Katey Woodruff, Staff Writer–

The pews of Swasey Chapel were quickly filled in with students, faculty, and trustees, eager to see which of their fellow Denisonians were earning some of Denison’s most prestigious awards.

The award ceremony, known as the Academic Awards Convocation, is held every year to commemorate a group of seniors who are the recipients of the President’s Medals, as well as the students and faculty who will be recipients of the Brickman and Bonar Teaching Excellence Awards, the Baker Research and Scholarship Excellence Award, the Provost’s Academic Excellence Award, and the multiple student fellowship awards. Also recognized at the event are the Phi Beta Kappa inductees.

The awards, which have been presented every April since 1985, culminate in the surprise of which seniors have been chosen to receive the President’s Medal, the most prestigious award given to Denison students. All 12:30 p.m. classes on April 11 were canceled so students had the opportunity to come see which of their classmates earned the esteemed awards. The medals are given to students who exhibited intellectual achievement as well as some combination of service to the community, contribution to the arts, enlargement of Denison’s global perspective, athletic fitness, leadership, and contributions to community discourse throughout their four years here.

This year’s 10 recipients are Annabelle Calderon, Sophia Hwang, Jacob Eppley, Gavin Jones, Jay Jackson, Kerstyn Johnson, Elizabeth Lyon, Noah Chartier, Maddie Goodman, and Gabe Donnelly, all of whom are seniors.

“These are exemplary students who typify what we mean by a solid liberal arts education; being well-rounded, active in communities, and contributing,” Dr. May Mei said. “It’s like the campsite rule ‘leave it better than you found it.’ We are picking the students that exemplify that, that have left Denison better than they found it and have made it a better place through their achievements.”

Mei is the chair of the mathematics department and the faculty chair. As faculty chair, she announced the President’s Medalists and shared with the audience their accomplishments throughout their four years on campus.

“Whenever I read it, I was just so impressed by these students. I read it and I was thinking ‘wow, you did that?’” Mei said. “I’ve been exposed to a lot of academic talent, for sure, but the President’s Medal and other awards in that space is when I get to learn about all of the other facets of my students as their full human selves.”

Chartier is a PPE and Women’s and Gender Studies double major and has been involved with the Denison Student Governance Association all four years of his college career, beginning as a class senator in his first year, progressing to hold the position of President. He has also been on the executive board of the Gaming Guild, Anime Club, is a member of the Sketch’rs Comedy Troupe, and founded the Denison Survivor club in his first year.

“Frankly what was most meaningful to me and part of the reason I’ve loved Denison so much and Denison has been a great fit for me is that Denison sees and embraces my quirky side. I love being able to be authentically quirky,” Chartier said. “I love the way Denison embraces quirkiness community building and what I appreciated about when Dr. Mei read my accomplishments for me is that it leaned into my quirkiness and she let herself have fun reading mine.”

Chartier is a second generation President’s Medalist, with his mother earning the award in 1993. He grew up with her stories of her Denison experiences, which began for him with his involvement in the Survivor club; a club that recreates the popular game show “Survivor” with Denison students.

“I appreciate Denison so much because it is a place that you can make your own and that takes you as you are. It lets you be whatever amalgam of things you want and no one has ever done the exact combination of things you will do,” Chartier said.

Calderon is a biology major and has been on the softball team for all four years, served on the Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics, been involved as an advocate with Mission 34, been a member of Strong Leaders Club and worked her way to being the president of the Denison Student-Athlete Advisory Council (DSAAC). She has also participated in multiple research projects.

“Standing there next to Dr. Weinberg as I listened to what I had accomplished over the years didn’t seem possible. It’s hard to believe that I could have done so much in such a small amount of time,” Calderon said. “That’s what Denison makes possible though. Standing on that stage, I was so overcome with joy which reminded me how lucky I am to have found Denison.”

Calderon attributed her success and determination, as well as her receiving the President’s Medal, to her mother’s support. She plans to get her PhD and master’s in Exercise Science and Biochemistry at the University of Kansas.

“Earning this accolade is for her and it means that I never took an opportunity for granted. It means that I did the impossible so I can continue to find success in my future because of how much my Denison experience has shaped me,” Calderon said.

Gavin Jones is an economics and communication double major and has been a Varsity Swimmer for all four years, as well as a member of DSAAC, Mission 34 and Investment Club. He recently helped lead the men’s swim and five team to a NCAA national championship win.

“I was shocked. It took me until they read my middle name to realize it was me who was being called up,” Jones said. “Then I just couldn’t stop smiling.”

Jones plans to backpack around Eastern Europe after graduation and begin work doing digital marketing for a casino group in Las Vegas.

“It felt amazing. Looking around and seeing all the friends, faculty, and coaches that have been the foundation of these last four years for me was a surreal experience,” Jones said. “Hearing everything I’ve been able to do at this amazing institution made me extremely proud.”

In addition to the President’s Medalists, there was an assortment of different academic awards which students were recognized for. Avery Maurer ’27 won the Critical Language Scholarship Spark award. Madeline Borger won the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award. Valentina Mendoza Cruz ‘27 won the Fulbright UK Summer Institute award. Haimanot Assefa ‘26, Jalal Elbatal ‘26, Max Levine ‘26, Carlia Lopez ‘26, Ana Pineda ‘27 and Lilia Sauer ‘27 were Benjamin A Gilman International Scholarship recipients. Meghan Welch ‘25 won the projects for peace award. Erica Elefson ‘26 and Emily McNeal ‘27 won the DAAD-Research Internship in Science and Engineering award. Abigail Engler ‘25 won the Provost Excellence Award.