D’Youville Students Recognized in 2025 Honors Convocation

On April 24, 2025, D’Youville University hosted its annual Honors Convocation in Heritage Hall and celebrated students who exemplify academic excellence, leadership, and service. The ceremony recognized departmental honorees and presented the university’s most prestigious awards, including:

• D’Youville Medal: Awarded to a senior demonstrating outstanding achievement, service, and loyalty to the university
• Lee Conroy Higgins Award: Recognizes a senior for significant involvement in campus activities and concern for fellow students
• Saints Crest Medal: Honors a graduating student who embraces D’Youville's core values and strives to improve campus culture and society.

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Additionally, departmental awards were presented to undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Arts, Sciences and Education, School of Health Professions, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, and Center of Doctoral Studies. Each school nominated student recipients for their commitment to academic involvement, commitment to service, and potential for future success.

President Lorrie Clemo addressed the attendees, emphasizing the university's commitment to fostering leaders who are prepared to meet the challenges of the future. She stated, “Each year at Honors Convocation, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of D’Youville students in the areas of scholarship, leadership, and service. To the students, I congratulate you. You are the ones who balance your academic, personal, and civic lives together and find a way to excel in your fields of study.”

Louis Reynolds, Esq., ’17, ’20 graduate, served as the event’s keynote speaker. Reynolds received the Health Services Management award as part of the 2017 Honors Convocation program.

In addressing attendees, Reynolds noted, “I do not have the privilege of personally knowing the honorees here today. However, simply by the fact that they’re set to receive their respective awards, means I know several things about them.

First, I know that the honorees show up, and have chosen to keep showing up. To be where the honorees are today, it means they’ve made the quiet commitment to keep showing up, again and again. This commitment often plays out when no one is watching. It involves late nights of studying and preparation and lots of sacrifice.

The decision to keep showing up is particularly not easy because the life of a student is not a linear path. Each academic semester is filled with a new schedule that must be adapted to, new expectations that must be met and new challenges that must be overcome. To earn the recognition the honorees here today have earned, it means that in spite of any of life challenges or inconveniences they’re facing, they’ve made the decision to get out of bed each day, meet and exceed expectations and continue climbing towards their ultimate goals.”

President Clemo further noted during the program, “Each of you are here today because the D’Youville community recognizes your outstanding performance and contribution to the University. You have gone above and beyond expectations with a consistently high GPA, mentorship to your peers, scholarly research, service to those around you, and a commitment to learning.

Receiving an award of academic and institutional excellence identifies you as one of our most accomplished students and today we are publicly celebrating your hard work and dedication.”

Student honorees at the 2025 D’Youville University Honors Convocation included:

Saints Crest Medal

John Rizk, Pharmacy

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Lee Conroy Higgins Award

Ernest Sebuliba, Pharmacy

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D’Youville Medal

Nathan Meza Ray, Kinesiology & Exercise Science

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School of Arts, Sciences and Education

Undergraduate Award: Yaroslav Malynych, Biology

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School of Health Professions

Undergraduate Award: Miriam Hanna, Occupational Therapy

Graduate Award: Raniella Aznar, Chiropractic Program

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School of Nursing

Undergraduate Award: Jamie Slotman, Accelerated BSN

Graduate Award: Pashmeena Khuwaja, Nurse Management and Quality Leadership

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School of Pharmacy

Graduate Award: Emily Ganeshin, Pharmacy

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Center of Doctoral Studies

Graduate Award: Alexandria Simonetti, Doctorate Educational Leadership

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Gallery of photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCcnJ4