Celebrating Student Achievements in the Arts & Sciences
On May 3, 2022, outstanding Rutgers University-Newark students were honored at the School of Arts & Sciences-Newark (SASN) Annual Awards Banquet surrounded by their professors, mentors, and peers. It was the first time the ceremony has occurred in person since 2019.
Every year, the Office of Academic Services (OAS) works together with the Office of the Dean and the academic departments across SASN to present awards to a select group of students, mostly seniors, for going above and beyond in their chosen areas of study. The awards are a combination of scholarships, monetary awards and plaques or certificates.
Sofia Pinto-Figueroa, Dean of Academic Services, looks forward to the event each year and was happy to be back in person after so long.
“The SASN Annual Awards Banquet is an opportunity to celebrate and honor our undergraduate scholars," she said. "It’s a very exciting time to come together as a community with family, friends, faculty, staff and students all celebrating this amazing accomplishment that they’ve worked very hard to attain, which is their degree, and while doing so they’re being honored for their excellence in their field or in their specific area."
She added, "This event is a tradition at the university, and as well all know, one that we had to move to a virtual space for the last two years. However, we are excited to be back in person and to celebrate our exceptional students in the Campus Center this year. We appreciate everyone that was able to attend, including Chancellor Cantor, Executive Vice Chancellor Butterfield, Vice Chancellor Gunkel, all of the SASN faculty, staff, and students, and our incredible keynote speaker, Dean Jacqueline Mattis."
The event was livestreamed on YouTube for family and friends who could not attend and is available to watch in full below.
Earlier that same afternoon, 43 students were inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society, which recognizes and honors exceptional academic achievement in the arts and sciences.
The full list of 2022 awards and recipients are as follows:
Beth Niemi Award for Excellence in Women's and Gender Studies
Jubilee Rexach
Dean James Credle Award
Sarah Shobut
The 2022 Phi Beta Kappa Initiates were Kassidy Beauzil, Emely Betancourt, Giovanna Berr Bialoglowka, Nyah Campos, Priscila Cruz, Millie Doshi, Maria Basem Elsaker, Williem Christian Encarnacion, Mike W. George, Diana Grass, Martena Kamal Hana, Mhana Russel Harfouche, Sarah Elisabeth Horne, Serene Nidal Hozien, Adebisi Adedayo Ibitoye, Diana Ibrahim, Ifeanyi Spencer Ike, Laila Camille Jones, Lovena Joseph, Julia Bianca Andres Joson, Jose Liriano, Jr., Mariam Lopez, James Mendoza, Thomas Ayman Moussa, Jeremy Nifras, Ali Usama Omar, Ivana Ordonez, Simone Sandra Oropeza, Kissarne Averill Pang, Josie Zoe Pearlman, Daniel Reardon, Irmis Sabani, Samantha Sanchez, Dayanara Sanchez, Arthur G. Searle, Jenny Alexandra Sejmenovic, Ami Shah, Michaela Skelley, Maram Tai-Elkarim, Saint-Anne Thompson-Quartey, Brenda Alexandra Velarde, Niveen Wadi, and Shayaka Shakeria Wilson.
