College of Arts and Sciences
Honors Program
HONORS CONVOCATION
Video program:
Dean's Remarks
James W. C. White
Professor of Environmental Studies
Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Outstanding Undergraduate of the College
Alana Horwitz
summa cum laude, Ethnic Studies
From the Director's Perspective
Paule D. Beale
Professor of Physics
Interim Director of the Honors Program
Presentation of Honors
Paul D. Beale
Please join us in celebrating the achievements of our amazing Honors students!
![Jenna Allen leans against wall](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/jenna_allen.jpeg?itok=G9UG6zw1)
Jenna Allen
Jenna Allen is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Mathematics. She is also graduating with a BM in music performance and a certificate in music technology. Her favorite moments at CU include working on her thesis, and discovering synthesizers. After graduation in December, she plans to work full time at Areté in Longmont and continue making music. Jenna hopes to one day attend graduate school, but has yet to make a choice between mathematics and music.
![Khaled Allen with artwork in background](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/khaled_allen.jpg?itok=VfqL_RW2)
Khaled Allen
Khaled is graduating summa cum laude in mathematics, with the intention to go on to graduate studies in aeronautical & astronautical engineering, to develop robotic systems to support human space exploration. The highlight of his undergraduate career was a 1-year NASA internship at the Johnson Space Center, and his participation in integer sequence visualization research at the experimental math lab.
![Natania Bloch relaxes on a field of green grass](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/natania_bloch.jpg?itok=kkKB7HLP)
Natania Bloch
I studied History and Jewish Studies with a minor in Communications and am graduating summa cum laude. I did research with an Organic Chemistry Lab and I plan to go to medical or graduate school after graduating!
![Hannah Briner smiles and holds a cup of lemon water](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/hannah_briner.jpg?itok=6ZEqXY3G)
Hannah Briner
In December 2020, Hannah Briner will be graduating summa cum laude with a BA in English (Creative Writing) and a minor in Anthropology. During her time at CU, she worked as an editor for the undergraduate creative arts journal "Walkabout." She also developed a passion for reading and writing poetry, and she hopes to continue her studies of this subject at a creative writing MFA program.
![Drew Brown wearing a red baseball cap and standing among grasses](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/drew_brown.jpg?itok=-fZ08knh)
Drew Brown
I have enjoyed studying geology at CU Boulder and abroad at the University of Wollongong. I intent to utilize my cum laude honors as a stepping stone for graduate school, where I will be pursuing a PhD in geological sciences. The Colorado Front Range has been a beautiful kickstarted for my geological passions, and I am excited to see how my studies will translate to the further world. Sko Buffs!
![Landin Chesne smiles in front of a bookcase featuring E. E. Cummings and Calvin and Hobbes](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/landin_chesne.jpg?itok=-HGGKSdH)
Landin Chesne
Landin Chesne was born and raised in Boulder, and always knew he would follow in his dad's footsteps as a Colorado Buff. He graduates summa cum laude with a BA in English Creative Writing, and with a BA in Philosophy. While at CU, Landin participated in the undergraduate philosophy club and Laser Tag Pancakes Club, as well as an internship with the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Landin will carry the friendships and experiences he's found at CU with him for the rest of his life.
![Kylie Conway](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/kylie_conway_waterfall.jpg?itok=epMLQIMp)
Kylie Conway
Kylie isgraduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a major in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, magna cum laude. During her time here at CU, she was also a Student Ambassador for the College of A&S as well as an undergraduate researcher in the Palmer BiochemistryLab.
![Cassandra Cunningham smiles from inside a car](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/cassandra_cunningham.jpg?itok=ozAWzHfo)
Cassandra Cunningham
I am graduating magna cum laude with a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology. I was in Lancaster, England for spring 2020, but had to be sent home early because of COVID. However, I am looking at graduate school around the world as well as the U.S., so I may end up in England once more. I interned as an RA for Adam’s County Drug Court and I also interned at Alternative Homes For Youth last summer which will be my first job in my desired field as a behavioral health specialist for juvenile delinquents.
