RIT Outstanding Graduate Student Award

The RIT Graduate School is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the inaugural RIT Outstanding Graduate Student Award. This award will recognize at least two current, active, enrolled graduate students, in good academic standing that exemplify qualities such as: exceptional dedication and achievement in their field of study, fostering significant positive impact on the RIT campus, the greater Rochester area, or the global community, and demonstrated collaboration. Award nominees are being accepted in two categories, Masters and Doctoral students.

2024 Awardees and Nominees

Awardees:

Carlos Gutierrez
Engineering PhD Program
Kate Gleason College of Engineering

Emily Kuang
Computing and Information Sciences PhD Program
Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences

Amanda Giglia
Master of Science for Teachers, Visual Arts All Grades
College of Art and Design
 

Nominees:

Masters
Deanna Moorehead
Dani Wolfe
Patty Tomanovich
Suchit Singh Nagpal
Cindy Lam
Cristin Siegel
Vaibhav Sharma
Shaneil DaSilva

Doctoral
Leah Humenuck
Maria Camila Ceballos Santa
Nastaran Naghshineh
Yvan David Hernandez-Charpak

 

Award Contact:
Bella Dunwoody
Communication and Content Manager
bdogs@rit.edu

Eligibility:

  • Master's or Doctoral students in good academic standing
  • Master's students must have completed at least one year of their program or one semester of a one-year program and PhD students must have passed their qualifying exam

Award Criteria:

  • Exceptional Dedication: Demonstrated sustained commitment and initiative in a specific program, activity, organization, or project at RIT or the greater Rochester community
  • Significant Impact: Made a measurable and lasting positive impact on students at RIT, individuals in the community, or their field of study
  • Achievement and Recognition: Achieved academic or professional excellence beyond standard expectations, evidenced through coursework, research, awards, publications, or other accomplishments
  • Engagement and Collaboration: Actively engaged with peers, faculty, and/or community members, fostering collaboration and contributing to a diverse and inclusive environment

Awards:

  • Awards will be presented annually in each category accompanied by a cash prize of $500
  • Awardees will be recognized at an awards ceremony in the spring semester

Nomination Process:

  • Nominations must be made by RIT faculty/staff via the nomination form
  • The form requires a faculty/staff RIT account to submit information about the nominee, their achievements, and impact of their work
  • One letter of support from a faculty member, community member, or professional colleague is encouraged
  • The deadline for nominations is February 15th at 5:00 PM, EST.

Selection Process:

  • A committee of faculty and university staff members will review the nominations and select the awardees based on the established criteria
  • Recipients will be notified by April 5, 2024, and honored at a special ceremony on April 11th during the Graduate Showcase Keynote and Awards Celebration.