Graduate Student Awards

2024 Awards

Penn State College of Medicine recognized 34 graduate students in 2024 for their outstanding academic and research achievements and contributions to the campus community. Graduate faculty and students nominated these exceptional individuals. Students recognized this year include:

Charles W. Hill Graduate Excellence Award

Dr. Charles “Chuck” Hill was one of the original faculty of the former Department of Biological Chemistry at Penn State College of Medicine. Arriving in 1969, Hill was a “triple threat,” respected for his research, leadership and teaching. His success in making very difficult material readily understandable and mentoring students through the rigors of becoming successful independent scientists was legendary throughout the College. Upon his retirement in 2000 and in tribute to his dedication to the success of graduate students, the faculty of this department endowed the Charles W. Hill Graduate Excellence Award as a yearly recognition for an outstanding graduate student in the department.

• Nathan Jentink

• Anastasia Hale

Richard J. Courtney Graduate Student Award

This award is named for Dr. Richard Courtney, former chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, distinguished educator and professor emeritus. Courtney was a highly esteemed and cherished leader, investigator and teacher at Penn State College of Medicine, recruited in 1991 as professor and chair. He retired in early 2012 and touched so many lives during those 20 years. Colleagues described him as a generous and self-effacing man who, through his gentle demeanor, wise counsel and unwavering commitment to science and education, became a mentor to students and associates alike. 

• Kalynn Alexander

• Elise Rizzi

Charles And Katharine Mclaughlin Award For Excellence In Teaching

• Victoria Vernail

Vernon M. Chinchilli Award For Excellence In Biostatistics And Epidemiology

• Zhizhong Tian

• Yue Zhang

Karl H. Beyer Jr., MD, PhD, Scholarship

This award is given to students who show dedication to the enrichment of their academic area of interest, as well as for their contributions to campus, the community and their disciplines.

• Skylar Bodt

• Hannah Goudsward

• Timothy Helmuth

• Natasha Morales-Ghinaglia

• Victoria Vernail

Graduate Alumni Society Award

This honor is awarded to individuals who have achieved the milestones of their degree expectations and have additionally provided their colleagues and the College of Medicine community with examples of involvement above and beyond the expected.

• Kalynn Alexander

• Anastasia Hale

• Ioannis Mouratidis

• Mackenzie Nolt

• Alexandra Nusawardhana

• Congzhou Mike Sha

• Kashif Shaikh

• Rhea Sullivan

• Zizhong Tian

• Esma Yerlikaya

• Yue Zhang

Graduate Alumni Endowed Scholarship

This honor recognizes students who have made contributions to the campus that had a positive impact on their graduate colleagues and classmates.

• Corinne Augusto

• Carli King

• Gaelyn Lyons

• Victoria Vernail

• Jesse White

Graduate Student Research Forum Leadership Award

This award is given for leadership and dedication to providing all graduate students and graduate faculty with an opportunity to share their research in the Graduate Student Research Forum.

• Sarah Latario

• Esma Yerlikaya

Graduate Alumni Endowed Service And Leadership Award

• Zari McCullers

• Kalynn Alexander

• Peter Forstmeier

• Esma Yerlikaya