Excitement and parental pride permeated the atrium of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications as students and family gathered for the 2026 SJMC Student Awards. These awards honor students with remarkable dedication to developing craft and commitment to learning. The ceremony was held on April 16, 2026.
“Parents and family, this day is as much your celebration as it is the students,’” said Damion Waymer, Ph.D., director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. “I am so proud to be able to share in honoring these students with you.”
Assistant Dean for Student Success Rushondra James, Ph.D., acknowledged the graduates with leadership distinction, our 297 Latin honors recipients, and the newest group of students inducted into the Albert T. Scroggins Chapter of the Kappa Tau Alpha honor society. The average GPA for this KTA group was 3.99.
The genuine sense of community within the school was on full display during the ceremony. As faculty members shared the accomplishments of the award winners, other students called out, “That was you!” or “Yeah, you did!”
The aforementioned parental pride even turned into happy tears as one father was overcome by joy upon hearing the accomplishments of his daughter celebrated by the friends she made while earning her degree.
Award Recipients
Awards presented by Ken Campbell, Ph.D., interim associate director of graduate studies
Awards presented by Assistant Professor Jacob Long, Ph.D.
Awards presented by Marcia Purday, APR, advertising and public relations sequence head
Awards presented by Rick Peterson, senior broadcast journalism instructor
Awards presented by Eileen Waddell, journalism instructor
Awards presented by Marcia Purday, APR, advertising and public relations sequence head
Awards presented by Tara Mortensen, Ph.D. and Renée Ittner-McManus, instructor
Students who earn Graduation with Leadership Distinction demonstrate extensive, purposeful engagement beyond the classroom, understanding of course concepts in “real world” settings and application of learning to make decisions and solve problems.
Amanda Bachert, Carly Beiter, Darby Bianco, Grace Blumhardt, Tristan Bonomo, Isabella Cifaldi, Emma Connelly, Bella Consentino, Emily Gencarelli, Caroline Hickey, Isabella Intrieri, Sofia Lattanze, Myah Mcneil, Alannah Murphy, Raquel Negron, Ansley Peterson
Latin honors are academic distinctions awarded at graduation, recognizing high achievement. They are typically awarded based on a student's cumulative GPA.
Summa Cum Laude - a cumulative GPA of 3.95-4.00
Amanda Brooke Allen, Carly Della Beiter, Olivia Lauren Bercoon, Grace Alexis Blumhardt,
Emma Katherine Connelly, Claudia Mary Cordano, Erin Todd Eby, Madison Grace Enslow,
Matthew Ethan Frederick, Chelsea Taylor Gourdine, Chelsea Taylor Gourdine, Payton
Reese Hamrick, William Crafford Holman, Elsa Geriane Johnson, Ashley Nicole Leonard,
Adianna Grace Macklin, Mia Rose McCarthy, Clarissa Susana Meier, Mollie H Naugle,
Ansley Reese Peterson, Anne Meredith Poteat, Julia Grace Putman, Jordan Alexzandria
Rawlinson, Karina Shah, Sofia Grace Shaw, Peyton E Slates, Erin Renee Smith, Autumn
