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These Wonks? Flawless.

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This year's student award winners are flawless.
Back row from left: Wisniewski, Nesbitt, Vogel, Sydnor-Greenberg, Finn, Munkwitz, and Brunette. Front row from left: Hamabe, Orfanos, McGee, Dobbs, Cannington, Simawang, Watkins, and Hall.

Some AU students wake up like this, aiming for flawless performances in the classroom, on campus, and in the community beyond. As with President鈥檚 Award winner Alexis Dobbs, the university recognizes this handful of graduating students who embody the AU ideal.

These students will accept their awards in person at President Kerwin鈥檚 Awards Program and Reception on May 9.

Academics, Flawless

PhD candidates Erica Munkwitz and Kia Hall drew honors for Outstanding Scholarship at the 蜜桃直播 Level this year. Hall鈥檚 research and service explore approaches to development in Honduras, while Munkwitz has studied women in equestrian sports of the British Empire.

Chris Jasinski wins undergraduate academic honors.

鈥淭he real credit goes to the history department,鈥 Munkwitz said. 鈥淲ithout all their mentoring and support throughout all these four years, I wouldn鈥檛 be here or be half the scholar that I am.鈥

On the undergraduate side of academic excellence, Zo茅 Orfanos and Chris Jasinski nabbed top honors. Jasinski, a first-generation college graduate from AU鈥檚 School of Communication, completed a prestigious internship with USA Today.

Orfanos took her learning into the community, where she worked with ex-offender aid and rehabilitation. 鈥淚鈥檓 a law and society major, but I鈥檝e been doing a lot outside of the classroom, because I really wanted to learn more about what that meant,鈥 she explained.

Service, Flawless

AU rewards efforts to improve campus through two Outstanding Service to the University Community awards. Graduating magna cum laude, anthropology student Jessica Nesbitt leveraged positions in Student Government鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Initiative and the Center for Diversity & Inclusion to make the university a safer space.

Outstanding service award winners.

She was more than surprised by the recognition. 鈥淭he thing is that almost every kid at AU does this much stuff, and everyone鈥檚 really committed and involved,鈥 she said. 鈥淪o, being honored as someone who鈥檚 even more so is awesome.鈥

Global Scholar Kate Brunette, who took the remaining service award, moved the university toward an even more eco-friendly and sustainable path through her roles with Eco-Sense, Fossil-Free AU, and .

Achievement, Flawless

AU has a long history of high-achieving wonks. Each year, the Student Achievement Awards go to 10 such students whose accomplishments mirror those of standout students, staff, and faculty from decades past.

Honors Program senior Alifa Watkins received the Fletcher Scholar Award for her compelling efforts in public health both on campus and even abroad during her studies in the Netherlands.

鈥淎U helped me broaden my expectations of what I could do,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t was great that I was able to hone in on these opportunities to get into my field and really make a difference that way.鈥

Honors student Tori Vogel will accept the Charles W. Van Way Award for excelling in almost every campus community-building position available, from resident assistant to orientation coordinator and peer educator.

Kitay Davidson is a champion of change.

Meanwhile, the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program鈥檚 Ki鈥檛ay Davidson led disability and LGBTQ advocacy that netted recognition from the White House. For his leadership work, he earned the Bruce Hughes Award.

As two-year editor of American Literary Magazine and passionate student dramatist, Lilly McGee鈥檚 strides to improve AU鈥檚 arts community earned her the Evelyn Swarthout Hayes Award.

She lauds the College of Arts & Sciences for the diversity of artistic options available. 鈥淲e have a fantastic literature department,鈥 she said. 鈥淥ne of the great things about it being a relatively small school is that you can dabble in different aspects of the arts.鈥

As a leader in AU Student Government, Kinsman-Hurst Award recipient Abby Finn organized the annual Founders鈥 Day Ball鈥攐ne of AU鈥檚 oldest traditions鈥攕uccessfully managing an event budget of more than $110,000.

Disability Rights Coalition founder and president Allie Cannington worked tirelessly to shape a more open, inclusive environment on campus鈥攁 fact that landed her the Harold Johnson Award.

Similarly, through positions such as director of Student Government鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Initiative, Hannah Sydnor-Greenberg earned the Cathryn Seckler-Hudson Award for an unwavering commitment to equity and justice.

Achievement & Graduation, Flawless

Charles C. Glover Award recipient Jasmine Simawang translated her passionate for business into educating others, serving as a mentor to her peers. Graduating in just three years with a position waiting for her at Ernst & Young, Simawang believes couldn鈥檛 have had a better experience at AU鈥檚 Kogod School of Business.

鈥淚t was amazing. I really like that Kogod supported my dreams,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he advising team and the Career Center supported me the entire way, and I was able to land a job in my field of accounting.鈥

When Japanese student Fu Hamabe heard she received the Carlton Savage Award for organizing student dialogue groups to promote peace in East Asia, she was thrilled on several levels. 鈥淚 felt like I was officially recognized as a student at 蜜桃直播, not just a visiting student. I鈥檓 just so grateful,鈥 she said.

Fu with a tree

Hamabe will use her award moneys to cover the cost of planting a tree on campus to symbolize peace in East Asia.


Elected Washington, D.C., Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and honors student Joe Wisniewski received the Stafford H. Cassell Award for his energy and dedication to the University and to public service. He echoed all the recipients, from academic to achievement standouts, saying the award represented a true, flawless honor鈥攈eartfelt recognition from the AU community.

鈥淲hen it was an organized group of students, faculty, and staff that came together to nominate me, that was fantastic,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have asked for anything better to end my college career. That鈥檚 the way to go.鈥