May 20, 2025

On May 15, 2025, faculty and students from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies were recognized for their achievements at a Pre-commencement awards ceremony. Congratulations to all honorees!

Division of Biomedical Science Programs Student Awards

Bondi Award

• Emily Esquea, PhD (advisor: Mauricio Reginato, PhD)
  Program: Molecular & Cell Biology & Genetics
  Thesis title: Targeting Metabolic Vulnerabilities in Breast Cancer Brain Metastatic Cells
• Ashley Opalka, PhD (advisor: Dong Wang, PhD)
  Program: Neuroscience
  Thesis title: Retrosplenial Neuronal Subpopulations and Their Inputs: Dynamics During Slow-Wave Sleep and Memory Processing

Dr. Jane Clifford Best PhD Dissertation Thesis

• Emily Esquea, PhD (advisor: Mauricio Reginato, PhD)

Dr. Jane Clifford Best Master's Thesis

• Tisha Desai, MS (advisor: Srinivas Somarowthu, PhD)

Division of Interdisciplinary and Career Oriented Programs Student Awards

Academic Excellence Awards

• Biomedicine and Business: Aubrey Errickson
• Biomedicine and Cell and Gene Therapy: Brandi Hambly
• Biomedicine and Law: Julia DeWitt and Razan H. Elhag
• Biomedicine and Digital Media: Gianna Pfister-LaPin
• Clinical Research Organization and Management: Alyssa-Brianna Berenguer and Billie Crawford
• Clinical Research for Health Professionals: Amna Sohail, MD
• Drug Discovery and Development: Katelyn Dalphon, Austin Kooker and Jesty Patel
• Immunology: Anne Garnett DeHart
• Infectious Disease: Kaila Orlandini and Alexa Williams
• Laboratory Animal Science: Catherine Celi
• Molecular Medicine: Aileen von Dziembowski
• Pathologists’ Assistant: Lucie A. Bennett-Stein

Division of Pre-Medical and Pre-health Programs Student Awards

Academic Excellence Awards

• Drexel Pathway to Medical School: Stella Shuai
• Biomedical Studies: Imran Alam
• Intensive Medical Sciences: Ayaan Memon
• Interdisciplinary Health Sciences: Diego Molina

Common Good Award

• Hemani Patel
• Arathi Pillai

Excellence in Teaching Assistance Award

• Jordan Dowtin-Dorsey

Faculty Awards

Division of Biomedical Science Programs

• Best Advisor/Mentor: Jacqueline Barker, PhD
• Best Student Advocate: Peter Gaskill, PhD
• Best Professor: Michael Nonnemacher, PhD

Division of Interdisciplinary and Career-Oriented Programs

• Best Adjunct Professor: Rebecca Spangenberg, MLAS
• Best Mentor: Erin Vogelsong, MS
• Best Professor: Robert Sterling, PhD

Division of Pre-medical and Pre-health Programs

• Best Adjunct Professor: Stephanie Matt, PhD
• Best Mentor: Monika Jost, PhD
• Best Professor: K. Chava Hurley, PhD