2026 Graduate Excellence & Impact Awardees
Exemplary Leadership & Service Award: Early Career Graduate Students
Anne-Solène Bayan, PhD student in History of Art and Visual Studies
Olivia L. Jäggi, Ph.D. student in Psychology and Human Development
Alexis Smrekar, Ph.D. student Biomedical and Biological Sciences
Exemplary Leadership & Service Award: Advanced Career Graduate Students
Lizemarie Cirone, Ph.D. candidate in Neurobiology and Behavior
Kaitlin Diggins, Ph.D. candidate in the School of Integrative Plant Science
Miranda Janelle Farricker, Ph.D. candidate in Animal Science
Aminat Modupe Ibrahim, Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering
Sujata Nandi, Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Community Access & Outreach Award: Impact on Communities Within Cornell
Big Red Tech Club
Keeping it Urban
M.Eng. Programs Support Team
Community Access & Outreach Award: Impact on Communities Beyond Cornell
Graduate Student Veterans Association
Casey Moore Impact Award
Joanna Alario, Graduate Field Assistant for the Department of Communication
Sam Benson, Associate Director for graduate affairs for MAE
Donna Wakeman, Graduate Field Assistant for Animal Science
Sharifa A. Wip, Associate Dean of Students & Director of Black Student Empowerment
Faculty Champion Award: Early Career Faculty
Dr. Megan Holycross, Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Dr. Carmel Raz, Assistant Professor in the Department of Music
Dr. Jaleesa Reed, Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design
Faculty Champion Award: Advanced Career Faculty
Dr. Tory Hendry, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology
Dr. Matt Pritchard, Sidney Kaufman Professor of Geophysics, Director, Institute for the Study of the Continents (INSTOC), Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Dr. Valerie F. Reyna, Lois and Melvin Tukman Professor in the Department of Psychology
Dr. Clifford Whitcomb, Executive Director, Director of Graduate Studies, Professor of Practice, Systems Engineering Program