The annual Schmid College Awards Night was held on May 21, 2025. Students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Schmid College of Science and Technology will earn program honors by meeting the following criteria: Students must have a major GPA of 3.500 of higher and must have completed independent research. Completion of independent research includes the submission of a scientific manuscript to the appropriate program faculty, oral presentation to the faculty, poster presentation at the Chapman University Student Symposium, and a vote by the appropriate faculty group that the research, paper, and presentation were of sufficient quality to merit honors. Contingent upon completing all requirements, the following students will receive Program Honors:

For Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program Honors

  • Joshua Abuyog
  • Sophia Alter  
  • Mariam Elrabat  
  • Mallory Fujiwara
  • McAllister Nelson  

For Biological Sciences Program Honors

  • Evan Hughes
  • Renata Spinelli  
  • Charlotte Waddell

For Chemistry Program Honors

  • Marcus Bartholomew
  • Jamie Chin  
  • Gabrielle Montgomery

For Environmental Science and Policy Program Honors

  • Alyssa Boutelle
  • Josie Lester  
  • Maisey Runkel  
  • Elena Skender  

For Mathematics Program Honors

  • Ryan Joshi 
  • Sivan Kalson  

For Nutritional Science Program Honors

  • Mikaila Teagle

For Philosophy Program Honors

  • Maleena Gaji
  • Eric Hall 
  • Szymon Kozlowski 
  • Carson LeSage 
  • Diya Patel  
  • Amala Rajagopal 

For Physics Program Honors

  • Andrew Hess
  • Serena Wamba Fosso 

Following the announcement of program honors, select students were celebrated with special recognitions. These awards honor students who have demonstrated excellence in research, service and leadership. Faculty presented these awards individually. 

American Chemical Society Orange County Outstanding College Student: Gabrielle Montgomery

“Gabby was an outstanding student in my Nanoscience and Nanoengineering class, but she came to office hours every week nonetheless,” said Professor Andrew Lyon. “During our conversations, she expressed interest in learning more about my research. Once I shared what we do, she said she really wasn’t excited about that particular work. However, once she saw our massive polymerization reactor — 5 L, 60-80 g scale — she was hooked! Since then, she has become a remarkable partner in our research, and has taken on a huge level of responsibility in the lab. She is destined to be a leader in her field.”

American Chemical Society Undergraduate Award in Physical Chemistry: Benjamin Smith

“Ben has excelled in the year-long physical chemistry sequence, which includes quantum chemistry, thermodynamics, and kinetics,” said Jerry LaRue, program director of chemistry and biochemistry. “Over the last year, he has been working on a highly technical research project involving the use of an ultra-high vacuum surface science chamber to understand the physics of methanol decomposition. His skills, knowledge and leadership on the project has propelled him to team leader, where he mentors five other undergraduate students.”

American Chemical Society Special Recognition in Environmental Chemistry: Lea Vetter

American Institute of Chemists Award: Sophie Alter

“We are very proud to award an American Institute of Chemists Award to Sophie,” said Marco Bisoffi, Associate Program Director of Chemistry and Biochemistry. “Worthy recipients have demonstrated leadership ability, character, academic achievement, and advancement potential in these chemistry-related professions. By this description, our faculty was unanimous in choosing the recipient. Sophie has engaged in outstanding research, which is part of a phase I clinical trial developed at Chapman by Dr. John Miklavcic and conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). She was invited by CHOC twice to present her work, as the only undergraduate student.”

American Institute of Chemists Award: Joshua Abuyog

“I’d heard about Josh’s leadership, engagement, and outstanding academic credentials, but when he came to me to talk about research, he lacked some confidence,” said Lyon. “Sometimes when you want a student to try something that is going to be really difficult, you just need to lie to them about the challenge. In full disclosure, that is what I did with Josh — I had him learn how to do a technique called Microrheology, which involved synthesis, complex fluids, and high resolution quantitative image analysis. He did all of that with great skill, but at the end he wasn’t sure that what he had accomplished was really all that impressive. That’s when I told him that I have in the past mentored two separate PhD students whose entire dissertations were on the topic, and that what he had done was genuinely very hard. Josh should be proud of himself for what he accomplished…it was a true challenge!”

CRC Press Chemistry Achievement Award: Mallory Fujiwara

“For over 50 years, more than 2,000 universities and colleges worldwide have participated in the CRC Press Chemistry Achievement Award program,” said Bisoffi. “It encourages and inspires recipients to pursue scientific excellence in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements in the field of chemistry. The faculty decided to award a student who clearly contributed strongly to her mentor’s research program, as shown by her outstanding Capstone presentations. I myself have seen Mallory gain and show remarkable knowledge in the chemical and biochemical sciences, and she shines academically in our classes.”

