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

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards

Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation

Faculty

Student

Alpha Omega Alpha

General Scholarship

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

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

Outstanding Medical Student Research Publication – Clinical Science

Outstanding Medical Student Research Publication – Translational Science

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

Excellence in Research Mentoring

• Gregory B. Beidermann, MD

Outstanding Pre-Clinical Educator Award

Outstanding Springfield Clinical Campus Faculty Professor

Outstanding Clinical Educator

David & Kathy Morton Outstanding Faculty Educator Awards

Pre-Clinical Award

Clinical Award

Springfield Award

Jane Hickman Teaching Award

Dermatology

Dermatology Award for Academic Excellence

Emergency Medicine

ACEP Medical Student Professional & Leadership Award

• Rachel L. Ulbrich Schuler

SAEM Medical Student Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award

Family & Community Medicine

Geriatrics Scholars Program

Geriatrics Medicine Award

• Jay Devineni
• Sai Supriya Vuda

John T. Crowe, MD, Family Practice Scholarship

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

Albert D. Cross, MD, Endowment Fund

Medicine

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

Missouri Chapter of the American College of Physicians Outstanding Clerkship Performance

American College of Physicians Book Award

Outstanding Performance in Internal Medicine

Jack Bragg Outstanding Medical Student in Gastroenterology

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

David Klachko Endocrinology Award

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

Neurology

James Dexter Award

Warren D. Welliver Scholarship for MS

American Academy of Neurology Student Prize of Excellence

Pradeep Sahota, MD, Aspiring Leadership Award

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health

Outstanding Student in Obstetrics & Gynecology

Ophthalmology

John Aure Buesseler Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology

Otolaryngology

Outstanding Excellence in Medical Student Education

Pathology and Anatomical Sciences

S.E. Kerr Memorial Scholarship Award

W.B. (Pete) Stewart Memorial Pathology Award

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

Psychiatry

James M. A. Weiss Award for Excellence in Psychiatry

Radiology

David M. Witten Award for Outstanding Student in Radiology

Acute Care Surgery

Acute Care Surgery Merit Award for Excellence

Oncology Surgery

Excellence in Research for Surgical Oncology & Excellence in Surgical Oncology

General Surgery

Marion S. Deweese Award for Excellence in General Surgery

Tom & Mary Ashley Surgical Award

• Clayton Brinkley
• Aaron Meers

Neurosurgery

Samuel P.W. Black Prize for Excellence

Orthopaedic Surgery

Missouri Orthopaedic Institute Award for Student Excellence

• Avery M. Schroeder
• Savannah Williams

Plastic Surgery

Outstanding Student in Plastic Surgery

Urology

Ian M. Thompson Award for Excellence in Urology

Vascular Surgery

Donald Silver Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgery

Graduate Medical Education

Helpful Elephant Award

Medical Education Awards

Outstanding Pre-Clerkship Advisor

Outstanding Clinical Advisor

Circle of Excellence Award

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

Outstanding M4 Tutor Award & Scholarship

Outstanding Student Ambassador

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

Rural Scholars Exemplary Student Award

Sandra J. McCurdy Dedicated Staff Award

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

Medical Education Scholarships

Charles Stephen Brooks, MD, Medical Student Scholarship

James L. Chapel Scholarship

Harvey F. Howitt Memorial Scholarship

Joseph & Margaret Flynn Medical Student Scholarship

Claud K. Leeper, MD, Scholarship

Emily Ariel Bamberger Award for Compassion Scholarship