifestation of CFS and allows for the development of treatments that target this pathway FAVORITE HONORS COLLEGE MEMORY: Weekly Wednesday lunches with my friends at the dining hall.

AFTER GRADUATION PLANS: I will be working as a research assistant in Dr. Randy Blakely’s lab at the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. I will also be applying to medical school this cycle in the summer.

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Medallion Ceremony

Awards 2022

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FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY HONORS CONVOCATION AWARDS

Hillary Moran WHC University Scholar

Breana Hanley University Club Merit Award

David Harbaugh FAU Phi Kappa Phi Scholar

David Harbaugh

WHC Undergraduate Researcher of the Year HARRIET L. WILKES HONORS COLLEGE AWARDS

Kristina Latchana Outstanding Senior

Warren Yee Outstanding Junior

Amparo Godoy Pastore Outstanding Sophomore

Maya Clarke Outstanding First Year

Bilal Mutluguler Outstanding Scholar

Frida Zavala

Distinguished Service Award

Pedro Millan

Distinguished Community Service

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Notes and

Thoughts

Congratulations

best wishes on your graduation and

for your next adventure!

Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College Florida Atlantic University 5353 Parkside Drive Jupiter, Florida 33458 561.799.8579 www.honorscollege.edu