J Thoele, Marc Aaron Tiegel, Ricky Tien Tran, Samantha Rose Vassallo, Camryn Faith
Weatherford, Carrigan S Woodson, Sydney Erin Zulywitz
Magna Cum Laude - a cumulative GPA of 3.75-3.949
Amanda Rebecca Anderson, Damien Xavier Andrews, Erin Marie Armani, Sophia Judith Arseneault,
Vincent Philip Auteri, Zachary Jordan Baker, Ella June Barrett, Darby Elizabeth Bianco,
Jacob Joseph Blaum, Kristina Rose Bosco, Jack Nolan Bradshaw, Sasha Bukhalo, Camila
H Burnett, Michael Ernest Calabrese, Shaye Anna Canniff, Matteo Alberto Celleri, Madison
Grace Chiang, Isabella Mia Cifaldi, Sara Genna Cole, Louise Elizabeth Coleman, Zoe
Elizabeth Conklin, Laila Amira Conway, Sydney Shea Corcoran, Haley Elizabeth Cormier,
Bella Grace Cosentino, Caleb Amari Counts, Megan Isabella Cross, Vivek Crowe, Bryan
Patterson Crutcher, Anna Corinne Dankel, Nola Dean Dixon, Joshua Dennis Dodge, Benjamin
Russell Dreyer, Elizabeth Moore Dubrowsky, Samuel Jase Hamilton Epps, Chloe Harper
Findlay, Sydney Rose Fish, Sydney Elizabeth Foley, Lauren Brooke Fowler, Suttyn Brooklyn
Fox, Matthew Haywood Frye, Stella Mae Garcia, Emma Caroline Garrett, Emily Rose Gencarelli,
Ryan Anthony Gentile, Alexis Jenae Good, Elizabeth Anne Grant, Laine Kathryn Gray,
Tyree Ajaye' Green, Kayden Melissa Griffis, Julia Paige Haelsen, Hayden Thomas Hamlin,
Annalyn Jayne Harbin, Gracyn Elizabeth Harte, Nicolas Ian Harvey, Madeline Margaret
Hines, Lauren Elizabeth Horton, Kenna Martin Hughes, Brooke Madison Jenkins, Natalie
Rose Jiron, Nicole Kay Joch, Caroline Marist Keene, Carly Elise Kisselle, Talia M
Kohan, William Brock Lambert, Sofia Lattanze, Natalia Pharosha Leary, James Aiden
Liles, Kate Samantha LoPresti, Dylan Kirk Lucas, Mia Alise Lutrzykowski, Samantha
Elise Lyons, Kylie Taylor Madonia, Megan Elizabeth Maholic, Penelope Marshall, Katharine
Hughes Mashburn, Claire Emily Massof, Estelle Lynn Merfeld, Faith Allyson Militello,
William Aaron Miller, Charlotte Anne Miller, Alecia Nicole Miranda, Halle Ann Morton,
Mackenzie Grace Moyer, Sarah Anne Murphy, Brandi Ann Murray, Devon Nadelstumph, Ana
Celeste Neville, Lexi Brianna Odell, Zoe Grace Orechwa, Leah Idelle Parks, Tyler Giovanni
Perrone, Karenna Katherine Porter, Cora Catalina Powers, Gabrielle Alexis Proctor,
Benjamin Levi Purvis, Morgan Elizabeth Radcliffe, Emily Kennedy Rainforth, Parker
Raine Reese, Grant David Richa, Amelia Grace Richardson, Kaylee Elizabeth Rowe, Shelby
Leigh Rutherford, Faith Ann Sanders, Caroline McIntyre Santen, Riley Reeves Schimanski,
Katerina Sellas, Olivia Hart Sisson, Allison Marie Smith, Sydney Grace Strickland,
Rylee Elizabeth Swinford, Abigail Claire Tam, Molly Elizabeth Teegen, Vivianne Starr
Thomas, Sydney Elise Thompson, Jessica Carol Tilton, Hannah Reece Uptigrove, Emilie
Rebecca Vigliotta, Ava Claire VonderHaar, Christen Elizabeth Vota, Samantha Justine
Ward, Caroline Elaine Westberry, Kaylin Cierra Wilson, Marisa Michelle Wilson, Emma
Loren Wisler, Ava Monroe Wojtczak, Emma Leigh Wyatt, Abigail Taylor Yi, Emma Grace
Yousey, Mary Gail Zack
Cum Laude - a cumulative GPA of 3.50-3.749
Grace Elizabeth Adams, Jordan Faith Agliano, Paige Marie Anelli, Ellerie Lynn Anderson,
Aubrey Day Angle, Sophia Carmen Arias, George Elliott Bagwell, Cora E Bainbridge,
