Spring 2021 Latin honors awardees Corlett through Graham

Chris is graduated summa cum laude in Psychology. His immediate post-graduation plans are to find a job as a professional research assistant while honing his statistical knowledge and R Studio skills. He also plans to learn the coding language Python. After that, he plans to pursue a PhD in social or clinical psychology with the intent to discern useful insights of human behavior or develop effective mental health interventions.

Lizzy is graduating magna cum laude with a double major in international affairs and Spanish. During her time at CU Boulder, she was an active member of several clubs, both on and off campus, as well as worked at a local law firm. Following graduation, she hopes to work with immigrant communities and help other first-generation students enroll in higher education. In her free time, she enjoys figure skating, painting, and kung fu.

Hi my name is Courtney Cote and I am graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in Anthropology. I wrote my Honor’s Thesis on the manufacturing and potential variation in the ancient Mesoamerican pigment Maya Blue, which has been such an incredibly immersive and educational experience. I have been able to work on the Maya Blue project thanks to a research assistantship made possible through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. I plan to attend graduate school in the Fall of 2022 to study archaeology, and in the meantime will be focusing on getting as much experience as I can in both the lab and in the field.

Kara has enjoyed her busy time at CU Boulder getting a dual degree with a Bachelor of the Arts in English Creative Writing and a Bachelor of the Fine Arts in Acting (where she will graduate with manga cum laude), along with a minor in Education. She worked as co-president of the only theater club on campus and put up the Student Fringe Festival in the Spring two years in a row (the second unfortunately canceled by Covid). She has worked on multiple productions each semester and has learned a lot about the entertainment industry that she is very excited to join upon graduation. Her main highlights of undergraduate were poetry workshops, directing class, an internship with RADICALMEDIA, working on PBS American Portrait, and adventures with friends.

I'm graduating summa cum laude with a BA in English Literature and Economics; my thesis was titled "A Model of Electoral Competition with Media Bias." During my time at CU I most enjoyed spending time outdoors with my dog, Jonny, and engaging with my friends and professors.

Jack Davis was awarded magna cum laude in Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology for his thesis “The Effects of Acute Oxytocin and Mu-Opioid Antagonism on Pair-Bond Maintenance in Monogamous Prairie Voles".

I majored in Economics with a quantatative emphasis as well as Spanish. I received Magna Cum Laude for my honors thesis which examines a possible relationship between the use of aerial cable cars as transportation and lowered crime rates in the different comunas and zones of Medellín, Colombia. The idea to write my thesis on this topic came from the idea that there are better ways to decrease crime than to increase policing. In the summer I plan to begin working on my Master’s from CU Boulder in Business Analytics.

Hello! I'm graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in Physics. I did my research on solar spectral data and CubeSats under Dr. Erik Richard at LASP and had a fantastic experience. I'm looking forward to pursuing a research career in astrophysicss starting with graduate school at Stony Brook University. I'm grateful that I was able to experience so much during my time here, I had wonderful experiences inside the classroom, with the CU gymnastics team, and on my own exploring Colorado and taking photos.

I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA's in Physics, Mathematics, and Geological Sciences. I worked in both the Sheehan geophysics group, where I studied seismology and deep continental earthquakes and the Zhong geophysics group, where I studied climate-induced viscous dissipation in the Earth's mantle. I have been an officer/member of the CU Equestrian team for my entire time at CU and a member of the CU Cycling team for the last three years.  After graduation, I am going to work for the USGS at Moffett Field, CA on earthquake early warning algorithms, and I intend to apply to graduate schools in the fall.

Shay is graduating with a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Cinema Studies. During her time at CU, she had has held officer positions in the Society of Environmental Engineers, and in the CU Wildlife Club. She has also been a member of the Taylor Lab since sophomore year and is very passionate about environmental sustainability. After graduating with her BA, Shay hopes to travel and pursue some freelance photography and filmmaking before going to grad school.

