Presidential Scholar Awards

Each year we honor the high achievements of our graduating students through the Presidential Scholar Awards. During Western's Centennial in 2000, President Karen W. Morse instituted the Presidential Scholars Award to honor graduates for their exceptional scholarship and service to the university and community.

These awards are presented annually just prior to Western’s June commencement ceremonies.

Nomination Process:

Any faculty can nominate a student from any major/minor. Nominees must be graduating seniors* who are exceptional in the following three categories:

  • Are accomplished scholars;
  • Have demonstrated success in furthering multicultural programs and activities;
  • Have achieved levels of service to the community that have benefited their peers, their departments, and the community.

* Nominees must qualify in all three categories and be confirmed to meet graduation requirements. Students who graduate at any quarter during the academic year are eligible (Fall 2023 through Summer 2024), however, award winners are expected to paraticipate in the June ceremony.

The Call for Nominations typically goes out in early February, are due in early April, and must be submitted via the Presidential Scholar nomination form. Additional information and instructions about the online nomination process is available on the Instruction Page.

One award will be granted per college (one award per division of Humanities and Social Sciences). Based on the nominations submitted by faculty, the deans from each college will submit their recommended candidate to the President for final selection. Nominations for students in interdisciplinary programs will be accepted and reviewed on an individual basis since they don't fall within a specific college.

Activity Due Date
Nominations Open February 14, 2024
Nominations Close April 4, 2024
Dean's Recommendations Due April 24, 2024
Recipients Notified by President's Office May 3, 2024

 

Award/Recognition:

The President's Office will notify recipients of their selection in May and facilitate award portraits. Presidential Scholars wear their medallions and will be recognized during June Commencement.

Announcement of the Presidential Scholar recipients to the campus and the public and arrangements for the award presentation will be made by the President’s Office.

Questions: Please email Michele Anderson (ander624@wwu.edu) or Rayne Rambo (rambor@wwu.edu) in the President's Office.

Recipients:

2022-2023 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Petra Ellerby College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Gil Gepte College of the Environment
Carson McCully College of Fine and Performing Arts
Kainui Rapaport Woodring College of Education
Lily Rayor College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Alina Sokolova College of Business & Economics
Andrea Wooley College of Science & Engineering

More information about the 2022-2023 Presidential Scholars

2021-2022 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Hisham Abdus-Salam College of Business & Economics
Aliyah Dawkins College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Liana Garvett Woodring College of Education
Erin Howard College of Science & Engineering
Nate Jo College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Sienna Reid College of the Environment
Aidyn Stevens College of Fine and Performing Arts

More information about the 2021-2022 Presidential Scholars

2020-2021 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Emmelyn Affeldt College of Business & Economics
Kathryn Anderson Huxley College of the Environment
Luke Arnold College of Fine & Performing Arts
Melody Gao College of Science & Engineering
Summer Pascual College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Brahm vanWoerden College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Azucena Zavala Montalvo Woodring College of Education

More information about the 2020-2021 Presidential Scholars

2019-2020 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Navada Aviende Pacheaco College of Fine & Performing Arts
Ray Garcia College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Cindy Marquina Negrete Woodring College of Education
Celida Moran Huxley College of the Environment
Erin Alexandra Smith College of Business & Economics
Madchen Piper Tolbert College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Ana Uribe College of Science & Engineering

More information about the 2019-20 Presidential Scholars

2018-2019 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Jona Paulreti Akelipa College of Business & Economics
Kylee Jo Butler Huxley College of the Environment
Grace Anne Dunbar-Miller College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Natasha Pearl Hessami College of Science & Engineering
Iris Baijing Hubbard Woodring College of Education
Breneya Marlene Johnson College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Bradlee Thielen College of Fine & Performing Arts

More information about the 2018-2019 Presidential Scholars

2017-2018 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Grace Coffey Huxley College of the Environment
Dalton Jones College of Science & Engineering
Phi Le Nguyen Woodring College of Education
Maria Jose Palacios Figueroa College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Clint Sana College of Fine & Performing Arts
Emily Stadt College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Honoka Tsutsui College of Business and Economics

More information about the 2017-2018 Presidential Scholars

2016-2017 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Brittney Nalani Dover Huxley College of the Environment
Sinai Gonzalez Woodring College of Education
Alexandra Marie Jordan College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Katherine Mahalia Mullen College of Fine & Performing Arts
Huy Nguyen College of Science & Engineering
Danielle Marie Payton College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Torrey Holden Yost College of Business & Economics

More information about the 2016-2017 Presidential Scholars

2015-2016 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Megan Mehan Daley Woodring College of Education
Jasmine Escalante College of Fine & Performing Arts
Samantha "Sammy" Loch College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Rachel Owen College of Science & Engineering
Dylan Simpson Huxley College of the Environment
Lara Sonnen College of Business & Economics
Aarin Wright College of Humanities & Social Sciences

