Honors Night

UNM-Valencia Honors Night Assembly

April 30, 2025

Welcome
Dr. Samuel Dosumu, Chancellor, UNM-Valencia

Keynote Address
Dr. Piotr Filipczak, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, UNM-Valencia

Awards and Recognitions
Dr. Laura Musselwhite, Dean of Instruction, UNM-Valencia

Academic Awards

Valedictorian

For the graduating student with the highest cumulative GPA.
Presented by Joseph Burgess, Manager of Enrollment Services
Recipient: Riley Coe

Salutatorian

For the graduating student with the second highest cumulative GPA.
Presented by Joseph Burgess, Manager of Enrollment Services
Recipient: AAliyah Salazar

Dean's List

For outstanding academic achievement. To qualify, a student must have completed at least six credit hours at VNM-Valencia with a GPA of 3.5 or above.
Recognized by Dr. Laura Musselwhite, Dean of Instruction
Recipients: TBA

Phi Theta Kappa

Members of the Beta Zeta Zeta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international two-year/community college honor society, must have completed twelve credit hours at UNM-Valencia, with a GPA of 3.5 or above.
Presented by Kaydra Townsend, Student Success Specialist Senior and PTK Advisor
Recipients: Vanessa Abeyta, Julissa Arias, Elizabeth Borjas, Yesenia Casillas, Ashley Chavez, Destiny Chavira, Riley Coe, Yvonne Contreras, Kiara Dille, Michael Dombrowsky, Veronica Haglund, Kyleigh Kent, Brian Thomas Kuchar, Ayleen Morales, Abby Murphey, Eden Ortega, Aaron Parra-Erivez, Rhoda Rivera Ross, Adriana Scazzero, Emily Schiller, Neil Schwartz, Celestina Shirley, Faustin Torres, Samantha Valenzuela, DeMarius White,
Izabel Zamora

Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Chapter Officer

A leader who has demonstrated exceptional initiative and responsibility.
Presented by Kaydra Townsend, Student Success Specialist Senior and PTK Advisor
Recipients: Julissa Arias, Kiara Dille

Phi Theta Kappa Emerging Leader

For a first-year officer who has shown great promise and commitment. Presented by Kaydra Townsend, Student Success Specialist Senior and PTK Advisor
Recipient: Faustin Torres

Phi Theta Kappa Excellence in Leadership and Service

For an officer who consistently models servant leadership and contributes beyond their role.
Presented by Kaydra Townsend, Student Success Specialist Senior and PTK Advisor
Recipient: Neil Schwartz

Phi Theta Kappa Community Impact

For a member who contributed significantly to a service or outreach project.
Presented by Kaydra Townsend, Student Success Specialist Senior and PTK Advisor
Recipient: Neil Schwartz

Phi Theta Kappa Chapter Support

For officers who provided steady behind-the-scenes support and maintained a positive presence throughout the year.
Presented by Kaydra Townsend, Student Success Specialist Senior and PTK Advisor
Recipients: Kyleigh Kent, Eden Ortega

Best Piece of Historical Writing

For the student who produces the best short response or essay in a history course. Chosen by the history faculty.
Presented by Dr. Scott Kamen, Assistant Professor of History
Recipient: Emily Schiller

Excellence in Self Realization in the Fine Arts

For fine arts students who have experienced self-realization and personal growth in an art medium, subject, or technique. Chosen by the fine arts faculty.
Presented by Jonathan Sims, Assistant Professor of Film and Digital Media
Recipients: Zachary Beckett, Samantha Martiss

Outstanding First-Year Composition Project

For students who produce outstanding first-year composition projects (essays or multimodal) in English 1110, English 111OZ, or English 1120. Chosen by the English faculty and consultants from the Writing Center.
Presented by Justin Bendell, Chair of the Humanities Division and Associate Professor of English
Recipients: Alexandra Munoz, Michael Onyemalu, Kaydence Orr

Outstanding Creative Work

For students who produce outstanding creative works (story, poem, non­ fiction, or multimodal) in any English class. Chosen by the English faculty and consultants from the Writing Center.
Presented by Justin Bendell, Chair of the Humanities Division and Associate Professor of English
Recipients: Rymer Hewitt, Craig Biberston (honorable mention), J.J. Conn (honorable mention)

Nursing Awards

Nursing Academic Award

For the student with the highest graduating GPA in the program. Presented by Joseph Poole, Nursing Program Director
Recipient: Anyssa Gabaldon