![Chiara Dart smiles for the camera](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/chiara_dart.jpg?itok=Z2zipf_V)
Chiara Dart
Chiara majored in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She worked in the labs of Dr. Andrew Martin, Dr. William Robinson and Dr. Yiqun Shellman, and participated in the Cancer Research Summer Internship and Gates Summer Internship Program on the Anschutz campus. After graduation, she hopes to ultimately pursue a PhD in a molecular biology related field.
![Alana Horwitz wears mortarboard and carries graduation gown](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/alana_horwitz.jpg?itok=6tLQEdfs)
Alana Horwitz
During my four years at CU, I became a member of seven different clubs, volunteered teaching elementary students, studied abroad in Seville, Spain, and spent a semester living in D.C., where I interned at the U.S. Peace Corps headquarters. Most importantly though, I conducted research on the academic achievement gap. I found that students who are raised in families with lower incomes receive lower test scores, and these students are disproportionately people of color. My research findings have created my passion for social justice even stronger. After graduating from CU Boulder, I hope to attend law school and eventually start my own practice specializing in Civil Rights law, in order to help create a more equitable society.
![Chang Liu smiles from a green field of grass](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/chang_liu.jpg?itok=XBAMOg1p)
Chang Liu
Hi! My name is Chang Liu, and I'm graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Integrative Physiology. I am a member of the Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Lab, mentored by Dr. Lowry and daily-mentored by Dr. Foxx. I am also a proud member of the Miramontes Arts & Sciences program. Thank you all for the support and guidance throughout my journey at CU! I’m excited for what the futureholds!
![Molly Madden smiles with the Flatirons mountains in the background](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/molly_madden_lighter.jpeg?itok=_47M4ptL)
Molly Madden
My name is Molly Madden, and I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in MCDB. During my time at CU, I was a member of the Leinwand Lab researching Freeman Sheldon Syndrome and how it altered the development of skeletal muscles. I also participated in the Beckman Scholars program where I was able to attend conferences and meet with other scholars. I recently accepted a position at Edgewise Therapeutics and I am currently helping test compounds to treat muscle diseases. At CU, I was a captain of the cycling team and I competed for the University at Mountain Bike Nationals.
![Moriah Major smiles in front of a boulder in the mountains](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/moriah_major.jpg?itok=tlM-j4FW)
Moriah Major
Hi there! My name is Moriah Major. I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in neuroscience and a BA in psychology. My time at CU has been such an immense pleasure. I have spent the past one and half years as a research assistant in the Banich Lab. I have had the opportunity to meet many incredible professors through all of my classes and while holding a leadership position in the psychology club. I am looking forward to the next adventure of my journey. I haven’t entirely decided where I will be heading next, but I plan to explore Europe and segue to Graduate school. CU has had such a monumental impact on my life. I hope to share the kindness, sense of community, and education I have received from CU with all of the people I will meet in the future.
![Austin Nash holds a marmot with mountains in the background](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/austin_nash_marmot.jpeg?itok=cEkb3c2d)
Austin Nash
Austin Nash is a Bachelor's/Master's degree student in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology with a certificate in GIS and computer science. He received summa cum laude for his honors thesis investigating how parasite infection influences alarm calling in yellow-bellied marmots. Austin is a member of the McCain Mountain Lab where he is investigating how climate change is influencing the persistence of Wyoming Ground Squirrels for his Master's thesis. After his Master's he hopes to work for a research group within the US Geological Survey or US Forest Service before completing a PhD.
![Erin Phares smiles with a waterfall and greenery in the background](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/erin_phares.jpg?itok=0ur25sSf)
Erin Phares
Erin (they/them/theirs) is graduating magna cum laude with a BA in psychology. Erin enjoys spending time in nature with friends and family, or cuddling with their two dogs Skylar, a miniature Australian Shepherd and Chloe, a rescue dog. Erin sings in two local choirs (which is difficult to do now because of covid), composes songs on the piano, and loves to read and learn. Erin's interests include social justice activism, intersectionality, and neurodiversity. They hope to become a counselor at some point.
