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Graduate Student Awards

Penn State College of Medicine recognized 27 graduate students for their outstanding academic and research achievements and contributions to the campus community. Graduate faculty and students nominated these exceptional individuals.

Students recognized are included below.

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List of Awards

Charles W. Hill Graduate Excellence Award

Dr. Charles “Chuck” Hill was one of the original faculty of the Department of Biological Chemistry, now Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 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.

  • Lindsey Pale, Biomedical Sciences PhD program

Patrick G. Quinn Award for Outstanding Performance by a Post-Comprehensive PhD

Dr. Patrick G. Quinn was a professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology for 26 years. This award is given to a candidate in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology in his memory.

  • Esma Yerlikaya, Biomedical Sciences PhD program

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. 

  • Alex Pham, Biomedical Sciences PhD program

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 our community with examples of involvement above and beyond the expected.

  • Katelyn Ayers, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Mason Breitzig, Epidemiology PhD Program
  • Kaitlin Carson, Neuroscience PhD Program
  • Mayura Dhamdhere, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Anastasia Hale, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Timothy Helmuth, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Carli King, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Maryknoll Linscott, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Savannah Marshall Moscon, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Mariam Melkumyan, Neuroscience PhD Program
  • Sara Mills-Huffnagle, Neuroscience PhD Program
  • Natasha Morales, Anatomy PhD Program
  • Katherine Noss, Masters of Public Health Program
  • Alexander Pham, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Yue Zhang, Epidemiology PhD Program

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.

  • Raz Abdulqadir, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Hannah Goudsward, Neuroscience PhD Program
  • Victoria Vernail, Neuroscience PhD Program
  • Mariam Melkumyan, Neuroscience PhD Program

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.

  • Raz Abdulqadir, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Brianna Evans, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Xinying Fang, Biostatistics PhD Program
  • Havell  Markus, Bioinformatics and Genomics PhD program
  • Lindsey Pale, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Kushal Saha, Biomedical Sciences PhD program
  • Rhea Sullivan, Biomedical Sciences PhD program

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.

  • Victoria Vernail, Neuroscience PhD Program
  • Kalin Salinas, Neuroscience PhD Program

Charles And Katharine McLaughlin Award For Excellence In Teaching

  • Jackson Radler, Anatomy PhD Program