Honors College Scholars Convocation | Class of 2025

Dear Honors College Scholars Class of 2025,

Today marks an exciting moment in a journey we officially began together with our induction ceremony when you first arrived. We celebrate all you have accomplished across Rutgers University–New Brunswick, in your schools, and in the broader world, and we eagerly anticipate your future successes. You have already embodied the promise of our scholarly community, committed to being life-long learners, and we know that you’ll continue to uphold the pledge you took:

Where there is something to learn, I will explore. Where there is a new voice, I will listen. Where there is a need, I will help.

This ceremony recognizes your achievement as Honors College Scholars, meeting all of the requirements of the Honors College. These include the culminating academic experience for all Honors College students, the Capstone. We acknowledge your outstanding academic achievement with the Honors College medal and designation as an Honors College Scholar on your forthcoming diploma.

We are proud of how each of you has explored Curiosity, Knowledge, and Purpose in your own individual ways.

With all our best wishes,

J.D. Bowers, PhD Dean, Honors College, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

The Honors College at Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Established in 2015, the Honors College at Rutgers University–New Brunswick is built on a legacy of honors education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, the nation’s eighth oldest institution of higher learning. The Honors College redefines interdisciplinary education by inviting students from across the liberal arts and professional schools to live and work together to tackle global issues and transform their ideas into action. Attracting the highest achievers from New Jersey, across the country, and around the world, the Honors College is a community where intellectual curiosity, hands-on knowledge, interdisciplinary collaboration, service, and compassion for one another are central to their experience. We are committed to advancing a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community where all members have the opportunity, understanding, and support to thrive and to pursue a career with purpose.

CURIOSITY. KNOWLEDGE. PURPOSE.

The Honors College thanks our many supporters, alumni, faculty and staff, families and friends, and the University administration for helping us to provide our students with the many development opportunities they have readily embraced. In particular, we thank the University’s academic leadership for their vision and encouragement.

Jonathan Holloway, PhD

President, Rutgers University

Francine Conway, PhD

Chancellor, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke, PhD

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Salvador Mena, PhD

Senior Vice Chancellor for the Student Experience, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Joseph Barone, PharmD, FCCP

Dean, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Alberto Cuitiño, PhD

Dean, School of Engineering, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Jason Geary, PhD

Dean, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Laura Lawson, PhD

Executive Dean, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Lei Lei, PhD

Dean, Rutgers Business School–Newark and New Brunswick

Meghan Rehbein, EdD

Dean, Douglass Residential College, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Juli Wade, PhD

Executive Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Convocation Address Speaker

William Hait, MD, PhD

William N. (Bill) Hait was most recently Executive Vice President, Chief External Innovation, Medical Safety and Global Public Health Officer, and a member of the Johnson & Johnson Executive Committee. Bill oversaw the Research and Development Management Committee that focuses on talent development and best-practice sharing within the Company’s R&D community, as well as Company efforts to advance mental health, improve healthcare for the world’s most vulnerable and underserved populations, and meet its obligations around product safety and ethical research, aligned with the Company’s Credo.

Dr. Hait joined J&J in 2007 and served as Global Therapeutic Area Head for Oncology from 2009 to 2011, and then as Global Head, Janssen Research & Development, from 2011 through 2018. Before that, he was the founding Director of The (Rutgers) Cancer Institute of New Jersey. From 1993 to 2007 he was Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology and Associate Dean for Oncology Programs at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Hait joined the Yale University School of Medicine faculty in 1984 and became Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, Chief of the Division of Medical Oncology, Associate Director of the Yale University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Director of the Breast Cancer Unit and Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Unit. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.

He devoted time to numerous advisory and editorial boards, served in a range of scientific functions, societies and committees, was elected President of the American Association for Cancer Research (2007 – 2008) and has received numerous awards and honors.

Honors College Scholars Class of 2025

The Honors College Medal is awarded to students who have completed all Honors College academic requirements to receive the designation of “Honors College Scholar.”

