Recipients of the following Graduate School award programs are selected by central committees that include members of our graduate faculty. Applications and nominations are submitted to the Graduate School's Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration. Inquiries regarding these programs can be directed to the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration.

2023 Student Award Recipients

Alumni Association Dissertation Award

Ali Ghazvinian, doctoral student in architecture
Lauren Dennis, doctoral student in civil engineering with a dual title in climate science
Rebecca Fleeman, doctoral student in biomedical sciences
Jingyang He, doctoral student in materials science and engineering
Emily Howerton, doctoral student in biology
Laura Jones, doctoral student in ecology
Atip Lawanprasert, doctoral student in bioengineering
Flora Oswald, doctoral student in psychology with a dual title in women’s, gender and sexuality studies
Siddharth Vishwanath, doctoral student in statistics
Rui Wang, doctoral student in architecture
Hannah Whitley, doctoral student in rural sociology with a dual title in human dimensions of natural resources and the environment
Caylon Yates, doctoral student in ecology
Rui Zu, doctoral student in materials science and engineering

Distinguished Master's Thesis Award (DMTA)
Patrick McFarland, master's student in meteorology and atmospheric science
Kathleen Meeks, master's student in neuroscience
Sam Moradzadeh, master's student in architecture
Abbie Robinson, master's student in rural sociology pursuing a dual-title degree in international agriculture and development

Graduate Student Excellence in Mentoring Award (GSEMA)
Victoria Bonnell, doctoral student in biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology

Graduate Student International Research Award (GSIRA)
Dima Abu-Aridah, doctoral student in architecture

Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award (GAOTA)

Cordelia Beck-Horton, master’s student in chemistry
Maria Bermudez, doctoral student in philosophy
Matt Cikovic, doctoral student in mass communications
Kavya Katugam-Dechene, doctoral student in kinesiology
Margaret Lakomy, doctoral student in chemistry
Anna Piotti, doctoral student in German with a dual title in language science
Ankit Saxena, doctoral student in mechanical engineering
Tasneem Tariq, doctoral student in architecture
Yuanheng “Arthur” Wang, doctoral student in applied linguistics
Seongryeong Yu, doctoral student in curriculum and instruction with a dual title in comparative and international education

Intercollege Graduate Student Outreach Achievement Award
Angela Cleri, doctoral student in materials science and engineering

Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship for Penn State Alumni in the Graduate School
Megan Bradson, doctoral student in psychology
Joseph Brandenburg, doctoral student in school psychology

Professional Master's Excellence Award
Anjali Gopalakrishnan, master's degree student in architecture
Sungjin Ryu, master's student in supply chain management

AT&T Graduate Fellowship
Sujay Hosur, doctoral student in electrical engineering

Thomas and June Beaver Fund Award
Akshay Gharpure, doctoral student in energy and mineral engineering

Harold K. Schilling Dean’s Graduate Scholarship
Desirae Major, doctoral student in aerospace engineering 
Xiaoyue Zhao, doctoral student in mechanical engineering

Ardeth and Norman Frisbey International Student Award
Ram Neupane, doctoral student in plant pathology with a dual title degree in international agriculture and development

Graduate Student Service Award
Hamidul Haque, master’s student in agricultural and biological engineering