- Media Arts chair Jill Connelly hands out awards and accolades to a group of her students at the Student Awards Brunch held near the Music Department on Wednesday, June 6, 2012. Photo: Jose Romero
An awards brunch honoring some of Pierce College’s most prestigious students was held on the lawn of the Music Department this morning June 6, 2012.
The annual Student Awards Brunch, organized by administration and faculty, recognized a total of 76 students across all departments, receiving a total of 136 awards.
Leading the brunch as Mistress of Ceremonies was Professor Kathy Oborn, with a speech commending the hard work of these students.
Emphasizing the diversity of the college, Oborn highlighted that more than half of the graduates tonight are female and nearly a third are foreign born.
Oborn then passed the stage to just-retired professor David Schutzer and College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly to begin the presentation of awards.
“Congratulations to all the people graduating today,” said Burke-Kelly. “We know how difficult it is to get through your studies.”
EJ Tormes, who served as Club Council president with the Associated Student Organization, was awarded the President’s Award by Burke-Kelly for her involvement on campus and in the community.
Tormes was noted for her involvement in the Leadership Club and Alpha Gama Sigma, an honors society on campus.
Burke-Kelly also gave mention to Tormes’ efforts in the Red Cross blood drive, Relay for Life fundraiser, and breast cancer awareness events.
Tormes has a 4.0 GPA on her way to California State University Northridge (CSUN)
“It has been an honor and a great experience here at Pierce,” Tormes said.
The few hundred attending applauded the scholarships and awards at this event that gave tribute to the efforts of these students, many of whom are graduating at tonight’s commencement ceremony.
English Professor Richard Follett, presented two awards to “outstanding students” Mayra Fernandez and Jacen Cole Shoemaker, who will be leading tonight’s graduates through the commencement as Student Marshalls.
Fernandez is transferring to CSUN and majoring in Accounting, while Shoemaker is a returning student who previously served with the United States Marine Corps in Operation: Iraqi Freedom.
“They’re chosen by the ASO, and they’re wonderful students and they’re real leaders on our campus,” Follett said.
Photos: Kristen Aslanian
2012 Student Award Recipients:
– President’s Award
Eillene Joy Tormes
– The Rocky Young Student Award
Paniz Hayati Rezvan
Academic Senate Scholarships
– Consistent Excellence Scholarship
Hien Huynh
– Most Improved Student
Travis Wolfe
2012 Graduation Student Marshals
Mayra Fernandez
Jacen Cole Shoemaker
Associated Students Organization
– Anne Gelvoria Memorial Scholarship
Carlo Gutierrez
– Michele Smith Memorial Scholarship
Andrea Murray
– Eleany Busta Outstanding ASO Service Award
Eillene Joy Tormes
– ASO Outstanding Student Award
Youna Yaghoobzadeh
– Hyman Weintraub Scholarship
Matt Teal
Anthropology
– Anthropology Department Scholarship
Sylvia DSouza, Krystel Zambrano, Juliet Piper
Philosophy & Sociology
– The Betty Odello Perpetual Scholarship
Carlos Cruz, Sylvia DSouza, Faith Singer, Jonathan Watts
– Faculty Recognition Award
Kristine Jingozian
– Philosophy and Sociology Department Student Leadership Awards
Carlos Cruz, Hovanes Hovanisian, Lauren Padick, Amir Shadabi
Theatre Arts
– Odis Ball for Outstanding Achievement in Technical Theatre
Meagan Truxal
– Jane Hawkins Award for Outstanding Achievement in Acting
Jenny Kang
– Robert Baker Award for Academic Excellence and Outstanding Contribution to the Theatre Arts Department
Bree Cardenas
Computer Application and Office Technologies
– J. Dean Arbogast Award
Gwyn Stanton
– Teresa Caruana Memorial Award
Mary Martin
– CAOT Alumni Award
Martha Benavides
-Outstanding EXCEL Student
Marissa de Leon
April Van Zandt
-Outstanding Graphics for Business Students
Rebecca Koller
-Outstanding Computerized Accounting Student
Jessica Scott
-Outstanding Beginning CAOT Student
Samira Rahman
-Most Improved CAOT Student
Ramesh Danesh
-Outstanding Beginning Keyboarding Student
Nomar Ghazarian
Garrett Mclntosh
Athletics
– Bob Lyons Award- Men’s Athletic Character Award
Richard Catabona
Leo Granato
Greg Koll
Blair Kroetz
Arsernio Jiminez
Greg Wanamaker
-Barbara Anderson Award- Women’s Athletic Character Award
Daisy Alvarenga
Samantha Elam
Skylar Lewis
Tiffany Quezada
Kathleen Wright
– Barry Zito Baseball Scholarship of Excellence
Greg Koll
Matthew Sanchez
English
