AUC School of Medicine honored nearly 100 students during the Celebration of Academic Excellence on Friday, October 18. The once-a-semester ceremony recognized various academic achievements, including the Dean’s List, Alpha Omega Phi Honor and Service Society induction, and department and scholarship awards. The event has recently grown to include awards for original student research, which was showcased and voted on earlier in the day at the Student Government Association’s Research Symposium.
Alpha Omega Phi Welcomes Newest Members
The celebration opened with the official induction of 14 students into the Alpha Omega Phi Honor and Service Society. To be eligible, students must be in their fifth semester, have a cumulative GPA of 85 or higher, and exhibit the qualities of leadership and excellence in both academics and service to the community. This semester’s inductees included:
- Balbi Andressa
- Daniel Andrews
- Brooke Anliker
- Alexandra Arnold
- Mariana Coelho
- Jenna Jarrell
- Bettyna Morency
- Brooke Mower
- Sayeh Nabati
- Georgette Nader
- Christopher Taylor
- Mehuliben Upadhyaya
- Emily Wichelt
Strong Representation on the May 2019 Dean’s List
Seventy-five students earned marks high enough to make the May 2019 Dean’s List, including four 5th semester students—Brooke Anliker, Alexandra Arnold, Jenna Jarrell, and Matthew Trahan—who have made Dean’s List every semester since starting medical school. To qualify, students must carry a course load of at least 15 credits and earn a semester cumulative average of at least 87.
“These students don’t just excel academically, they are peer tutors, course tutors, teaching assistants, club executive board members, community service project leaders and much, much more,” said Student Government President Nicole DiTommaso. “These students are really well-rounded and that’s part of what makes AUC so exceptional.”
Department and Scholarship Awards Recognize Exceptional Student Performance
The event also gave special recognition to 12 students who demonstrated excellence in the classroom, on campus, or in the Sint Maarten community, including:
Departmental Awards
- Anatomy, Embryology, and Histology – Christian Bateman (2nd semester)
- Molecular and Cell Biology I – Laura Castillon (2nd semester)
- Molecular and Cell Biology II – Lan Nguyen (3rd semester)
- Physiology I – Ashirbad Panta (3rd semester)
- Physiology II – Maekhila Koppikar (4th semester)
- Microbiology and Immunology – Brooke Anliker (5th semester)
- Pathology I – Matthew White (5th semester)
- Pathology II – Emily Wichelt (5th semester)
- Neuroscience – Emily Wichelt (5th semester)
- Pharmacology – Brooke Anliker (5th semester)
- Behavioral Science – Brittany Thompson (5th semester)
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine – Rachel Lieb (clinical student)
- Tarek Abisaab Peer Tutor Award – Maekhila Koppikar (4th semester)
Social Accountability Scholarship Award
Fourth semester student Jasmin Millon received the Social Accountability Scholarship, valued at $5,000, for her work in the community while at AUC. Jasmin’s engagement with the people of Sint Maarten has been vast and meaningful. She has served as co-director of the IMPACT mentoring program, volunteered at HIV testing events and health fairs, participated in Project HELP initiatives, and led three Community Action Day events for children in Sint Maarten foster homes.
Student Engagement Award
Fourth semester student Matthew White received the Student Engagement Scholarship Award, also valued at $5,000, for his service to AUC’s campus community. Matthew, like previous award recipients, has participated in numerous activities that support and advance the university’s culture of care and collaboration. He has served as course tutor for multiple courses, the head teaching assistant for Anatomy, is currently the Vice President of the Student Government Association, and often volunteers with Player Development SXM as a member of the Pediatric Interest Group.
Dr. Karl Stockhausen Student of the Semester Award
Fifth semester student Bettyna Morency received the Student Judiciary Committee’s Dr. Karl Stockhausen Student of the Semester Award. The award is given to one student each semester who has a proven record of community service and who embodies the traits of the late AUC graduate, Dr. Karl Stockhausen.
As a part of her award, Bettyna was given a $5,000 grant to spend on a community initiative of her choice. She has decided to use those funds to purchase a smartboard for the Green Learning Academy preschool in Cole Bay. The gift will allow students to learn in ways that benefit their needs the most.
Faculty Appreciation Award Presented to Dr. Adelstein
This semester’s Faculty Appreciation Award went to Dr. David Adelstein, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine. The award, presented by the Alpha Phi Omega Honor and Service Society, recognizes a single professor whose presence benefits the university and its students.
“Once [Dr. Adelstein] knows you, he will go out of his way to help you,” said 5th semester student and Honor and Service Society President Christopher Logan Taylor. “He deserves this award because he takes a genuine interest in our holistic wellbeing and shows us that being a physician is not a career we put on pause when we leave the hospital, but one we must embody in every aspect of our lives.”
Emergency Medicine Specialty Interest Group Wins Best in Show Poster
The event concluded with the announcement of “best in show” for original research presented at the afternoon’s Research Symposium. The symposium included 19 posters by various specialty interest groups. First place went to Maty Boury, Ashley Camp, Anthony Ibrahim, John Jennings, Megan Kudlak, Alec Wallace, and Felicita Wilhelm of the Emergency Medicine Specialty Interest Group who authored the poster “Wait, What Baby? Eclampsia in a 21 Year Old Patient.”
