Students Awarded at Senior Ceremony
The annual ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp Student Awards Ceremony honored eight outstanding seniors from the Class of 2014 on Wednesday, April 23.
In photo, from l to r: Fr. von Arx, C. Spencer Colpitts, Jr. ’14, Vincent Romano ’14, Eric S. Lynch ’14, Cody Reinold ’14, Astrid Quiñones ’14, Bayan Abunar ’14, Alexander Long ’14, Laura Stakey ’14
ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA MEDAL
Instituted in 1952, the St. Ignatius Loyola Medal recognizes one senior who has committed himself or herself to the Jesuit education ideals of maintaining high academic standards and substantial involvement in community service and/or extracurricular activities.
Eric S. Lynch
“Eric understands the Jesuit mission of ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp better than anyone I know. Whether it is his time as Alpha Sigma Nu president, spending a semester in Washington, D.C., working with others on large campus initiatives or simply striking up a conversation with a classmate in the BCC, Eric has left his mark on Fairfield. Eric Lynch is the ideal Fairfield student. I know I speak for many when I say Eric has singlehandedly transformed ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp based on his vision, passion, and ability to inspire others.”
Major: Politics
Accomplishments: Alpha Sigma Nu; Pi Sigma Alpha; Honors Program; Magis Scholar; Dean’s List; St. Robert Bellarmine Pre-Law Society; co-founder and lead program strategist of South Side Café; chair of New Student Programs; Alpha Sigma Nu chapter president; United States Senate legislative intern; First Year Mentor; McGivney Community Center volunteer; Man2Man mentor; Crossroads Retreat leader; Semester in Washington, D.C.; TIPS trainer; Safe Space Ally; Ignatian Residential College participant
WILLIAM J. KRAMER ’60 HUMANITARIAN AWARD
The William J. Kramer ’60 Humanitarian Award recognizes one senior and is based solely on the senior’s commitment to volunteerism and service to an external community activity that best exemplifies the Ignatian tradition of being men and women for others, while also maintaining a commitment to high academic standards.
Astrid Quiñones
"Astrid is very passionate about creating an environment that is inclusive and accepting of all students on campus. She is co-founder of the Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Commons in 70 McCormick. Through her efforts on helping students to become change agents and allies, she has spearheaded programs and initiatives to raise awareness about rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence.”
Major: Social Work and Justice
Accomplishments: Resident assistant; co-founder GSSC; Night at the Apollo committee member; Jane Doe No More panelist; New Student Programs leader; Cura Personalis mentor; Diversity Scholarship recipient; MLK Ripple of Hope Scholarship recipient; Wm. Morris Study Abroad Scholarship recipient; Global Access Initiative scholar; Persons of the Year: Awarded by Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Department for co-founding GSSC; White House Campus Champions for Change Challenge recipient; Take Back the Night director; Performing for Change executive member; Resilience Advocacy Project intern; Thailand Study Abroad; Safe Space Ally; Peers Advocating Safe Space coordinator; McGivney Center tutor
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
The Student Achievement Awards recognize seniors who have shown exceptional dedication to, and enhancement of, a specific ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp program, activity, organization, or project, while also maintaining a commitment to high academic standards.
Bayan Abunar
Commitment to WiSTEM and Muslim Student Association
“Bayan (Bay) is an outgoing, conscientious, strong performing, and highly engaged student leader here at ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp who excels in all that she does. Her list of activities and accomplishments is extensive. She consistently leads tutoring sessions and programs for her female first-year students majoring in science, math, or engineering. She has really shown her leadership, organization, and public speaking skills through this experience.”
Major: Chemistry/Biochemistry
Accomplishments: Honors Program; Phi Beta Kappa; Alpha Sigma Nu; Alpha Mu Gamma; Alpha Epsilon Delta; Pi Mu Epsilon; National Society of Collegiate Scholars; WiSTEM resident assistant; Muslim Association president; Project Excel tutor; Health Professions Preparation Program member; President’s Institutional Council on Diversity member; Sr. VP Search Committee member; BASE Camp counselor; Peer Learning Group leader; Cura Personalis mentor; Collegiate Health Services Corps volunteer; CRC Press Chemistry Achievement Award; 2012 POLYED Undergraduate Award; Lawrence Scholarship recipient
C. Spencer Colpitts Jr.
Commitment to Development of the Man2Man Living and Learning Community
“Spencer is a person who, in my eyes, defines both professionalism and leadership. He has put his heart and soul into this program so the male students in this community can learn to define masculinity and become upstanding men, just as I believe Spencer is. He truly lives his life by upholding the same values that he teaches.”
