College students and faculty dressed in commencement gowns singing behind a podium.
Singing the Russell Sage alma mater at the 2023 Honors Convocation ceremony on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Tamara Hansen)

More than 50 students were recognized at the annual Honors Convocation ceremony, which followed the Undergraduate Research Day on April 26, 2023, at the Armory on Russell Sage’s Albany campus.

The 2022 Faculty Member of the Year, Marci Murphy, assistant professor of biology and health sciences, addressed the crowd, and Lynn Capirsello, an assistant professor of interior and spacial design, was announced as the 2023 recipient of the Faculty of the Year Award.

The student award recipients were:

Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Rebecca Sauer

William F. and Mary C. Kahl Award for Valedictorian

Jacqueline Hilliard

William F. and Mary C. Kahl Award for Salutatorian

Department of Biology and Health Sciences

Zahra Arshad 

Nancy G. Slack Award

Brooke Martinez

Outstanding Student Award in Health Sciences

Julia Gerringer

Bhatt Award in Biology 

Jaynie Sardos

McMorran Biology Award

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Haneefa Etimady 

Stedman Award 

Sophie Macner

Van Dervoort Memorial Award

Husna Majid 

Chemistry Majors of the Class of 1965 Award

Danielle Williams

Chemistry Majors of the Class of 1965 Award

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Thomas Carney 

Outstanding Student in History (Charles and Helen Upton Award)

Hayden Crandall 

Dorothy Slocum RSC 1921 Sociology Award Fund

Hayden Crandall

Linda and Peter Hoffman Award in Sociology

Hassatou Diallo

Chavez-King Award

Ryann Hotaling

Outstanding Student in Criminal Justice (Douglas E. Stanley Criminal Justice Award)

Renna Poulin

June Joyce Herron Award for Excellence in English

Douglas Sato 

Cynthia Crocco Spector ’74 and Dr. Sherman David Spector Fellowship 

Douglas Sato 

Nancy Parker Neumann Memorial Travel Award

Delicia Thomas 

Donald and Denise Meservey Award

Aryanna Zeigler 

Dr. Virginia L. Radley Memorial Prize in English 

Laura Zinzow

Linda and Peter Hoffman Award in Sociology for Pre-Social Work

Department of Management 

John Coddington

Eli Werlin Award

Anija Jacotin

Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance Award

Su Meh

UHY LLP Award Fund in Memorial of Sidney and Michael Urach Fund

John O’Brien

Ruth C. Eyres Award

Michael Oddo

Outstanding Student in Business (Edna Sniffen Travis Award)

Adeline Potter

Marion Eldon Dollard Award

Ronnell Royall, Jr.

Outstanding Student Award in Sport and Recreation Management

Department of Nursing

Diana Ferrotti

Martha Karp Palmer Award

Jake Franchi 

Gertrude E. Hodgman Award

Benjamin Meehan

M. Grace Jorgensen Nursing Achievement Award

Zia Morter

Lewis Karp Award

Saleen Ramos 

Bellevue Hospital Nursing Award 

Eric Sharer 

Outstanding Student in Nursing (Olga Andruskiw Award)

Department of Nutrition

Allison Dordon

Nina Marinello Leadership Award in Nutrition Science

Department of Professional Education Programs

Mackenzie Carpenter

Outstanding Student in Education (Frances P. Healy Award)

Renna Poulin

Outstanding Student in Education (Frances P. Healy Award)

Mia Unverzagt

Outstanding Student in Physical Education (Helen E. Luffman Award)

Department of Psychology

Noora Ahmed

Phyllis Van Vleet Psychology Award for Academic Excellence

Hayden Crandall

Phyllis Van Vleet Psychology Award for Academic Excellence 

Department of Visual and Performing Arts

Bibi Ahmad 

Martin J. Gieschen Award

Elizabeth Broderick

Bruce Rainer Award in Theatre

Regina Desrosiers

Kathryn Gale Award in Music

Alexandra Frisbie 

Edilberto B. Olimpo JCA ’88 Award

Kathryn Flood

Outstanding Student Award in Expressive Arts in Mental Health

Victoria Garcia 

Susan Krauss Russell Award in Visual and Performing Arts

Ja’Deana Cognetta-Whitfield

Outstanding Student in Art + Extended Media (Usher Fine Arts Award)

