A select group of students and faculty were acknowledged for a range of accomplishments in a series of awards ceremonies held the weekend of April 12-14. The annual awards weekend brought many family members to campus to support the honorees.
President Larry Bacow presented the fourth annual Presidential Awards for Citizenship and Public Service to 20 undergraduate and graduate students from all the Tufts schools. University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS) director Molly Mead officiated the April 12 ceremony, held in Ballou Hall, after Bacow addressed the audience. UCCPS Faculty Steering Committee members Robyn Gittleman, Rose Paradis, and Kerry Maguire recounted the civic accomplishments of the honorees.
President Emeritus John DiBiaggio founded the awards program to recognize active citizenship and public service. The awards are a "significant way to communicate how highly Tufts values public service and the high standards that we apply to civic leadership activities." He said he "was moved and inspired by the extraordinary creativity and diversity of the civic leadership of Tufts undergrads and grad students."
More than 100 awards and scholarships were presented to undergraduates and faculty for excellence in a variety of academic areas at the annual Honors Convocation the evening of April 12. Associate professor of mathematics Boris Hasselblatt gave an entertaining performance as master of ceremonies, and philosophy professor Daniel Dennett delivered the featured speech, in which he emphasized the importance of learning from your mistakes. The Tufts Chamber singers also performed at the ceremony.
Among the many award recipients, economics professor George Norman was honored with the Lerman-Neubauer Prize. The award is given annually to a faculty member who seniors feel has "had a profound impact on them intellectually, both in and out of the classroom," according to the event program. Alva Couch, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, won the Henry and Madeline Fischer Award. Couch was voted "Engineer's Teacher of the Year" in a survey of engineering students. The ceremony also paid tribute to Joseph Neubauer, a Trustee and founder of the Neubauer Scholars program.
Those in attendance at the ceremony said it was essential in recognizing the accomplishments of students and faculty.. "It is important to honor academic integrity and achievement," said Development staff member Jessica Papatolicas, who helped organize the Honors Convocation. "We don't do this enough at Tufts."
At the Senior Awards Dinner on April 13, the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA) honored 13 of nearly 40 seniors nominated by professors. Created in 1955, the Senior Awards program recognizes students for academic achievement, extensive participation in activities both on campus and in the larger community, outstanding leadership qualities, and potential for alumni leadership and service in the future. Bacow, TUAA President William O'Reilly, and now-University Chaplain Reverend David O'Leary spoke at the dinner.
Presidential Awards for Citizenship and Public Service were presented to undergraduates Jennifer Albertini, Katharine Cheung, Jennifer Hirano, Beth Hofmeister, Seren Levinson, Brooke Menschel, Beth Rotenberg, Phoebe Stone, Kristi Tough, and Audra Vernon. Graduate students Kathryn Barton (Graduate School of Arts & Sciences), Eric Brum (School of Veterinary Medicine), Rachel Kyte, Anand Balachandran, Maria Stephan (Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy), Colleen O'Connor, Abdullaibrahim Abdulwaheed, and Ekaterina Butkevich (School of Medicine) also were honored with the award.
The 13 seniors to receive Senior Awards were Jennifer Bien, Daniel Callahan, Allison Collins, Shannon Gourley, Jennifer Harris, Lori Kessler, Seren Levinson, Gerald Sean McDermott, Scott Mittenthal, Alethea Pieters, Krisitn Romandetti, Michele Shelton, and Kristi Tough.