![Katie Plain sits in an armchair in a roomful of books](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/katie_plain.jpg?itok=fsZICG_t)
Katie Plain
Katie Plain is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in English and a minor in communication. She will be pursuing an MFA in the fall of 2021. Her favorite part of attending CU was learning from the incredible professors and English faculty. She enjoyed studying in Norlin, on the benches of the Mary Rippon Theater, on the rooftop of the UMC, and under all the trees in between. She will most of all cherish the lifelong friends and knowledge she gained during her time at CU.
![Anna Pusack smiles for the camera](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/anna_pusack.jpg?itok=HCYccjqL)
Anna Pusack
I'm graduating with a degree in Astrophysics, a path that I did not know I would be on as a child. This is my second undergraduate degree, as I began to pursue my StEM interests not long after getting married. I was encouraged by my husband when he saw how much I enjoyed using our telescope. We have both returned to school to explore math and science. My work at LASP has been informative not only for the science I did, but also for what kind of research I want to pursue and the kind of work environment I want to live in. I look forward to furthering my coding and data analysis skills inthe future.
![Jarrod Reilly leans against a brick wall with a window behind him](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/jarrod_reilly.jpg?itok=S_Bko3mr)
Jarrod Reilly
I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in physics. Specifically, I am interested in the field of theoretical quantum optics. I have worked in Professor Murray Holland’s lab for two and a half years where I was involved in four projects, two in the field of laser cooling and trapping and the two in the field of many-body physics. I was second author in a publication in Physical Review A alongside graduate student John Bartolotta. I hope to return to CU for graduate school. I plan to follow this by continuing to do research as a postdoctoral student.
![Shannon Ross wears a cowboy hat and stands in a grassy field with pine trees behind her](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/shannon_ross.jpg?itok=PZyxIMl7)
Shannon Ross
Shannon studied History and EBIO (Ecology and EvolutionaryBiology) at CU. She wrote her thesis on the loss of microbial biodiversityin both the soil and human microbiome and focused on its implications for health and food security. Her favorite moments at CU were the relationships she formed over four years. She looks forward to followingher cross-pollinating interests of biology and history through storytelling: both writtenand visual, as well as working with her community to promote local food sovereignty.
![Julia Schmidt wears a white shirt and smiles for the camera](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/julia_schmidt.png?itok=TS69dwqg)
Julia Schmidt
I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in neuroscience and a certificate in global public health. I was honored to be selected as one of 50 Presidents Leadership Class scholars, a Biological Science Initiative scholar, complete an international surgical internship, and ski on the CU freestyle ski team. Upon graduation I am continuing my molecular neurobiology research, clinical trauma research, and my work with kiddos works disabilities while I apply for medical school. I am grateful for all the amazing professors and mentors during my time at CU and am looking forward to the next chapter of my education.
![The rooftop of the Old Main building flies the American flag with snowy mountains in the background](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/old_main-1.jpg?itok=2SaL-gtF)
Alec Tiger
Alec Tiger is graduating with a dual degree in Philosophy and Economics with an honors designation ofsumma cum laude, which he earned through completion of an undergraduate thesis titled "An Epistemological Genealogy of Neoliberalism". Outside of his academic achievements, his time at CU will be remembered by working at and managing the Environmental Center’s bike recycling program, playing a concert at the rec center with his noise band, and the wonderful friendships he was able to establish. His future plans are to work in the private sector while preparing for application into PHD Philosophy programs.