Nursing Spirit Award

For the student who best epitomizes the principles of Nursing practice, particularly among peers. Chosen by the students.
Presented by Joseph Poole, Nursing Program Director
Recipient: Nuhn Alhassan

Florence Nightingale Award

For the students who best exemplify a spirit of service to the program. Chosen by the faculty.
Presented by Joseph Poole, Nursing Program Director
Recipients: Alexis Ordonez, Madisyn Ross

Clinical Bedside Care Award

For excellence in bedside care as identified by the nursing clinical faculty.
Presented by Joseph Poole, Nursing Program Director
Recipients: Jacob Chavez, David Saldana

Nursing Class Speaker Award

Identified by the nursing graduating class. The individual speaks on behalf of the class at the nursing pinning ceremony.
Presented by Joseph Poole, Nursing Program Director
Recipient: David Saldana

Nursing Program Director's Award

For a student who has overcome substantial difficulties while in the nursing program.
Presented by Joseph Poole, Nursing Program Director
Recipient: Madeline Chavez

Special Recognition Awards

Outstanding Next Steps: Adult Education Student for High School Equivalency
For a student with outstanding achievement in the Next Steps: Adult Education program in the following areas: class participation, attendance, assignment completion, communication skills, and being a team player.
Presented by Susan Yasenka, Next Steps: Adult Education Manager
Recipients: Yanarah Brieno, Samuel Romero

Outstanding Next Steps: Adult Education Student for English Language Learner

For a student with outstanding achievement in the Next Steps: Adult Education English as a Second Language program.
Presented by Susan Yasenka, Next Steps: Adult Education Manager
Recipient: Yolanda Viveros

Next Steps: Adult Education Scholarship Recipients

For students with outstanding achievement in the Next Steps: Adult Education program.
Presented by Susan Yasenka, Next Steps: Adult Education Manager
Recipients: Adelaido Coker, Carmen Rocio Morales Chanez

Outstanding TRiO Student

For a student with outstanding achievement in the TRiO program in the following areas: GPA; engagement with the program, its services and activities; and perseverance.
Presented by Josh Owen, TRiO Student Success Specialist Sr.
Recipient: Heather Lawson

PASOS Peer Mentors

For the Peer Mentors in the PASOS Resource Center, because they serve an essential need in the students' academic journey by nurturing students' success, creating a safe and open environment for their peers, supporting students' academic pursuits, and assisting them in overcoming barriers to success.
Presented by Katie Abrego-Lozano, Student Success Specialist Senior, and Shalaine Castillo, Education Specialist
Recipients: Darryl Garcia, Link Juarez, Soren June, Richard Padilla, Graysen Riedel

Campus Peer Tutors

We wish to honor the tutors on campus in TRiO, the Learning Center, and the Writing Center, for their dedication to their learners and showcasing skills in kindness, patience, effective questions, and creating a welcoming atmosphere for students.
Presented by Shalaine Castillo, Education Specialist, Dr. Patricia Gillikin, Professor of English and Writing Center Director, and Josh Owen, TRiO Student Success Specialist Senior
Recipients: Valeria Acosta-Marta, Katie Baldonado, Leah Chavez, Raquel Corral, Alistair Gillikin, Thomas Lakeman, David McKee, Galilea Mendiola, Jimena Mendiola, Maria Reina Miranda-Cordova, Aaron Parra-Erivez, Nayeli Rivas , Dylan Romero, Stephanie Romero, Moriah Sonnenberg, Rosalie Tapia, Layla Taylor

NCUR Conference Presentation Awards

For students who presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research this year.
Presented by Dr. Elisa DiMenna, Lecturer Ill in Sciences and Undergraduate Research Coordinator
Recipients: Veronica Batista, Leah Chavez, Rosa Sisneros-Jimenez

Student Spirit Award

For the student who best demonstrates dedication to campus life, activity in school and community projects, and promotes school spirit to fellow students, faculty and staff Chosen by the student body.
Presented by Armando Bustamante, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Success
Recipient: Julissa Arias

Community Engagement Award

For the student who has shown significant outreach and service to the local and campus community. Chosen by the student body.
Presented by Armando Bustamante, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Success
Recipients: Emily Schiller

Student Leadership Award

For the student who best demonstrates the qualities of a positive leader, and shows exemplary leadership in campus and community activities while maintaining high academic standards. Chosen by the student body.
Presented by Dr. Samuel Dosumu, Chancellor
Recipient: Neil Schwartz