The Chawla/Ochoa Academic Achievement Award

Presented to students who have shown a commitment to enhancing their educational experience through research, conference presentatins, and published works, while maintaining a high level of academic achievement (cumulative 3.3 GPA or higher).

Our Namesakes: Drs. Kalpana Chawla and Severo Ochoa

Dr. Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-American woman to fly in space. She was selected for a second flight in 2000 and tragically died in the 2003 Columbia disaster. She logged 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space.

Dr. Severo Ochoa was born in Spain in 1905 and naturalized to the United States in 1956. Four years later, in 1959, He received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work with Dr. Marianne Grunberg-Manago in discovering an enzyme that builds RNA and DNA.

Award Recipients

Current and Past award recipients along with their majors. Congratulations to all our awardees!

Nandini Agarwal, Environmental Science

Nicola Cosentino Lanari, Exercise Science

Nicole Farias, Business Administration; Concentration in International Business

Ishmeet Kaur, Computer Science

Vanessa Mpofu, Computer Science

Janaissy Pineda Alvarez, Integrated Marketing Communications

Logan Scully, Exercise Science/Sports Science

Alexis Troncone, Politics

Undarmaa Tserenkhuu, Film, Photography, & Visual Arts

Sarake Dembele, Architectural Studies

Guadalupe Fanelli, Cinema Production/Screen Cultures

Ranjini Iyengar, Biochemistry

Quinn Tufino, Biochemistry

Alissa Michele Cooney, Athletic Training

Emily Hung, Television & Digital Media Production/Legal Studies

Frances Alia Bu, Speech Pathology/Audiology/Deaf Studies

Jeannette Elizabeth Rodriguez, Film, Photography, and Visual Arts/Business Administration

Julie Ann Raigosa, Business Administration; Finance Concentration/Spanish/Economics

Kristin Cady-Grace Ho, Occupational Therapy/Deaf Studies

Mia Loretto, Sociology, Politics

Nano Win, Health Sciences/Health Policy & Management/Chemistry

Stephanie Monteiro, Music/Journalism

Theo Mitchell Summerville, Environmental Science

Julia Batista, Integrated Marketing Communications

Catriona Ferguson, Spanish

Phung Huynh, Biology

Jessica Ketterer, Communication Management & Design

Khangelani Mhlanga, Biology

Emma Robinson, Occupational Therapy

Antara Sen, Physics/Mathematics

Gabrielle Topping, Journalism

Jessica Wang, Psychology

Chanelle Ferguson, Writing

Maya Lewis, Photography

Oluwasekemi Odumosu, Physics

Fiona Okumu, Writing for Film, TV, & Emerging Media

Daniela Rivero, Social Movements/Latinx Studies

Indira Varma, Sports Media

Yemi Afolabi, Computer Science

Diana Castillo, Journalism

Guillermina Castro, Accounting & Business Administration; Concentration in Finance

Margaret Chan, Music Education

Quenton Kimble, Communication Studies

Aisha Mae Mughal, Politics