Annual Top 50 and Exemplar students announced

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Since 2016, Purdue University Fort Wayne has taken great pride in recognizing its best and brightest students for accomplishments on and off campus. Called simply the Top 50, these students 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 selected by the Top 50 committee.

The following students are the proud members of Purdue Fort Wayne’s 2020 Top 50:

• Diaa Waseem Almalahi is a biochemistry major who plans to be a surgeon.
• *Emily Marie Anderson majors in human services and is looking forward to serving in the Peace Corps, followed by being a human services professor, and then playing a role in making public policy.
• Chan Hmaine Aung majors in political science and intends to be a political scientist or lecturer.
• *Brooklyn Faith Bieszke is a double major in political and computer science and wants to develop speech-recognition software.
• *Aparna R. Biswas is a graduate student studying biology and plans to become a researcher.
• Thomas John Bolinger is completing his master’s degree in computer science and plans to work in academia, both teaching and doing research.
• Andrea Renee Braun is majoring in human services with plans to be a counselor and a manager of a nonprofit program.
• Adam Michael Brososky is earning his MBA and will follow with a career as a fellow engineer/chief scientist.
• Jacob Irenaeus Bushur majors in computer engineering and wants to work in computer architecture design.
• Shannon M. Calder is getting a master’s degree in biology and plans to become a medical microbiologist.
• Bethany Rose Carlson is pursuing a degree in organizational leadership and wants to lead a progressive human resources department for a large company.
• *Liam Patrick Carolan is double majoring in physics and actuarial science with plans to become an actuary.
• Brayan Alexander Castillo Pineda majors in organizational leadership with future plans to become a human resources manager or healthcare administrator.
• Kenzie Rozlin Collins is a graduate student majoring in educational leadership and wants to work in school administration.
• Caitlin Renee Crowley is a mechanical engineering major with career plans to become a medical device development engineer.
• Trang Thuy Dao is a double major in accounting and information technology, who wants to become a CPA and own a consulting firm.
• Jadon M. Evans is a biology secondary education major and wants to become a biology teacher.
• Kaylee Catherine Fairfield is majoring in both psychology and sociology. Her long-term goal is to earn a graduate degree so she can do research and teach.
• Samantha E. Fulk majors in art education and wants to become a high school art teacher.
• Rachel Marie Gilreath is a graduate student majoring in counseling with plans to be a counseling education professor and a mental health counselor.
• Jinshi Gabrielle-Rose Goshorn majors in finance and marketing and wants to be a financial analyst.
• Lauren Ashley Hampton is majoring in communication sciences and disorders and wants to work with young children.
• Amanda Renee Hartstein will use her geology major to work as a petroleum geologist.
• Tyler Daniel Hildenbrand studies political science with a goal of being a foreign service officer.
• *Sandra Hoevels majors in psychology and plans to work in organizational psychology.
• Ashley Lauren Johnson is majoring in biology and wants to be a physician’s assistant.
• *Celina Danae Jones is a nursing major and wants to be an emergency department nurse.
• Dorion Matthew Jones majors in music and plans to continue his education and become a college professor.
• Christian Michael Karkosky majors in music education and plans to become a music teacher.
• Elana Jessica Kayser studies psychology with a goal of becoming a marriage and family counselor.
• Linh My Le plans to continue his education and earn a graduate degree in applied mathematics before becoming an actuary or data scientist.
• *Lindee Taylor Mason is a graduate student majoring in biology with a goal of becoming a college professor.
• Ashley Renae Masoner is a history major with plans to be a history professor.
• Teddy M. Mekianov is studying political science with a goal of becoming a management consultant or executive.
• *Asif Mortuza is a graduate student in biology who wants to be a professor and researcher.
• Casey Anne Murray is a music industry major who wants to work in artist, tour, or venue management.
• An Le Thuy Nguyen majors in accounting and wants to be a CPA with a Fortune 100 company.
• Larson Scott Pavey is majoring in physics with a goal of becoming a professor.
• Jennifer Lynn Potter is studying computer engineering and plans to work in cybersecurity.
• Lisa Jean Rennecker majors in organizational leadership and wants to become a business analyst.
• Taylor Lynn Schoenefeld is a biology major with the goal of becoming an obstetrician and gynecologist.
• Emma Louise Schroeder studies communication sciences and disorders and aspires to become a speech pathologist.
• Althea Joy Shoaf is majoring in human services with a goal of becoming a school guidance counselor.
• Matthew T. Simon majors in business finance and wants to become a restaurant owner/operator.
• Kelly Kathleen Strunk is a nursing major with plans to go into hospice care.
• Faith Victoria Stull is a graduate student in organizational leadership with a double concentration in organizational leadership and human resources. She plans on being a consultant or working in a research-related position.
• Theodore A. Thompson is an elementary education major with plans to be an intense intervention special education teacher.
• Dedra Ann Villanueva is studying medical imaging and plans to be a mammographer.
• Patrick Walker Waddell majors in psychology with a goal of becoming a research psychologist working in social psychology.
• Samuel Gilbert Wyss is majoring in physics and wants to earn his doctorate, then become a researcher for the United States Department of Energy.

*Two-time Top 50 recipients

Each year, the college and school deans, department chairs, and/or faculty select students to be Exemplars. These students must have completed an undergraduate degree in December, May, or summer of the current academic year; be on the graduation list; graduated with or be tentatively qualified to graduate with distinction; demonstrated excellence in their areas of study; and have a record of community outreach in their field.

These are the 2020 Exemplars:

• Scott A. Forsythe: Bachelor of Science with a major in computer engineering technology
• Jennifer Kayla Jagger: Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene
• Cameron William Kohli: Bachelor of Science in Education
• Mary Margaret Landrigan: Bachelor of Music Education
• Anna Lappenküper: Bachelor of Science in Business
• #Ashley Renae Masoner: Bachelor of Science with a major in history and a certificate in international studies
• Elaina Marie McMullin: Bachelor of Arts with majors in sociology and psychology
• Elliott Matthew Nesler: Bachelor of Science in mathematics
• #Jennifer Lynn Potter: Bachelor of Science in computer engineering

#Also a Top 50 recipient

For the past four years, the Top 50 recipients and the Exemplars have been honored at a special dinner. However, the current COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of the dinner and celebration. Top 50 and Exemplar honorees will instead receive their individual plaques, certificates, and other materials in the mail.

You can learn more about these honors at the Top 50 website.

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