Ismaeel Abdulghani School of Arts and Sciences

Sophia Abreu School of Arts and Sciences

Kaitlyn Adkins School of Arts and Sciences

Siddharth Aggarwal School of Arts and Sciences

Ayah Ahmed School of Arts and Sciences

Ayesha Ahmed * School of Arts and Sciences

Eva Allred School of Arts and Sciences

Aryaram Anand * School of Arts and Sciences

Hannah Arbeitel School of Arts and Sciences

Elli Arbogast School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Manyata Arora * Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Saribel Barrientos School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Ishita Bhargava * School of Arts and Sciences

Allison Bierly School of Engineering

Dima Bischoff-Hashem School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Jaideep Boparai Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Rishika Boppana * School of Arts and Sciences

Elisa Bu Sha * ⁜ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

James Burns School of Arts and Sciences

LiYuan Byrne School of Arts and Sciences

Anthony Cammarano School of Engineering

Caitlyn Carlson School of Arts and Sciences

Michael Cerne School of Arts and Sciences

Randeep Chahal Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Julianne Chan School of Engineering

Mihir Chandra Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

* Designates receipt of the Honors College Merit Pin in recognition of deep engagement in the Honors College community above and beyond the requirements.

⁜ Designates those who are Honors College Changemakers having received the Honors College Changemaker Award and/or completed 100+ hours of service.

NOTE: Honors College Scholar recognition is correct as of May 5, 2025. Inclusion of a name in this booklet is not a verification that a student is graduating or earning the indicated academic credential.

Tanishq Jagoori School of Arts and Sciences

Nami Jain * School of Arts and Sciences

Jai Jhaveri * Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Desiree Johnson Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Susan Johnson * School of Arts and Sciences

Rebecca Jolius * ⁜ School of Arts and Sciences

Sophia-Ling Jorgensen School of Engineering

Amy Joseph * School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Sofia Juliani * School of Arts and Sciences

Shinbee Kang * School of Arts and Sciences

Charan Kanna School of Arts and Sciences

Vanessa Karayiannis School of Engineering

Remington Katz School of Arts and Sciences

Evan C. Keeton School of Arts and Sciences

Johnathan Kelly School of Engineering

James Kerwin School of Arts and Sciences

Warishah Khan School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Abbas Khansa School of Arts and Sciences

Araika Khokhar School of Arts and Sciences

Amelia Khoo * School of Arts and Sciences

Crystal Kilfeather * Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Giovane Kim School of Arts and Sciences

Rachael Kim School of Engineering

Rachel Kim * ⁜ School of Arts and Sciences

Zolani Kizito School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Kiersten Koch * School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Joseph Koutsoutis School of Arts and Sciences

Anthony Kravchenko Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Ana Lawson School of Arts and Sciences

Brenna Lawson

Mason Gross School of the Arts

* Designates receipt of the Honors College Merit Pin in recognition of deep engagement in the Honors College community above and beyond the requirements.

⁜ Designates those who are Honors College Changemakers having received the Honors College Changemaker Award and/or completed 100+ hours of service.

NOTE: Honors College Scholar recognition is correct as of May 5, 2025. Inclusion of a name in this booklet is not a verification that a student is graduating or earning the indicated academic credential.

Victoria Richard School of Arts and Sciences

Aileen Roldan School of Arts and Sciences

Liza Roles Fotso

Mason Gross School of the Arts

Julian Rosario School of Arts and Sciences

Ayman Rouf School of Engineering

Amanda K Sallemi School of Arts and Sciences

Harshith Samayamantula *

Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Lizbeth Sanchez Munzon

Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Pranita Sannidhi * School of Arts and Sciences

Anna Santy School of Arts and Sciences

Smruthi Sathya * Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Kameron Saul School of Arts and Sciences

Allyson Schulman * School of Arts and Sciences

Rachel Schulman * ⁜ School of Arts and Sciences

Justin Seo * School of Arts and Sciences

Nuran Sercan

Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Het Shah

Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Khushi Shah School of Arts and Sciences

Parth Sharma ⁜ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Khushi Sheth School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Amanda Shi

Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Jonathan Shoham * School of Arts and Sciences

Jeremy Simhon

Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick

Tom Simon School of Engineering

Shriya Singaraju * School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

Amisha Singh School of Arts and Sciences

Tejas Sinha * School of Arts and Sciences

Saketh Sitaram School of Arts and Sciences

Yahaira Smith School of Arts and Sciences

Haejin Song School of Engineering

* Designates receipt of the Honors College Merit Pin in recognition of deep engagement in the Honors College community above and beyond the requirements.

⁜ Designates those who are Honors College Changemakers having received the Honors College Changemaker Award and/or completed 100+ hours of service.

NOTE: Honors College Scholar recognition is correct as of May 5, 2025. Inclusion of a name in this booklet is not a verification that a student is graduating or earning the indicated academic credential.

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