Purdue Fort Wayne announces Exemplar and Top 50 recipients for 2023

Purdue University Fort Wayne has chosen its next classes of Exemplar and Top 50 recipients. These students not only excel academically, but go above and beyond in their communities.

Each year, college and school deans, department chairs, and/or faculty select students to be Exemplars. Those receiving this honor must complete an undergraduate degree in December, May, or during the summer semester of the current academic year; have graduated with or be tentatively qualified to graduate with distinction; demonstrate excellence in their areas of study; and have a record of community outreach in their field.

The following students are the proud members of Purdue Fort Wayne’s 2023 Exemplar class:

Nico Albertson | Business Economics/Public Policy | Senior | Fort Wayne
Jason Bonar | Organizational Leadership | Senior | Fort Wayne
Luiza Caetano | Studio Art/Printmaking | Senior | Brasilia, Brazil
Kady Lee | General Studies | Senior | Butler
Chauntesse Philpot | Early Childhood Education | Senior | Fort Wayne
Varun Shenoy | Biochemistry | Senior | St. Louis, Missouri
Alyssa Van Der Weele | Communication | Senior | Fort Wayne

Since 2016, Purdue University Fort Wayne has also recognized a larger group of Mastodons for their enthusiasm and success in making the most of the full student experience. Called simply the Top 50, these individuals not only have high GPAs, they also excel in university activities, events, and organizations – and through community engagement both here in Fort Wayne and in their hometowns.

Students must meet specific qualifications and apply to be considered in the selection process. The final recipients are chosen by the Top 50 Committee. Purdue Fort Wayne’s 2023 Top 50 class includes:

Taha Alibhai | Mechanical Engineering | Senior | Evanston, Illinois
Lisa Barranda | Mathematics | Graduate | Fort Wayne
#Jason Bonar | Organizational Leadership | Senior | Fort Wayne
Michaela Bosk | Counseling | Graduate | Fort Wayne
Luke Bushur | Computer Science | Junior | Fort Wayne
Laura Caetano | Construction Engineering Tech | Senior | Brasilia, Brazil
#Luiza Caetano | Studio Art/Printmaking | Senior | Brasilia, Brazil
Sarah Claymiller | English | Senior | Kendallville
Sydney Coyne | Anthropology | Senior | Payne, Ohio
Quinton Davis | Music Education | Senior | Fort Wayne
Afshan Dhariwal | General Administration | Graduate | Fort Wayne
Nahian Fahim | Biology | Graduate | Fort Wayne
Sean Findley | Theatre | Senior | Fort Wayne
Allyssa Hennessey | Biology | Senior | Fort Wayne
Katherine Henschel | Biology | Junior | Huntertown
*Wilmer Hernandez | Biology | Senior | Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Jordan Hofmann | Finance | Senior | Huntington
Raphael Kwaning | Professional Communications Studies | Graduate | Achimota, Ghana
Amarachi Lawrence | Biochemistry | Sophomore | Fort Wayne
*Logan Lemon | Music Industry | Senior | Terre Haute
Caleigh Loveless | Theatre | Junior | Lapaz
MaeAnna Marteen | Theatre | Junior | Angola
*Nathan Mills | Actuarial Science | Senior | Columbia City
Erica Morr | Biology | Graduate | Kendallville
Taylor Norman | Psychology | Senior | Bedford
Kusum Parajuli | Biology | Graduate | Karnataka, India
Maitree Rakshit | Computer Science | Graduate | Fort Wayne
Rachel Ringler | Psychology | Senior | Fort Wayne
Kailey Robinson | Special Education | Graduate | Fort Wayne
*Michelle Selo-Ojeme | Biology | Senior | Greenfield
LaDavie’a Shears | Mathematics | Graduate | Fort Wayne
#*Varun Shenoy | Biochemistry | Senior | St. Louis, Missouri
Mahmuda Shirin | General Administration | Graduate | West Lafayette
*Monica Solga | Counseling | Graduate | Montpelier
Robert Strong | Biology | Senior | Fort Wayne
Brittany Sprunger | Music Education | Senior | Grabill
Lillian Stotlar | Fine Arts | Senior | Bluffton
Supreeth Sudhakara | Computer Science | Graduate | Fort Wayne
Sean Tierney | Computer Science | Junior | Barrington, Illinois
Libni Trostel | Human Services | Senior | Fort Wayne
Parker Tysinger | History | Junior | Urbana, Illinois
#Alyssa Van Der Weele | Human Services | Senior | Fort Wayne
Renae Wallace | Early Childhood Education | Senior | Fort Wayne
Isaac Wendel | Mechanical Engineering | Junior | Saint Henry, Ohio
Emily Wentland | Biology | Junior | Hicksville, Ohio
*Kennedy Westfall | Psychology | Senior | Fort Wayne
Sebastien Wilson | Senior | Political Science | Harlan
Brooke Wintland | Finance | Junior | Rockford, Illinois
Yashi Yadav | Computer Science | Senior | Gorakhpur, India
Brianna Yang | Human Services | Junior | Fort Wayne

# Denotes Exemplar and Top 50
* Denotes returning Top 50
 
All Exemplar and Top 50 honorees have been invited to a dinner and awards ceremony on April 28 in the Walb Union International Ballroom. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Note to editors: The official Exemplar and Top 50 site includes photos of the recipients. Media representatives are also invited to cover the awards ceremony.
  
For more information on the Exemplar and Top 50 classes, or to request a high resolution, full-color photo of a recipient, contact James Velez, director of student activities, at 260-481-6883 or [email protected].