The External Fellowships and Scholarships office held its third annual Wall of Honor reception on May 8, celebrating the work of the 31 fellowship awardees who have achieved status in competitive, merit-based fellowship and scholarship competitions during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Eleven of the awardees attended the in-person ceremony, which highlighted the effort of faculty, staff and mentors who support students throughout the fellowship application process by reviewing applications, offering feedback on essays and participating in preparatory interviews.
The digital Wall of Honor serves as a tribute to the awardees and showcases each recipient’s hard work. The Wall of Honor additionally serves as a resource and source of inspiration for future applicants. This year, each awardee was presented with a commemorative pin, a tradition introduced to honor their achievement and serve as a lasting reminder of their hard work and dedication.
“We are so proud of you for being recognized on the national stage,” said Ashley Staples, director for external fellowships. “Every single one of you did something that others didn’t, and that is hit submit.” As attendees were invited to open the envelope containing the Wall of Honor pin, Staples shared, “Wear this pin as you graduate and take it with you as you pursue your adventures beyond Stony Brook. During challenging moments, you can look at it and remind yourself that you know how to do hard work.”
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education Celia Marshik also addressed the attendees, emphasizing the impact of these achievements: “In earning these kinds of recognition, you have already put yourselves on the maps of your individual disciplines and career paths. Imagine how far you’ll go with this achievement already under your belt.”
Executive Vice President and Provost Carl Lejuez wrapped up the event by encouraging the honorees to not only keep striving for excellence but to also appreciate how far they’ve all already come, saying, “While you continue working diligently toward the next accolade and the next step, I encourage you to take time to look around and celebrate how far you’ve come and what you’ve done in just the first few decades of your lives. Enjoy this moment and as many of the moments yet to come as you can.”
The Wall of Honor ceremony brought together an exceptional group of students and alumni to celebrate their achievements and the support they received along the way. Nasir Stovall, a recipient of the Schwarzman Scholarship, reflected on the experience, saying, “It was really special to be recognized at the Wall of Honor ceremony. Receiving the Schwarzman Scholarship meant a lot to me, and I’m grateful for the support of my mentors and the External Fellowships and Scholarships Office. It was great to celebrate that moment with the Stony Brook community and see so many other students doing amazing things.”
Madison Sida, who earned the Critical Language Scholarship, echoed that sentiment, saying, “Receiving the Critical Language Scholarship was rewarding itself, but the Wall of Honor ceremony brought a different, unique feeling of reward. The ceremony allowed me to share my accomplishment and connect with other students and alumni at Stony Brook who worked hard to accomplish their goals.”
For Lala Diawara, being awarded the Gilman Scholarship was a meaningful achievement. “Winning the Gilman Scholarship is a major accomplishment for me. The process showed me how much I can accomplish when I put my mind to something. The lessons I learned will follow me wherever I go, and I am extremely excited for what the future holds for me.”
The Wall of Honor Reception continues to shine a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of Stony Brook’s fellowship recipients and finalists, but also recognizes the courage it takes to put oneself forward in these competitive processes — celebrating their dedication and setting a powerful example for future applicants, striving to make their mark on the national stage.
Wall of Honor 2024-2025
Aaliyah Lewis, (Psychology) Sophomore – Gilman Scholarship – Critical Need Language Award
Akayla Billey, (Economics) Sophomore – Gilman Scholarship
Alyson Lowell, (Marine Science) PhD Student – NY John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellows
Amanda Rowe, (IDPAS) Alum ’24 – SUNY Chancellor’s Award Finalist
Amber Connell, (Biology) Senior – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Semi-Finalist
Amina Jalloh, (Allied Health) Senior – Gilman Scholarship
Benjamin Ohayon, (Math and Physics) Sophomore – Critical Language Scholarship
Blanche Zou, (Business Management) Sophomore – Gilman Scholarship
Brian Gulick, (Geosciences) PhD Student – NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention
Bryce Dershem, (Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies) Senior – Truman Scholarship Finalist
Cecilia Miguel, (Biology) Alum ’18 – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Finalist
Derek Fucich, (Life Sciences – Ecology) PhD Student – NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention
Genevieve Lipinsky de Orlov, (Art History) PhD Student – Research Grants to Germany
Hannah Waterman, (Music) PhD Student – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Semi-Finalist
Jacqueline Yu, (Sociology) First Year – Gilman Scholarship
Jeremy Rosenstock, (Music) PhD Student – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Alternate
Jeryl Johnston, (English) PhD Student – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Alternate
Jhordyne Donaldson, (MSc, Criminology; BA, Poli Sci.) Alum ’23 – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Semi-Finalist
Justin Chan, (Political Science) Alum ’23 – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Alternate
Lala Diawara, (Health Sciences) Sophomore – Gilman Scholarship
Madison Sida, (Linguistics) First Year – Critical Language Scholarship
Nasir Stovall, (Biology) Alum ’21 – Schwarzman Scholar Fellowship
Olivia Francisco, (Philosophy) Senior – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Finalist
Priya Mohammed, (Business Management) Junior – Gilman Scholarship
Rachel Alexandre, (Globalization Studies and International Relations) Senior – Gilman Scholarship – Critical Need Language Award
Roheyatou Ceesay, (Geosciences – Geochronology) PhD Student – NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention
Sean Krivitsky, (Biochemistry) Junior – Goldwater Scholarship
Sharon Liu, (Linguistics) Sophomore – Gilman Scholarship
Sohini Alim, (Biology) Senior – Fulbright U.S. Student Program Semi-Finalist
Stephany Barbu, (Biology and Economics) First Year – Gilman Scholarship
Thomas O’Neill, (Applied Mathematics) PhD Student – NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention
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