Major: Economics
Accomplishments: Omicron Delta Epsilon; Dean’s List; senior resident assistant; resident assistant; Study Abroad Florence; eucharistic minister; Undergraduate tour guide; WVOF Radio; Economics Club; GE Financial Management Program summer intern
Alexander Long
Commitment to the ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp Community
“Alex has been a model for others. He has been forthright as a spokesman for the student body, but always with great humility and respect, both for his constituents and for the University administration. His leadership has been proven again and again. He has held more leadership roles than most and has always borne the mantle of authority lightly.”
Major: Communications
Accomplishments: Dean’s List; FUSA president; class president; FUSA senator; Levee bartender; CNS technician; Nicaragua Service Trip participant; Jamaica Service Trip leader; Leadership Residential College participant; Campus Ministry lector co-leader; Lector Retreat leader; Student Leadership Awards host; Dance Ensemble show host; intramurals supervisor; Crossroads Retreat leader; Orientation Support Team; OST Member of the Year; Senior Week Committee chair; Senior Week Committee member; WVOF radio host; Connecticut Hospice volunteer; Senior Thesis Honor Selection for DePauw University
Cody Reinold
Commitment to Development of the Compass Fellowship Program
“Cody is a very gifted designer and an excellent student. His best work is almost certainly the founding of the ¶¶Ňô»ĆƬapp Chapter of the Compass Fellowship, a social entrepreneurship organization that guides our best and brightest to lives of service through peer mentoring and service projects. It shows that it is possible to be entrepreneurially minded yet socially focused, which is very similar to how the Jesuits teach is the right way to live our lives.”
Major: Information Systems and Operational Management
Accomplishments: Compass Fellowship founder; Ignatian Residential College participant; 2014 DSB Business Plan Competition entrant; owner of Elligson Design; Dean’s List; Beta Gamma Sigma; Magis Scholar; FAME member; McGivney Center volunteer; Sophomore Success participant; intramural sports participant; Mashable & Purina Hackathon winner; Campus Ministry confirmation candidate
Vincent Romano
Commitment to the Economics Club and Federal Reserve Challenge Team
“Vincent has demonstrated initiative and leadership as well as care for the success of his peers. As president of the Economics Club, he has organized engaging lectures with Fairfield alumni and helped prepare his younger peers for their internship interviews. Vincent is incredibly hard-working, intelligent and ambitious, always eager to learn more.”
Major: Economics
Accomplishments: Alpha Sigma Nu; Alpha Mu Gamma; Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Alpha Theta; Omicron Delta Epsilon; Dean’s List; Magis Scholar; Alpha Phi Delta scholarship recipient; Phi Beta Kappa Book Award nominee; Hunger Cleanup participant; Bridgeport Prospect House volunteer; Ignatian Residential College alumni mentor; Campus Ministry lector; Knights of Columbus; New Student leader; Orientation leader; Athletics Department economics tutor; Economics Club; published co-author; Goldman Sachs & Co. summer analyst
Laura Stakey
Commitment to Development of Fair Trade Initiatives on Campus
“Laura is dedicated to making Fairfield a more “fair” (fair labor and products) place and educating her peers on this important position. She has sponsored countless events to educate the campus community around Fair Trade initiatives. Laura gives her heart and her soul to everything she does.”
Major: Accounting and Economics
Accomplishments: Phi Beta Kappa; Alpha Sigma Nu; Omicron Delta Epsilon; Beta Gamma Sigma; Beta Alpha Psi; Students for Social Justice; Kadima; New Student leader; Orientation support team member; Alumni & Family Weekend chair; Ignatian Residential College participant; FUSA programmer; Club Tennis; L.E.A.D. 1 participant; Jamaica Service Trip participant; Miami Service Trip leader; Washington, D.C. Service Trip participant; Boys and Girls Club