Rita Maria Aires DiSibio (they/them/theirs) is graduating summa cum laude, with distinction, with a BFA in Acting. While at CU, they performed in a total of eight official Department of Theatre and Dance shows, two of which resulted in a nomination to compete in the Region VII KCACTF Acting Festival. They have also performed in the department's Fringe Festival and New Play Festival. Over the past two years, they have had four of their own plays accepted into the New Play Festival, and they will have two poems and one short story published in this year's Honors Journal. Rita has been the recipient for both the Riddle Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre and the Mable Gaiser Borgmann Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Alex Doner is graduating summa cum laude with a B.S. in Engineering Physics. His favorite moments on campus were spent at the IMPACT research lab  with his classmates and professors as well as playing a variety of club and intramural sports. After graduation he will be continuing his studies at CU on the PhD track in Physics.

Jake Drewes is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. While at CU, he was a four-year member of the "Golden Buffalo" Marching Band where he played trumpet every Saturday in Folsom. Jake was also a part of the 2017 class of Daniels Scholars as well as the CU Biological Sciences Initiative. He will be working in the Garcea lab as a lab technician after graduation. After that, he will be attending graduate school somewhere TBD! Go Buffs!

Ellie is graduating summa cum laude with a degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and a certificate in Public Health. During her time at CU, Ellie founded the student organization HIVE, served on the executive board of Best Buddies, and coached elementary school running through Girls on the Run. A highlight of her college career was studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh. Ellie's thesis investigated the use of exercise for ameliorating symptoms and comorbidities experienced by people living with HIV, and she hopes to ultimately attend medical school to further her passion for improving the quality of this population.

Anna Estes is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Astrophysics. She also majored in Sociology, and has experience with political organizing in the Boulder/Denver community. In her time at CU, she worked both as a Resident Advisor on-campus and as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) Department. Additionally, Anna served as a mentor and an organizer for the CU-Prime Physics Mentorship Program. She will be pursuing her PhD in Astrophysics from CU Boulder beginning in the fall.

I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Sociology and a BA in Anthropology, with two minors in Education and Data Science. My favorite experience during my time at CU was participating in Summer Abroad program in London.  After graduation, I plan to gain experience working in data analysis in the education or sociology field before pursuing a graduate degree.

Esmé Fahnestock is grateful for her time studying with the CU Geography department, as it has given her tools to understand what makes the world tick. She has also been grateful for her experiences working as an intern with the CU Boulder Affordable Housing Research Initiative. As she graduates from CU, she will carry the many lessons she has learned from her time in Boulder with her.

My name is Bryce Fausnaught and I'm graduating magna cum laude. While at CU Boulder, I double majored in MCDB and Neuroscience. Thanks to the Beckman Scholar Program, I began working in the Spencer Neuroendocrinology Lab after my Freshman year in the summer of 2017 and presented my research at the Beckman Symposium in Irvine the following summer. With additional funding from the Biological Sciences Initiative in 2019, I continued my research in the Spencer Lab. My work examines time-of-day differences in emotional learning behavior in rodents and I hope to publish more complete findings on my research soon. In the future, I would like to continue researching areas of interest to me such as neuroprosthetics and brain-computer interface.

Zoe Fischoff is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Theatre and a minor in English Literature. While at CU, she developed an interest in dramaturgy and literary management. She received a KCACTF Meritorious Achievement certificate for her dramaturgy work on CU’s production of A Broadway Christmas Carol in 2019, and this year worked as a literary intern for BETC where she helped in the development of their Science Shorts festival.

I am graduating summa cum laude with a major in political science and minors in Spanish and economics. I spent spring semester of my junior year studying in Costa Rica. I have participated in several political internships throughout my time here at CU, including working for State Senator Brittany Pettersen's 2018 campaign and working at US Senator Michael Bennet's Denver office. I wrote my honors thesis on the relationship between Democratic values and vote-choice. After graduating I plan on taking a gap year before attending law school.

