School of Medicine hosts 2025 Honors & Awards Convocation

With the 2024-25 school year concluding, the Mizzou School of Medicine recently held its annual Honors & Awards Convocation. Inside Bryant Auditorium, students, faculty and alumni were recognized for their outstanding achievements.

The full list of this year’s honorees is below. Congratulations to each recipient and to the Class of 2025!

2025 Honors & Awards Convocation Photo Gallery

Arnold P. Gold Foundation

Gold Humanism Honor Society

Class of 2025

• Eboni Tri’ Nae Acoff
• Angela Ash
• Mikala Cessac
• Balaji Cherupalla
• Roee Dar
• Suma Gondi
• Sasidhar Karuparti
• Kyle Liggins
• Jennifer Marx
• Yak Nak
• Erin Nischwitz
• Samuel Perez
• Jada Phillips
• Karolina Pogorzelski
• Avery M. Schroeder
• William Shearon
• Parker Smith
• Tiffany Trzupek
• Leanna Zelle

Class of 2026

• Brooklyn Campbell
• Terrell Christian, Jr.
• Destri Eichman
• Maria Del Mar Fletcher Ruiz
• Carson Gates
• Molly Gunter
• Mollie Kate Henry
• Travis Wiley Jackson
• Danna Jenkins
• Margaret Kurop
• Kaylie Nichols
• Bailey Lauren Patrick
• Sean Pirrone
• Benjamin Rael
• Lacey Raper
• Paola Rivera
• Connor Sierra
• Michaela Thomson
• Kostandin Valle
• Karem Yucebas

Resident Members

• Stephanie Allred, MD
• Sandra Antigua, MD
• Erik Clutter, MD
• Kaley Hankins, MD
• Michelle Maskeri, MD
• Tejas Mehta, MD
• Francelyse Paul, MD
• Spencer Price, MD
• Jonathan Shumway, DO
• Jonathan Thacker, MD

Faculty Members

• Mark Ellis, MD
• Megan McMahon, MD
• Laura Morris, MD
• Syed H. Naqvi, MD
• Joel Shenker, MD
• Karen Thies, DO
• Laine Young-Walker, MD

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards

Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation

Faculty

• Hasan Nagvi, MD

Student

• Roee Dar

Alpha Omega Alpha

General Scholarship

• Savannah Williams

Class of 2025 and Class of 2026

American Medical Women’s Association

Glasgow-Rubin Certificate of Commendation for Academic Achievement

• Samantha Bale
• Anna Bauer
• Emma L. Elbert
• Lauren Gann
• Jennifer Marx
• Lauren Nowakowski
• Avery M. Schroeder
• Tiffany Trzupek
• Savannah Williams

Excellence in Public Health Award

From the U.S. Public Health Service Physician Professional Advisory Committee

• Jay Devineni

Global Health Scholars

• Eboni Tri’ Nae Acoff
• Angela Ash
• Samantha Bale
• Clayton Brinkley
• Jay Devineni
• Alexander Ganninger
• Warren Haralson
• Lauren Nowakowski
• Jada Phillips
• Karolina Pogorzelski
• Avery M. Schroeder
• Heather Louise Williams

Research Council Awards

Outstanding Medical Student Research Publication – Basic Science

• Marcus Jackson

Outstanding Medical Student Research Publication – Clinical Science

• Taylor Bosworth

Outstanding Medical Student Research Publication – Translational Science

• Brian Thomas

Doctors Richard & Jean Holt Medical Ethics Essay Award

• Alexander Ganninger – 1st Place
• Michael Bodenhausen – 2nd Place
• Lea Khoukaz – 3rd Place

Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Recognition Award

• Samantha Bale
• Brooke Barnett
• Jane McKelvy
• Madison T. Ortega
• Christine Sholy

Medical Student Affairs Council Awards

Most Improved Student Organization

• Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) // Co-Presidents: Ana Golla and Maria Orbe

Most Outstanding New Student Organization

• Critical Care Interest Group (CCIG) // Co-Presidents: Carlo Barth and John D. Israel

