Nearly 60 Students Recognized at Pinning Ceremony
November 17, 2025
By Katya Hrichak
The Graduate School welcomed nearly 60 new Dean’s Scholars at an October event to honor students who were nominated and selected for this distinction for their demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and service. Dean’s Scholars are also recognized for their strong potential to contribute significantly to Cornell’s founding principle of “… any person … any study” and to help cultivate a community of belonging where scholars representing different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect.
At the ceremony, each scholar received a pin with a gold center containing the Cornell seal, representing the scholars’ achievement, surrounded by an outer ring of silver, representing their persistence.
“I am inspired by the ways you’ve sparked change, built bridges, and lifted others up, both here at Cornell and in the communities you come from,” said Thomas A. Lewis, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education, during the ceremony. “You bring with you a rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and talents, and I’m so grateful you’ve chosen to share them with us.”
Newly pinned students join a community of 350 currently enrolled Dean’s Scholars, providing them with the opportunity to establish and maintain connections across graduate fields by engaging in professional and community development events offered through the Graduate School and campus partners.
During her remarks at the ceremony, Dean’s Scholar and psychological science and human development doctoral candidate Rikki Laser shared with incoming Dean’s Scholars what this opportunity has meant to her.
“Overall, graduate school has been the most challenging and the most exhilarating time in my life. Throughout it all, this community has supported me, grounded me, and made my time and work here more fulfilling,” she said. “I am so excited for all of you to find the communities that do the same for you.”
Even just a few months into their graduate programs, newly pinned scholars are already experiencing the benefits of joining this group of peers.
“This community of scholars inspires me to pursue excellence and creativity in both my academic endeavors and personal life,” said Julianna Harden, a doctoral student in plant biology. “Being a Dean’s Scholar is not only an immense honor, but also a profound responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the diversity of people and perspectives that define Cornell University.”
For Hannah DeFelice, a doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology, becoming a part of this community is also an inspiration to pay it forward.
“To not only be accepted to Cornell but also to be recognized as a Dean’s Scholar is such a big recognition and beyond what I would have imagined myself capable of when I first started college,” she said. “It also gives me a sense of duty—that I need to use this to serve others and my community.”
Everlynn Khamjoi, a doctoral student in communication, and Raul Armenta, a doctoral student in sociology, look forward to the variety of events Dean’s Scholars are invited to participate in.
“I look forward to building new relationships with people from diverse backgrounds,” said Armenta. “It’s inspiring to learn about others’ experiences that I might not have encountered outside this brilliant community.”
The Graduate School Dean’s Scholars program is led by Associate Dean for Inclusion and Student and Faculty Engagement Sara Xayarath Hernández. Many Dean’s Scholars are recipients of competitive fellowships awarded by the Graduate School and partnering colleges, while others are funded via other internal or external sources.
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