Alyssa Jordyn Baker-Mihlbauer, Mia Lynn Bauzyk, Bridget Bria Berry, Carson Grace Berry,
Jason Asher Berman, Mary Louise Besl, Lily Wyburn Bianchi, April Dawn Bradley, Rebecca
Lynn Burney, Olivia Matthews Ciokajlo, Audrey Nora Coates, Noah Ryan Cole, Keilynn
Amanda Compton, Julia Caroline Condon, Trinity Carol Conner, Heidi Gray Coughenour,
Claire Elizabeth Coury, Devon Grace Diehl, Claire Everette Douglas, Morgan Kaylee
Downs, Haley Marie Elliot, Madelyn Joan Farley, Haley Nicole Ferrara, Sydney Sprague
Flood, Amelia Noelle Gay, Ansley Carter Gianoukos, Samuel Brayden Grande, Charlotte
Elizabeth Griffin, Jansyn Elizabeth Harrington, Gracen Rose Harris, Madysen Leigh
Hefner, Miller Davis Heinbaugh, William Patrick Helmadollar, Caroline Joy Hickey,
Leah Borne Hides, Samantha Lee Ann Hinton, Kennedy Easter Hoffman, Robert Edward Hoskins,
Erica Rebecca Hudock, Stephen Harrison Huntley, Isabella Elisabeth Intrieri, Inaara
Aliza Jadavji, Susannah Brynn Johnson, Marisa Marie Jones, Grayson Tompkins Keyser,
Grayce Elizabeth Kilian, Milena Reese Koncz, Morgan Grace Kozak, Grace Elizabeth Kuyk,
Ryan Rose Laudenslager, Margaret Elizabeth Lawrence, Grace Kelly Ledbetter, Ausley
Clark Lewis, Keith Brian Lindsey, Laura Anne Listrom, Jenna Lynne Mallett, John James
McAdams, Brigid Anne McCabe, Kyleigh Madison McComish, Harrison Price McConaghy, Austin
Michael McConnell, Michael Paul McGuire, McKenzie Belle McGuirt, Reagan Shea McMahon,
Gabriela Antonina McNamee, Riley Reece Mekanik, Camille Legrand Molten, Andrew John
Moody, Dakota Lynn Morris, Julia Grace Moulton, Carly Anne Muller, Adam Andrew Nagel,
Connor William Nighbor, Payson Rose Noding, Sofia Ann Nute, Olivia Anne Nygaard, Jaden
Olivo, Elisabeth Ann Overton, Jalyn Isabella Owens, Hannah Grace Parker, Michael Omar
Perez, Ava Eileen Perona, Samantha Vance Petersen, McKenzie Nicole Powers, Catherine
Elizabeth Pruitt, Anthony Philip Punzi, Zacchaeus Malachi Quarles, Grayling Parker
Quire, Alyssa Marie Raibstein, Samantha Rachel Rednick, Stephen Saverio Rispoli, Emma
Carly Robson, Samantha Audrey Rorison, Carley Jane Rosenberger, Kyrrin Jamil Roundtree,
Sarah-Kate Kilbourne Shupp, Emma Faith Shuster, Nicole Anaya Smith, Mary Elizabeth
Smithdeal, Lauren Nicoletta Smiley, Madison Shea Smyth, Magdalena Lorraine Stephens,
Jenna Nicole Steigerwald, Claire Joan Stoeckinger, Abagael Ann Strating, Gabriela
Stuart, Gracen Abigail Thomas, William Ryan Traynor, Alyson Kelly Turner, Emely Charlize
Vega, Kathryn Clark Wagner, David Jaden Warmington, Princess Yahel Washington, Emma
Lucille Wannamaker, Kate Elizabeth Weaver, Avery Joseph West, Marco Kyron Williams,
John Parker Wingate, Lauren Bailey Wittig, Nolan Robert Woods, Ayeesha Sade' Wynn,
Lia Yekuel, Anand Reddy Yeruva, Shane Joseph Zbyrowski, Jordan Lake Zelen
KTA is a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication.
Graduates: Chinwendu Akalonu, Elizabeth East, Arelimar Rodriguez, Larissa Sands
Undergraduates: Tess Arnold, Ava Billotto, Hailey Brown, Samantha Cragan, Emma Eaddy, Olivia Helfen, Ashley Mallon, Sydney Martin, Abby Milkes, Davies Roberts, Brea Stone, Karina Shah, Alyssa Shaw, Elijah Threadgill, Sammie Vassallo