GeoCUR Award for Excellence in Student Research: Elena Skender

Outstanding Service and Leadership in Biological Sciences: Charlotte Waddell

“This award is bestowed upon a vote of the biology faculty to the senior who has exhibited the most leadership and service,” said Assistant Professor Jeremy Hsu. “Charlotte has been such a pillar in our communities — she’s served as peer advisor for the biology major for the past two years, meeting with hundreds of students, putting together countless events, and representing the major in a multitude of panels and workshops. She’s also served as the president of the Pre-Veterinary Society for the past two years, and is active in Tri Beta, our biology honors society. Beyond this, she also conducts independent research in the lab of Dr. Marco Bisoffi, where she researches the biology of osteosarcoma cancer cells. She’s been such a tremendous force here and we will miss her as she starts veterinarian school at UC Davis in the fall!”

Excellence in Biology Research: Borey Kong

“This award is bestowed upon a vote of the biology faculty to the senior who has demonstrated the highest accomplishments in research,” said Dr. Hsu. “Borey has accomplished so much in the lab! He works with Dr. Hagop Atamian, conducting independent research on the genetics of drought-resistant plants, and has impressed me with his work and scientific accomplishments. He’s presented at several national conferences, including at the National Association of Biology Teachers and the American Society of Plant Biology, and is working on a first-author manuscript for his work. In addition, he has won both a Chapman Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and a Schmid Undergraduate Research Fellowship, demonstrating his accomplishments in research!”

Orange County / Long Beach American Statistical Association Excellence in Biostatistics Award: Emily Aghajani and Ashley Agatep 

“Emily and Ashley not only performed outstandingly in their coursework, but went the extra mile by submitting their projects to the Undergraduate Statistics Class Project Competition or USCLAP, sponsored by CAUSE (Consortium for the Advancement of Undergraduate Statistics Education) and the American Statistical Association,” said Khriss Toto Pacioles, associate program director of mathematics. “Their dedication to pushing beyond classroom requirements demonstrates the scholarly engagement we value most in Schmid College.”

Outstanding Service to the Philosophy Department: Diya Patel

Finally, Outstanding Senior awards go to students who have shown exceptional leadership, academic and research ability during their time at Chapman and have been excellent mentors and role models in their programs. 

Outstanding Senior in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: McAllister Nelson

“Our faculty was united in choosing this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Senior Program Award in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,” said Bisoffi. “I have witnessed McAllister rise through and above the ranks of our rigorous curriculum, and his academics have remained impeccable. On top of that, he conducted impactful research in Organic Chemistry.”

Outstanding Seniors in Biological Sciences: Evan Hughes and Renata Spinelli

“Evan embodies what this award represents,” said Professor of Biological Sciences Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith. “Evan did awesome work both inside and outside the classroom. He also became an effective science communicator. He was the Co-President of the Tri Beta for one year, and has done wonderful things with the club, such as helping run the West Coast regional conference and the playzone at the pancreatic cancer walk.”

“I’ve had Ren in three different classes during her time at Chapman, and she has worked in my lab for two years,” said Professor of Biological Sciences Douglas Fudge. “Ren was generally quiet and unassuming in class, but I learned quickly that she was taking everything in and that nothing gets past her. She has done some impressive experiments and analysis in my lab that has resulted in achieving Honors in Biological Sciences and writing a manuscript on Atlantic hagfish energetics that we are excited to submit for publication soon.” 

Outstanding Senior in Chemistry: Jamie Chin

“Jamie has an impressive list of credentials,” said LaRue. “She has shown excellence in her academics, is the president of the American Chemical Society student chapter at Chapman and has worked in three different research groups during her undergraduate career. Whether in the classroom or the lab, Jamie is passionate about science and helping others. I have no doubt that she will go far!”

Outstanding Senior in Environmental Science and Policy: Holland Hatch

Outstanding Senior in Mathematics: Sivan Kalson

“Sivan has an intuitive mind, and pushes her inquiring mind to elucidate mathematical mysteries and beauty beyond what is taught in the classroom,” said Mihaela Vajiac, program director of mathematics. “She is inspired by the connections between differential geometry and physics, and by the incredible analytic intricacies needed to create even more of them.”

Mike W. Martin Award for Outstanding Philosophy Major: Diya Patel

Outstanding Senior in Physics: Serena Wamba Fosso