Florida State University awarded honors medallions to 53 high-achieving graduates during a Dec. 11 ceremony in the Alumni Center Ballroom.

The FSU Honors Program supports the efforts and talents of the university’s most intellectually curious students who have the potential, dedication and drive for creating change.

The ceremony included remarks by Craig Filar, Associate Dean of the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House; Joe O’Shea, Dean of Undergraduate Studies; Parker Franklin, Outstanding Senior Scholar; and Julie Decker, President and CEO of the FSU Alumni Association.

The breakdown of the honors awardees is as follows:

33 graduates, University Honors Program
Earned at least 18 honors points in fulfillment of the FSU Honors Program requirements.

18 graduates, Honors in the Major Program
Completed an honors thesis in fulfillment of the requirement for the distinction “with honors” in their major department.

2 graduates, Outstanding Senior Scholar
Completed both the University Honors Program and the Honors in the Major Program, with a 3.9 cumulative GPA or higher.

The honors medallion recipients, along with their hometowns, award designations, and academic majors, are listed by state and city below:

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Florida

Bradenton

Elizabeth Bernate, Biochemistry, Honors in the Major

Clermont     

Giovanni Moraes, Biology, University Honors

Clewiston

Eileen Perez, Political Science, University Honors

Coconut Creek

Sophia Fandino, Environmental Science, University Honors

Crawfordville

Daniel Zdrazil, Creative Writing, Honors in the Major

Gulf Breeze

Riley Hart, Exercise Physiology, University Honors

Hialeah

Karen Iglesias, Psychology, University Honors

Jacksonville

Andrew Lodge, Psychology; Statistics, University Honors

Jupiter

Kendall McMullen, Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (Clinical Professions), University Honors

Kissimmee

Nayeli Marcial, Environmental Engineering, University Honors

Lake Mary

Avery Hall, Civil Engineering, University Honors

Live Oak

Lilian Lamb, Behavioral Neuroscience, University Honors

Longwood

Lara Alston, Psychology, University Honors

Miami

Miguel González, International Affairs, Honors in the Major

Robert Kirk, Exercise Physiology; Psychology, University Honors

Arthur Noriega, Creative Writing; Humanities, Honors in the Major

Anthony Ogando, Biological Science, Honors in the Major

Taylor Torres, Political Science; Japanese Language and Culture, Honors in the Major

Joel Weeks, Finance; Management Information Systems, University Honors

Naples

Rylee Price, Psychology, University Honors

North Lauderdale

Janeen Green, Religion; Humanities, Honors in the Major

Orlando

Gabriela Kaiser, Finance; Marketing, University Honors

Palm Beach Gardens

Julianne Strickland, Accounting, University Honors

Panama City

Makayla Evans, Psychology; Social Work, Honors in the Major

Parrish

Eric Rindermann, Political Science, Honors in the Major

Plantation

David Marblestone, Finance; Professional Sales, University Honors

Rockledge

Anna Nguyen, Public Health, Honors in the Major

Sarasota

Noah Kunkel, Economics, University Honors

Raeanna Michael, Actuarial Science; Statistics, University Honors

St. Johns

Caleb Towne, Biological Science, University Honors

St. Petersburg

Jillian Kuusela, Psychology, Honors in the Major

Christopher Sanders, Political Science, University Honors

Tallahassee

Braidan O’Connor, Public Health, University Honors

Laura Obermaier, Computer Science, University Honors

Ashleigh Witherington, Latin and Greek, Outstanding Senior Scholar

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Georgia

Atlanta

Grace Lege, Instrumental Music Education, Honors in the Major

Cumming

Hailey Anderson, Statistics; Applied and Computational Mathematics, University Honors

Marietta

Harper Coombs, Biological Science, University Honors

Parker Franklin, Commercial Music; Management Information Systems, Outstanding Senior Scholar

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Illinois

Vernon Hills

Jiayi Guo, Statistics, University Honors

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Maryland

Bethesda

Marlo Friedland, Criminology, University Honors

Takoma Park          

Daniel Siegel, Literature, Media, and Culture (English), University Honors

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Missouri

Kansas City

Julianna Cartwright, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, University Honors

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North Carolina

Cary

Aimee Wagner, Criminology; Anthropology, Honors in the Major

Raleigh

Lilliana Solovay, Political Science; Editing, Writing, and Media (English), University Honors

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New Jersey

Livingston

Alissa Kalyan, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, Honors in the Major

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Ohio

Lakewood

Stephanie Posedel, Chemical Engineering, Honors in the Major

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma City

Serena Aiken, Psychology; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Honors in the Major

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South Carolina

Fort Mill

Rachel Strickland, Criminology, Honors in the Major

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Tennessee

Chattanooga

Ashley Holland, Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, University Honors

Collierville

Angelina Perera, International Affairs, University Honors

Knoxville

Lauren Russell, Biological Science; Public Health, University Honors

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Panama

Panama City

Andrea Espinoza, International Affairs, Honors in the Major