Most Outstanding Student Organization

• Critical Care Interest Group (CCIG) // Co-Presidents: Carlo Barth and John D. Israel

Student Leadership & Service Awards

• Aisha Kothari – Class of 2028
• Gabriella Malave – Class of 2027
• Sean Pirrone – Class of 2026
• Jay Devineni – Class of 2025

Outstanding Resident Award

• Ashir Mehra, MBBS

Excellence in Research Mentoring

• Gregory B. Beidermann, MD

Outstanding Pre-Clinical Educator Award

• Thomas P. Mawhinney, PhD

Outstanding Springfield Clinical Campus Faculty Professor

• Jean Guan, MD

Outstanding Clinical Educator

• Jack Campbell, MD

David & Kathy Morton Outstanding Faculty Educator Awards

Pre-Clinical Award

• Dima Dandachi, MD, MPH

Clinical Award

• Rony Marwan, MD

Springfield Award

• Angie Whitesell, MD

Jane Hickman Teaching Award

• Sarah Swofford, MD – 202
• Luis Polo-Parada, PhD – 2025

Dermatology

Dermatology Award for Academic Excellence

• Evadne Rodriguez

Emergency Medicine

ACEP Medical Student Professional & Leadership Award

• Rachel L. Ulbrich Schuler

SAEM Medical Student Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award

• Jacob Thoenen

Family & Community Medicine

Geriatrics Scholars Program

• Jay Devineni
• Allison Long

Geriatrics Medicine Award

• Jay Devineni
• Sai Supriya Vuda

John T. Crowe, MD, Family Practice Scholarship

• Lucie Trokey-Lamb

Ruby T. McVean Family Medicine Scholarship

• Mikala Cessac
• Leandra Morgenthaler
• Karolina Pogorzelski
• Kobe Young

Vernon E. Wilson, MD, Memorial Scholarship in Family Medicine

• Tiffany Trzupek
• Emily Winfrey

Family Health Foundation of Missouri

• Emily Winfrey

Albert D. Cross, MD, Endowment Fund

• Emily Winfrey

Medicine

Joseph J. Muscato, MD, and Mary S. Muscato, MD, Student Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine

• Allison Long

Missouri Chapter of the American College of Physicians Outstanding Clerkship Performance

• Raquel Ortiz

American College of Physicians Book Award

• Clayton L. Butcher, MD – Faculty
• Rebekah Greenspan – Student

Outstanding Performance in Internal Medicine

• John Swift
• Andrew Tucker

Jack Bragg Outstanding Medical Student in Gastroenterology

• Rebekah Greenspan

Dr. Dandachi’s Award for Medical Student in Recognition of their Contribution in Advancing Efforts to End the HIV Epidemic

• Anis Buttar-Miller

David Klachko Endocrinology Award

• Eboni Tri-Nae Acoff

Thomas W. Burns Diabetes Award for Outstanding Performance in Diabetes Rotation

• Alexandria Hofmann

Neurology

James Dexter Award

• Nisha Naseer

Warren D. Welliver Scholarship for MS

• Nicholas Fitzgerald

American Academy of Neurology Student Prize of Excellence

• Lauren Nowakowski

Pradeep Sahota, MD, Aspiring Leadership Award

• Klaudia Kukulka

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health

Outstanding Student in Obstetrics & Gynecology

• Jada Phillips

Ophthalmology

John Aure Buesseler Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology

• Christine G. Shao

Otolaryngology

Outstanding Excellence in Medical Student Education

• Emma L. Elbert

Pathology and Anatomical Sciences

S.E. Kerr Memorial Scholarship Award

• Anna Bauer

W.B. (Pete) Stewart Memorial Pathology Award

• Anna Bauer

Pediatrics

Sunil Batchu Memorial Award in Pediatrics

• Brooke Kaylyn Burton Kronk

Robert L. Jackson Award in Pediatrics

• Brooke Kaylyn Burton Kronk

Johnson Fund - Pediatrics

• Roee Dar
• Madison T. Ortega

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Howard A. Rusk Memorial Scholarship Award