More information about the 2015-2016 Presidential Scholars

2014-2015 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Suzanne Hancock College of Business & Economics
Brenda Helen McGarrity Woodring College of Education
Celina Muñoz College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Sadie Normoyle Huxley College of the Environment
David Nuqul College of Science & Engineering
Evan Rumble College of Fine & Performing Arts

More information about the 20014-2015 Presidential Scholars

2013-2014 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Bodie Cabiyo Huxley College of the Environment
Andrea d'Aquino College of Science & Engineering
Rivka Horowitz Woodring College of Education
Margaret McGuigan College of Fine & Performing Arts
Jordan Olivia Richardson College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Paul Wright College of Business & Economics

More information about the 2013-2014 Presidential Scholars

2012-2013 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Jon Bash College of Fine & Performing Arts
Jeffrey Hales College of Business & Economics
María Guzmán Woodring College of Education
Nora Jagielo Huxley College of the Environment
Ayana Robinson College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Alyne Sanchez College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Morgan Schurr College of Science & Technology

More information about the 2012-2013 Presidential Scholars

2011-2012 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Donald Cheyette Huxley College of the Environment
Jessica Grace Jones College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Saraswati Noel College of Science & Technology/Woodring College of Education
Michael Pegis College of Science & Technology
Reuben Walker College of Fine & Performing Arts
Sophie Wenzlau College of Business & Economics
Heather Wrenn College of Humanities & Social Sciences

More information about the 2011-2012 Presidential Scholars

2010-2011 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Rachael Chapman College of Fine & Performing Arts
Amy Grambo Woodring College of Education
Analiesse Isherwood College of Science & Technology
Josephine Jackson College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Kelliann Kelly Huxley College of the Environment
Brooke Summerfield College of Business & Economics
Douglas Weckerly College of Humanities & Social Sciences

More information about the 2010-2011 Presidential Scholars

2009-2010 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Kristina Brooks College of Fine & Performing Arts
Courtney Cline Woodring College of Education
Carly Grayell Huxley College of the Environment
Benjamin Nelson College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Jennifer Novotney College of Science & Technology
Catherine Shornick College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Anthony Zackery College of Business & Economics

2008-2009 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Paula Berg College of Business & Economics
Christina Berger College of Fine & Performing Arts
Forrest Copeland College of Science & Technology
Holly Faulstich Huxley College of the Environment
Ra'Jeanna Foxx Woodring College of Education
Gina Kim College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Sharde Mills College of Humanities & Social Sciences

2007-2008 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Daryl Allen College of Business & Economics
Chris DeSisto Huxley College of the Environment
Stephen Goldrick College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Adria LaMorticella College of Fine & Performing Arts
Daisy Phillips College of Science & Technology
Laura Southern Woodring College of Education
Kelsey Tritt College of Humanities & Social Sciences

2006-2007 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Jennifer Angelosante College of Science & Technology
Amy Fuhrman College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Miho Kanda College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Sebastian Kohlmeier College of Business & Economics
Cara Murphy Huxley College of the Environment
Susannah Scott College of Fine & Performing Arts
Karen Siverson Woodring College of Education

2005-2006 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Chris Bickert College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Ryan Clemens College of Fine & Performing Arts
Angelika Herbold College of Science & Technology
Teizeen Mohamedali Huxley College of the Environment
Mandana Shoushtari College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Ann Stabbert Woodring College of Education
Nathaniel Young College of Business & Economics

2004-2005 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Michael Clyburn Woodring College of Education
Amber Johnson College of Science & Technology
Jessica Rowley College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Brandi Redfern College of Business & Economics
Serena Sprungl College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Kathryn Walton College of Fine & Performing Arts
Golnar Zandpoor Huxley College of the Environment

2003-2004 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Tegan Callahan College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Heera Chandani Woodring College of Education
Jonathan Clare College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Abigail Lambert College of Science & Technology
Katie Meyer College of Business & Economics
Jayme Rios Huxley College of the Environment
Lindsay Welliver College of Fine & Performing Arts

2002-2003 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Nicole Bowerman College of Science & Technology
Katherine Frankhauser Huxley College of the Environment
Kari Hendrickson Woodring College of Education
Peter Johnson College of Fine & Performing Arts
Ryan Masters College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Dian McClurg College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Christine Wright College of Business & Economics

2001-2002 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Chris Axling Huxley College of the Environment
Richard Burkhart College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Julie DeBellis Woodring College of Education
Amber Hamilton College of Science & Technology
Monica Miller College of Business & Economics
Andrea Titterness College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Aaron Tobiason College of Fine & Performing Arts

2000-2001 Presidential Scholars

RECIPIENT COLLEGE
Cassandra Baddeley Woodring College of Education
Jasmine Jordan College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Patrick Kohl College of Science & Technology
Ryan Kuttel College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Jana Putnam College of Business & Economics
Lauren Seaby Huxley College of the Environment
Alison Secrest College of Fine & Performing Arts