![Pat Todd smiles in front of a dilapidated bridge in the mountains](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/pat_todd.jpg?itok=JPyMG3B8)
Pat Todd
For the last two years Pat has focused on studying the spatial distribution of prairie dog burrows. More recently she has become interested in bridging thegap between ecological knowledge and public outreach. She is a member of the Martin lab and the caretaker of three lab salamanders. Pat is also a competitor on the CU Freeskiing Big Mountain team and spends what free time remains mountain biking and climbing.After graduating summa cum laude in the Spring with a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Pat is excited to travel to South America to further learn about the ways in which people interact with their environment.
![Mikaila Wahl wears a black sleeveless shirt and smiles for the camera](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/mikaila_wahl_photo.jpg?itok=SsEtd_nZ)
Mikaila Wahl
I will be graduating summa cum laude with a BA in environmental studies and a minor in geography. I am a Norlin Scholar, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and a member of the Volunteer Resource Center's Advisory Board, where I served a year as chairperson. I have participated in both the Public Interest Internship Experience (PIIE) and a research assistantship through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Currently, I am applying to law school, which I hope to begin in the Fall 2021 semester.
![Justin Wang wears a hard hat and smiles from the edge of a volcano](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/justin_wang.jpg?itok=trfKsrC-)
Justin Wang
Justin is very excited and honored to be graduating summa cum laude with a BA in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology and astrophysics with a minor in biochemistry. Throughout his time as an undergraduate, Justin has sent biology experiments to the International Space Station, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, and journeyed into an active volcano to explore the potential for life on Mars. Justin will be staying at CU to pursue a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, and afterwards he plans to attend medical school. He is grateful to his research advisor Brian Hynek, his mentors at BioServe, his fellow classmates, and his family that made this moment possible!
![A profile photo of Caleb Wexler in a grassy field in front of a pine tree](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/caleb_wexler.png?itok=g-Ay4jS4)
Caleb Wexler
I’m graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Physics and English Literature. I was a research assistant in the physics department and a STROBE Summer Undergraduate Research Scholar before setting my sights on a future in literature academia and writing an honors thesis on environmental literature. Over the last few years I’ve also been a member of the English Department’s Undergrad Advisory Council, the Sigma Tau Delta and Phi Beta Kappa honors societies, a learning assistant in both the Physics and English Departments, an editor for the Walkabout Journal, and a member of CU’s Rock Climbing Team.
![Dylan Wharton wears a dark button-down shirt and glasses](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/wharton_dylan.jpg?itok=v8rZo0GX)
Dylan Wharton
My name is Dylan Wharton and I am graduating magna cum laude in Physics. My thesis title is, “Development of ultrafast nano-imaging and –spectroscopy for resolving quantum phase transition and dynamics.” I want to thank Dr. Jun Nishida, Professor Markus Raschke, and the rest of the research group for the support they provided as I worked on this project.
![Joseph Wilson wears a button-down shirt and smiles for the camera](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/joseph_wilson.jpg?itok=zVcZfFLP)
Joseph Wilson
I am graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in Physics and a B.S. in Computer Science. For the last two years I have worked in the Lewandowski Lab creating a natural language processing system for physics education research. This gave me the opportunity to live and work in Norway at the University of Oslo in the summer of 2019. I am a founding father of the Colorado Alpha chapter of Phi Delta Theta. After graduation I would like to try to attend Officer Candidate School for the United States Navy or Air Force.
![Elizabeth Woolner wears an orange scarf and smiles in the sun](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/elizabeth_woolner.png?itok=x2-_-WnL)
Elizabeth Woolner
I'm Elizabeth Woolner and I'm graduating summa cum laude from the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department (BA). My thesis was a systematic literature review about entomology education, and I've done biology-sociology (including educational and attitudinal) research since my freshman year. I currently work at Earth Lab and have participated in CU in DC's summer science policy program. I’m looking forward to graduation and getting to put my science communication, education, and policy skills to work towards issues that I care about, such as conservation biology and ecological sustainability.
![Latin honors medals](/honors/sites/default/files/styles/large_square_thumbnail/public/callout/medals_fall_2019_0.jpg?itok=A_xcIfkM)
Congratulations again to our amazing Latin honors awardees!