The 2024-2025 Celebration of Academic Excellence recognizes student achievements such as graduating Honors Scholars and Honors Scholar Candidates, STEM Scholarship completers, outstanding students by academic discipline, recipients of Honors Program Transfer Scholarships and students who presented at the HCIR Student Symposium.
Honors Student Advisory Committee
The Honors Student Advisory Committee (HSAC) represents students within the Honors Program and brings COD students together through social events, field trips, and service.
- President: Lucille Sugarman
- Vice President: Rishi Vithani
- Treasurer: John Ogan
- Outreach Officer: Raheel Ahmad
- Marketing Officer: Khushboo Chavda
- Secretary: Dhanvi Khandal Outreach Officer: Alexander Valverde
- Marketing Officer Apprentice: Matthew Sioson
- Co-Advisor: Dr. Trina Sotirakopulos
- Co-Advisor: Kadet Alaks
Honors Awards
Honors Scholars are graduating students who have (or will complete) at least 15 credit hours in Honors courses by graduation. These graduating students maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2/4.0 and will receive the Honors Scholar designation on their transcripts. They are given a medal and gold cord to wear at Commencement.
(Graduating Spring/Summer 2025)
- Ingrid Bantugan
- Ana R. Bashqawi
- Emi E. Beaudin
- Brianna Borger
- Erol Caldir
- Alyssa M. Cordero
- Marygrace Couri
- Deven M. Denava
- Courtney R. Ewers
- Hector Franco
- Mia Halama
- Gannon Hosticka
- Yusuf D. Hussain
- Jana Jabi
- Emma R. Jahaske
- Emilija Januleviciute
- Eve C. Kaushal
- Khamiya D. Langston
- Adam Lifka
- Mik R. Meinkow
- Cheyenne C. Nape
- Tiffany Nguyen
- John Ogan
- Liliana S. Olson
- Armando G. Ramirez
- Gabrieta E. Salkovski
- Skye E. Sanford
- Lucy Sugarman
- Sing Thang
- Lainey Tran
- Joshua Yan
Honors Scholar Candidates are graduating students who have earned (or will complete) at least 9 credit hours in Honors courses by graduation. These graduating students maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2/4.0. These students receive the Honors Scholar Candidate designation on their transcripts. They are given a gold cord to wear at Commencement.
(Graduating Spring/Summer 2025)
- Bennett Allendorfer
- August T. Allington
- Anthonios S. Awad
- Tamara P. Bajek
- Wilma Bergqvist
- Trevor R. Bucek
- Elliah G. Chamberlain
- Matthew E. Eaton
- Kristel Ebeling
- Ope Fanami
- Joseph F. Fedinec
- Therese Hagen
- Nina Istomina
- Hannah Julian
- Mayah A. Kaushal
- Mishall Khan
- Elise M. Lech
- Jessica K. Nakayama
- Andrew A. Nasatsky
- Jan Louis Ornillo
- Carlo Panettone
- Brenda Perez
- Isabelle Pradeep
- Ember Seoni
- Kaustav A. Sethia
- Elisha S. Viray
- Katerina Werthaimova
The following students received generous scholarships to the following schools:
- Benedictine University: Sing Thang and Hector Franco
- Elmhurst University: Marygrace Couri
- Northeastern Illinois University: Gannon Hosticka
- DePaul University: Liliana Olsen
- North Central College: John Ogan
- John Ogan
- Bailey Svoboda
Outstanding Graduate Finalists
- Lutricia Banks
- Juan Antonio Ramos
- Ashley Stannard
- Lucille Sugarman
- Sydney Terpstra
- Richard Ward
Faculty members and staff nominated the following students for demonstrating academic excellence within a specific discipline, program or department:
- Sumaya Abuarqoub, Counseling
- Daniel Alfaro, Horticulture
- Blake Baur, Advising
- Samantha Callen, Business/Management/Marketing
- Sarah Chamberlain, NHS - DMIS
- Ashley Chavez, Theater
- Marygrace Couri, Political Science Department
- Alexander Flores, Architecture
- James Gilliard, Legal Studies
- Hannah Grogan, Office Technology
- Sabrina Guillinta, Interior Design
- Mia Halama, Speech Communication
- Kelly Hansen, Admissions & Outreach/ Student Ambassador
- Emma Hendricks, Human Services
- Benjamin Huffman, Art
- Jaclyn M. Kirchens, Nursing
- Nikola Malovic, Physical Education, Fitness & Sport Studies
- Gwyneth Mays, STEM (Chemistry)
- Aubrey McGee, Dance Program
- Katherine Medvedok, Mathematics
- Mikhaila Rose Meinkow, English
- Nafahat A. Musa, Pre-Med, Biological Science, Medical Assistant AAS
- John Ogan, Sociology
- Youstina Sarofim, Chemistry
- Catherine Smith, Education
- Ava Thanos, Humanities
- Luv Vithani, Student Life
- Genevieve Wagner, Accountancy Program
- Danielle Whitman, Athletics
The following students have completed the STEM Student Success Scholarship program funded by the National Science Foundation:
- Jaylin Adame
- Jose Amezquita
- Muskan Bari
- Max Cychosz
- Brittany Flores
- Ezekiel Lopez
- Zachary Merchant
The following students gave research presentations at the HCIR Student Symposium on March 1, 2025. The symposium was hosted by Governors State University’s Honors Program.
- Jade Cano
- Polina Deriy
- Yusuf Hussain
- Kendalla Puckett
- Samuel Salvador
- Jamie Sticha
- Lucille Sugarman
- Kadee Swanson
Selected by the Honors Student Advisory Committee with input from the Honors Program students:
- Dr. Leslie Wolf