Marissa Fugardi is graduating Summa Cum Laude in environmental studies with a minor in philosophy. Post-graduation she hopes to put her skills toward promoting widespread environmental values through policy and education.

I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Environmental Studies and minors in Political Science and Geography. During my time at CU, I worked as a work study assistant at the Institute of Behavioral Science where I helped professors with their academic research. I also studied abroad for two semesters in Peru and Australia through The School for Field Studies, and conducted field research that I utilized for my honors thesis. After graduation I hope to pursue a career in environmental policy and law!

Natalie Furtick is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Sociology and minors in French and Dance. Her favorite moments at CU include playing ultimate frisbee with the CU Womxn's Club Program, working with an amazing student team and supervisor at Career Services, and finishing her thesis! She also enjoyed her semester abroad in Dakar, Senegal where she interned with a migrant/refugee center. After graduation in May, Natalie is very excited to work for The Choice Program at University of Maryland Baltimore County, an organization that strengthens communities through innovative, family-focused strategies to connect youth to opportunities for positive choices.

Mariana (Mar) is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Women & Gender Studies and Sociology. In their time at CU, in addition to their honors thesis research, they've also worked on research in social movements, intersectionality, and Latino politics with Dr. Celeste Montoya, and they worked as a policy intern and community organizer with the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR). They are also a proud member of the Miramontes Arts and Sciences Program (MASP). They hope to pursue a PhD in Political Science after taking a few years off to continue working in Reproductive Justice and Colorado Latino politics.

Adam is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in political science. After graduation, he plans on working for a law firm in downtown Los Angeles during his gap year before law school.

Hi, my name is Ledya Gebrehiwot. I am graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Integrative Physiology and a minor in Business. I was mentored by Dr. Celine Vetter and was a member in the CASEL lab where I learned and grew a lot. I want to thank Dr. Vetter and Dr. Katharine Semsar for guiding me through my college years and helping me complete my honors thesis! I can't wait for what the future holds!

Jess Ghent is graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Geology. She arrived at CU Boulder as a transfer student from Front Range Community College and strongly advocates for programs that help fellow non-traditional students pursue their education. Throughout her undergraduate experience, Jess participated in research internships with UNAVCO and CU Boulder and has presented her work at a number of scientific conferences. She has been accepted into a PhD program at the University of Washington in Seattle and will be working alongside UW faculty and staff at the Cascades Volcano Observatory to improve real-time monitoring of active volcanoes.

Asma is getting a BA in the Biochemistry department. Her thesis was on how upstream open reading frames may allow some insight into ovarian aging in mammals. She did her research with the Johnson Lab located at the Anschutz Medical Campus. Her research has allowed her passion and curiosity within the reproductive sciences to grow. She will be attending graduate school in the fall at the University of Oxford to study clinical embryology.

Originally from a small town in Tennessee, Zach came to Colorado to pursue a better education and opportunities. Always interested in science and how the world worked, he quickly began to enjoy his time in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology program at CU. He became interested in using his scientific mindset to pursue a career in the Cannabis industry. Zach found the Kane lab at CU through their groundbreaking Cannabis genomics research. There he pursued a departmental Honors Thesis studying Flowering Time and Related Genes in Cannabis. For this, he graduates with Latin Honors, Magna Cum Laude. Zach hopes to continue his passion for Cannabis research by attending graduate school in the near future, then entering into the Cannabis industry.

Arina is graduating with a BA in International Affairs and a BA in economics. She has greatly enjoyed her time at CU and will miss all the wonderful friends she made here. In the future, Arina is hoping to attend law school and pursue a career in international law.

I will be graduating summa cum laude with a BA in Political Science. I've been a work-study for the PSCI front office for the past four years. I was also a member of Phi Alpha Delta and Pi Sigma Alpha. I hope to go to law school and continue down my educational path. I would like to thank my parents, professors, and co-workers. I couldn't have done any of this without all of the wonderful help I received.