• Adam Fehr

Psychiatry

James M. A. Weiss Award for Excellence in Psychiatry

• Margaret Hua

Radiology

David M. Witten Award for Outstanding Student in Radiology

• Lauren Gann

Acute Care Surgery

Acute Care Surgery Merit Award for Excellence

• Erin Nischwitz

Oncology Surgery

Excellence in Research for Surgical Oncology & Excellence in Surgical Oncology

• Maddie Brune

General Surgery

Marion S. Deweese Award for Excellence in General Surgery

• Samuel Perez

Tom & Mary Ashley Surgical Award

• Clayton Brinkley
• Aaron Meers

Neurosurgery

Samuel P.W. Black Prize for Excellence

• Sabrina Genovese

Orthopaedic Surgery

Missouri Orthopaedic Institute Award for Student Excellence

• Avery M. Schroeder
• Savannah Williams

Plastic Surgery

Outstanding Student in Plastic Surgery

• Angela Ash

Urology

Ian M. Thompson Award for Excellence in Urology

• Eboni Tri-Nae Acoff

Vascular Surgery

Donald Silver Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgery

• Shaminy Manoranjithan

Graduate Medical Education

Helpful Elephant Award

• Brian Blankenship

Medical Education Awards

Outstanding Pre-Clerkship Advisor

• Charles Kitley, MD

Outstanding Clinical Advisor

• Milot Thaqi, MD

Circle of Excellence Award

• Frank Divincenzo, MD – Faculty
• Joel M. Stancer, EDD – Staff
• Bailey Lauren Patrick – Student

Outstanding M4 Tutor Award & Scholarship

• Rachel Ingram

Outstanding Student Ambassador

• Madison Billingsley

Pathways & Legacy Awards

• Eboni Tri-Nae Acoff
• Lyzz Karanja
• Micaela Kemerling
• Avery M. Schroeder
• Rachel L. Ulbrich Schuler
• Sai Supriya Vuda
• Mikella Washburn

Rural Scholars Program Completion Award

• Madison Billingsley
• Janie Leathers Bruce
• Austin Boots
• Devin Breckenridge
• Brooke Kaylyn Burton Kronk
• Jay Devineni
• Rebecka Ernst
• Samuel Hawkins
• Austin Hotop
• Kenlee Jonas
• Marcus Mallen
• Meaghan McConkey
• Cameron Meyer
• Jay Bharatkumar Patel
• Ravi Patel
• Evan Reeves
• Ronin Rice
• Rachel L. Ulbrich Schuler
• Lucie Trokey-Lamb
• Emily Winfrey

Rural Scholars Scholarship Award

• Madison Billingsley
• Quin Blankenship
• Blair Burton
• Lilly Combs
• Madeline Dowil
• Maggie Hellmann
• Dylan Hood
• Rory Jaynes
• Dagen Jones
• Gabriela Kauffman
• Kobe Kisling
• Brooke Kaylyn Burton Kronk
• Marcus Mallen
• Cameron Meyer
  Thanh Phan
• Anna Romine
• Shelby Salisbury
• Welton Vosmith
• Madyson Williams
• Emily Winfrey

Rural Scholars Distinguished Community-Based Faculty Award

• Ray Silliman

Rural Scholars Exemplary Student Award

• Evan Reeves

Sandra J. McCurdy Dedicated Staff Award

• Ruth Sypes

Dr. Michael C. Hosokawa Turtle on a Fence Post Award

• Jill Wiggins

Medical Education Scholarships

Charles Stephen Brooks, MD, Medical Student Scholarship

• Sadie Spratt

James L. Chapel Scholarship

• Liam Cler

Harvey F. Howitt Memorial Scholarship

• Connor Sierra

Joseph & Margaret Flynn Medical Student Scholarship

• Lauren Nowakowski

Claud K. Leeper, MD, Scholarship

• Connor Sierra

Emily Ariel Bamberger Award for Compassion Scholarship

• Mikala Cessac