Division of Academic Affairs 

Natali Cobb

Scrimshaw/Stern Travel Awards

Kaitlin Czerow

Scrimshaw/Stern Travel Awards

Jessica Fiori

Scrimshaw/Stern Travel Awards

Victoria Garcia

Scrimshaw/Stern Travel Awards

My Grumbling

Scrimshaw/Stern Travel Awards

Adam Lambert

Scrimshaw/Stern Travel Awards

Alisa James-Polite

Returning Woman Award

Angelina Schaefer

Phi Kappa Phi Award

Division of Student Life

Mena Abdelmeged

Cogswell Award

Douglas Sato 

Edwin Evans Award for Leadership

Library

Noora Ahmed 

Helen Marx Harris ’26 Library Research Award

Hayden Crandall

Helen Marx Harris ’26 Library Research Award

woman in red graduation gown and black graduation cap holding one side of a large framed certificate while female college student in black graduation cap and gown with shoulder length brown hair holds other side of plaque
Rebecca Sauer with Dean Andrea Rehn
Woman standing near podium with patterned floor length duster holding plaque as woman in red graduation gown and black graduation cap applauds near podium
L

Lynn Capirsello receiving the 2023 recipient of the Faculty of the Year Award.
Middle-aged woman with hair pulled back in graduation gown speaking behind podium
2022 Faculty Member of the Year Marci Murphy addresses the crowd.
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long dark hair and bangs holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Elizabeth Broderick
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with purple and pink shoulder length hair and a white jacket over a floral dress holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Laura Zinzow
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair and a tan cardigan over a black top holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Allison Dordon
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair in a ponytail and a silky cream-colored dress shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Adeline Potter
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with a dark ponytail and white dress shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Aryanna Zeigler
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long black hair and a black shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Bibi Ahmad
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair and a tan long-sleeve shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Brooke Martinez
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair and a striped sweater over a black dress holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Kathryn Flood
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair and a black dress with a camel colored cardigan holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Mia Unverzagt
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with a ponytail and striped shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Regina Derosiers
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student wearing a sweatshirt saying Jesus saved my life holding certificate and standing next to a woman in a white coat with long blond hair
Dean Andrea Rehn with Anija Jacotin
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair and a floral top holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Angelina Schaefer
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with a black hijab holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Haneefa Etimady
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair in a green tank dress holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Jessica Fiori
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair and floral dress holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rhen with Diana Ferrotti
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair and a black dress holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Kaitlin Czerow
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long dark hair and glasses holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with My Grumbling
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a male college student wearing a red dress shirt and a gray vest holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Jake Franchi
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with shoulder-length brown hair and an orange shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Zia Morter
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student wearing a headband and glasses holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Delicia Thomas
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a male college student with a brown dress shirt and slight beard holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Ronnell Royall Jr.
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student in blue hijab holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Hassatou Diallo
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a male college student in blue dress shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with John Coddington
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown and blond braids holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Ja’Deana Cognetta-Whitfield
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn Sophie Macner
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a male college student in a blue checkered shirt, blue jacket and white bow tie holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Douglas Sato
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with curly brown hair holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Victoria Garcia
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Natali Cobb
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student in a brown hijab holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Husna Majid
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with two female college students in black commencement caps and gowns holding certificates
Dean Andrea Rehn with Rebecca Sauer and Jacqueline Hilliard
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student also in commencement gear holding flowers and a certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Jacqueline Hilliard
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student also in black commencement gear holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Rebecca Sauer
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student wearing a tan hijab holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Mena Abdelmeged
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with hair pulled back in ponytail holding flowers and a certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Danielle Williams
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long black hair and wearing a black surgical mask holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Su Meh
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with chin-length brown hair holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Alexandra Frisbie
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a male college student with orange shirt and glasses holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Eric Sharer
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a male college student in blue checkered dress shirt holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Benjamin Meehan
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long brown hair holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Hayden Crandall
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair holding two certificates
Dean Andrea Rehn with Renna Poulin
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female college student with long blond hair holding certificate
Dean Andrea Rehn with Mackenzie Carpenter
woman in red graduation gown and black hat standing with a female collegestudent with long brown hair
Dean Andrea Rehn with Noora Ahmed

Recent News

February 10, 2025

The New York Times Political Desk Operations Manager to Speak at Russell Sage College March 3

RSC Grad Natoria Carey will talk about work at The Times and overcoming self-doubt to build her dream career.
Read More
February 10, 2025

Stage & Stanza Welcomes Russell Sage College President Matthew Shaftel and Donald ‘The Soul Man’ Hyman

On February 20, Stage & Stanza, a series at the Opalka Gallery on the Russell Sage College Albany campus, welcomes Russell Sage College President Matthew Shaftel and singer, writer, and actor Donald Hyman. The program will take place at 6 p.m. at Russell Sage College’s Opalka Gallery, 140 New Scotland Avenue, Albany. An interview series […]
Read More
February 10, 2025

REPORT: Russell Sage College’s Economic Impact Reached $102.8 Million

Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities Highlights Higher Ed’s Economic Impact Across State
Read More
See All News