Purdue Fort Wayne announces 2021 Top 50 and Exemplar recipients

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Purdue University Fort Wayne has chosen its sixth class of Top 50 and Exemplar students. These individuals not only excel academically, but go above and beyond in their communities.

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, listed alphabetically, along with their majors and home towns, are the proud members of Purdue Fort Wayne’s 2021 Top 50:

Malaika Ahmed, Biology, Fort Wayne
Ateik Almalahi, BioChemistry, Fort Wayne
*Diaa Almalahi, BioChemistry, Fort Wayne
*Chan Aung, Political Science, Zigon, Burma
Meghana Balakrishna, Public Administration, Mandya, Karnataka, India
Natalie Bojrab, Nursing, Chemistry, Fort Wayne
Kristina Bond, Engineering, (M.S.E.), Cincinnati, Ohio
*Jacob Bushur, Computer Engineering, Fort Wayne
Michael Carlson, Biology (M.S.), St. Paris, Ohio
Panashe Chakabva, Political Science, Fort Wayne
La'Kendra Deitche, Political Science, Evansville
Rachel Delaney, Psychology, Communication, Cleveland, Ohio
Ashik Devakumar, Engineering (M.S.), Tamil Nadu, India
Sophie Drummond, Marketing, Fort Wayne
Jadon Evans, Biology, Secondary Education, Decatur
Kimberly Flores, Biology, Mission Viejo, California
Emil Fosse, Management and Administration, Aalesund, Norway
*Samantha Fulk, Art Education, Churubusco
Nathaneal Gard, Music Industry, Fremont
Justin Geise, Physics, Churubusco
Daniel Guinto, Biology (M.S.), Independence, Ohio
Carol John, Public Administration (M.P.A.D.), Meru, Kenya
Zachary Kaiser, Biology, Butler
Bailey Kintz, English Education, Fort Wayne
Johnny Min Kyaw, Graphic Design, Yangon, Myanmar
Lubaba Tasneem Lamia, Electrical Engineering, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Jennifer Marquis, Human Services, Kendallville
Briggan Maxson, Ceramics, Warsaw
Kale Menchhofer, Computer Science, Celina, Ohio
Matias Mikalsen, Bus Econ Public Policy, Sandvika, Norway
Hannah Mosson, Counseling (M.S.Ed.), Bourbon
Alec Nash, Management and Administration, Churubusco
Phuong Nguyen, Biology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Helen O'Shaughnessey, Electrical Engineering, Monroeville
Carolyn Pang, Psychology, Mishawaka
Sophia Petrov, Biology, Fort Wayne
Thien Pham, Hospitality Management, Bien Hoa, Dognai, Vietnam
James Platzer, Organizational Leadership (M.S.), Fort Wayne
Arul Verman Rajasekaran, Computer Science (M.S.), Bangalore, India
Kayla Reidenbach, Communication Science and Disorders, Woodburn
*Lisa Rennecker, Organizational Leadership, Fort Wayne
Hailie Rivera, Organizational Leadership (M.S.), Waunakee, Wisconsin
Brittany Sprunger, Music Education, Fort Wayne
Pelegrin Vargas, Organizational Leadership (M.S.), San Juan, Puerto Rico
Avery Volz, Biology, Fort Wayne
Madison VonGunten, Physics, Hicksville, Ohio
Allison Whitcraft, Psychology, Fort Wayne
Rebecca Wilson, Music Therapy, Fort Wayne
*Samuel Wyss, Physics, Fort Wayne
Kyle Zurbuch, Biology, Fort Wayne

*Two-time Top 50 recipient.

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 the summer of the current academic year; 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.

The following are the 2021 Exemplars:

Brandon Blumenherst, Communication, Political Science, International Studies Certificate, Fort Wayne
Trang Dao, Accounting, Information Technology, Princeton NJ and Dognai, Viet Nam
Hoang Triet Giang Le, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering (M.S.), San Diego CA and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Alexander Clay Graham, Education, Teaching English as a New Language Certificate, Fort Wayne
#Carolyn Pang, Psychology, Mishawaka
Joshua Smith, Theatre, Kendallville
John Spear, Organizational Leadership, Fort Wayne

#Also a Top 50 recipient.

For more information on the Top 50 and Exemplars, contact the office of Student Life and Leadership at 260-481-6609 or [email protected].

Note to Editors: for a high resolution, full-color photo of the student in your city or town, contact the office of Student Life and Leadership at [email protected], or 260-481-6609.

###