Twelve Undergraduates Earn Prestigious Trustee Awards

Each year, St. John Fisher University honors graduating seniors for their academic successes. Among the Class of 2025, 12 students who graduated in December 2024 and May 2025 were recognized for exceptional academic performance. These are the highest honors bestowed to baccalaureate students during their time at the University.

The Trustees Distinguished Scholar Award is given to graduating seniors with the highest cumulative GPA based on at least 100 graded credits earned at Fisher. This year’s recipients are Lev Cherpel, biology major; Emma Cooper, biochemistry major, psychology and biology minors; Christopher Deya, cybersecurity and computer science double major; and Emily Tollar, inclusive childhood education major with an English concentration.

The Trustees Ranking Scholar Award is given to students who have the highest cumulative GPA regardless of the number of graded credits earned at the University. This year’s recipients are Natalie Byrd, psychology major; Kasey Myers, nursing major; Abigail Garvey, biology major with a chemistry minor; Erik Herbert, pharmaceutical sciences major; Emma Kuhn, psychology major with an ethics minor; Nicholas Patnode, nursing major; Jane Pfau, legal studies major with a criminology and criminal justice minor; and Madelyn Tardugno, finance major.

Each of the students also graduated summa cum laude, which signifies they earned their degrees with the highest distinction.

“These are our highest achieving students whose dedication and commitment we are honored to recognize,” said Dr. Kevin Railey, provost of the University. “Their professors and I are proud of their accomplishments and wish them well in their future pursuits.”