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