– The Jack Ahmadian English Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Richard J. Follett
Ryan Akers
Counseling
-Sheila Williams Scholarship
Burnette Gutierrez
Marjorie Williams
-Jack Ahmadian Counseling Scholarship in Honor of Victoria van Tamelen-Hall
Franak Samia
Chemistry
-Howard Mell Greene Award in Chemistry
Cameron Bailey
Gabe Pollock
-Organic-Biochemistry Award
Ethan Cermeno
-Ernest Kuljan Award
Nooriel Banyan
Bobby Vanmali
-CRC (Chemistry Reference Book) Award
Julia Tossetti
-Dan Covey Memorial Returning Student Award
Debbie Testa
-Jack Ahmadian Chemistry Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Robert k. Ono
Melika Pourati
History
-History Department Scholarship Award
Melissa Anne Stone
Child Development
-Child Development Academic Achievement Award
Chistine Choi
Ailin Zabala-Corrales
Mahvash Delrahim
Teri Soto-Hernandez
Maryam Jajanpanah-Tehrani
Molly Kakuczka
Christina Larios
Angelica Muniz
Lehona Omidfar
Madlin Omidfar
-Outstanding Child Development Student of the Year
Teri Soto-Hernandez
Media Arts
– Marconi Award (KPC Radio)
Melody Soto
-Outstanding KPCRadio.com Webcast Producer (Spring 2012)
James Hermon
-Outstanding Multimedia Director (Spring 2012)
Eli Diaz
-Outstanding Podcasts (Fall 2012)
Erich Anapol
Chantel Zimmerman
-Outstanding Innovation for Tablet Publication (Spring 2012)
Amber Rose Kelly
Michaia Hernandez
-Outstanding Innovation for Website Development (Spring 2012)
Jose Romero
-Outstanding Sports Broadcasting (Fall 2011)
Ethan Hanson
-Best Cub Reporter (Roundup-Fall 2011)
Lior Kaykeen and Shannon Ma
-Best Cub Reporter (Roundup-Spring 2012)
Brittany Blust
-Most Dedicated (Fall 2012)
Coburn Palmer
-Most Dedicated (Spring 2012)
Michaia Hernandez
-Top Gun Photographer (Fall 2012)
Jose Romero
-Top Gun Photographer (Spring 2012)
Ava Weintraub
-Best Cub Photographer (Fall 2011)
Angela Tafoya
-Best Cub Photographer (Spring 2012)
Kristen Aslanian
-John Gallo Scholarship (Spring 2012)
Sonia Gurrola
-Scheibel Award (The Bull Magazine-Fall 2011)
Portia Medina
Business Administration
-Outstanding Accounting Students
Sean O’ Connell and Alice Berengut
-Outstanding International Business Student
Tony Davlatyan
Speech Communication
-Excellence in Public Speaking Award
Juliet Piper and Daniela Rubin
Mathematics
-AMATYC Student Math League
Manie Tadayan, Khoi Vu, George Lopez
Honorable Mention: Ophir Lipski and John Lubran
-Roy H. Luke Award
Shadi Mohagheghi
-Eugene R Slattery Award
Eric Talamantez
-Thomas R. McCutcheon Award
Cameron Bailey
-Math Department Scholarship
Khoi Vu
-Jack Ahmadian Mathematics Scholarship in honor of Jim N. Hardesty
Samuel Razbannia
Life Sciences
-Jack Ahmadian Life Sciences Scholarship in honor of Dr. Martin Ikkanda
Jesse Martinez
Political Science/Economics/Criminal Justice
-Sharon Levick Memorial Scholarship
Anthony Kapitanski
-The Liberty Center at Pierce College Award
1st James Sparks
2nd Trista Kretz
3rd Christopher Campos
-Sol Kaufler Award
Christopher Campos
Music
-Danielle Salyer Memorial Scholarship
Sara Greenberg
-Professor Rowan Taylor Memorial Scholarship
Robert Hudson
Art & Architecture
-The Eugene E. Kocs Memorial Award
Christopher Feghali
Geography
-John Carthew Geographical Scholarship
Sarah Alison
-Gail Hobbs Memorial Scholarship for Academic Achievement in Geography/GIS
Raymond Akol
Foundation Scholarships
-Henry Lopes Scholarship
Quratul Ain
-Donate-a-Credit
Michael Birungi
-Demming Williams Scholarship
Diane Conejo
-Goldsmith Scholarship
Cornejo Damien
-Clarence W. Pierce
Corpuz Regemralph
-General Scholarship Fund
EdrakiMotlagh Houman
-Larry Horn Memorial Scholarship
Gonzalo Gonzalez
-National Notary Foundation Scholarship
Hawkins Tramaine
-Reseda Women’s Club Agriculture Scholarship
Ivey Kathleen
-Reseda Women’s Club Agriculture Scholarship
Khodadadi Niloufar
-Joanne Mullenfeld Memorial Scholarship
Sandra Kilman
-Dr. John Thompson Scholarship
Illana Korchek
-Goldsmith Scholarship
Ernesto Marquez
-National Notary Foundation Scholarship
Ashley Miller
-Dr. John Thompson Scholarship
Errol Navickas
-Goldsmith Scholarship
Laura Novak
-Dr. John Thompson Scholarship
Laura Novak
-Crane Aerospace Scholarship
Jerry Peralte
-Spanish American Institute Scholarship
Kevin Perez
-Spanish American Institute Scholarship
Velveth Perez
-Demming Williams Scholarship
Caroline Victoria Plumridge
-Crane Aerospace Scholarship
Sylvia Rabinowitz
-Larry Horn Memorial Scholarship
Kimberly Robbins
-Crane Aerospace Scholarship
Erfan Rohanifar
-Demming Williams Scholarship
Miranda Rozzo
-National Notary Foundation Scholarship
Marina Sek
-Henry Lopez Scholarship
Yasir Umer
