Student Awards & Honors

Our Biochemistry students accomplish great things!  Their acheivements are recognized within the University and beyond.   

Department of Chemistry Awards

The Department of Chemistry honors Chemistry and Biochemistry students each year with several awards. In 2014, Biochemistry students were the recipients of:

• The Ron Magolda Fellowship  Read more about this prestigous fellowship here.  This year, four Biochemistry students were awarded the Ron Magolda Fellowship:  Giavanna Chirico, Matthew Oleksak, Rebecca Lin, and William Escobar-Arrillaga.  This award provides summer research students with a stipend and room & board.  

• American Institute of Chemists Award   This award is to honor outstanding seniors and post-baccalaureates for recognition of a demonstrated record of ability, leadership and professional promise.  2014 Biochemistry recipient: Ms. Jessica Eby
  

Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellows (VURF)

Competitive awards to support students engaged in research are awarded annually through the Villanova Undergraduate Reserach Fellows Program (VURF).  These awards provide the recipient a summer stipend, summer room & board, and project funding.  Two Biochemistry majors were honored in 2014 with a VURF award:  Nicholas Ader and Hyewon Kim.

Phi Beta Kappa 

Phi Beta Kappa is a nation's oldest honor society.   Recent Biochemistry majors inducted into Villanova's Phi Beta Kappa chapter include: Ms. Lien Trieu (B.S. 2013) and seniors Mr. Daniel Amor, Ms. Jessica Eby, and Ms. Joana Prestrecu. 

Prestigous External Awards and Honors

Our students are the recipients of nationally competitive fellowships and awards.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship

·     Mr. Nick Ader: 2014 recipient (read more)

·     Ms. Joana Pestrescu:  2013 recipient

·     Mr. Danial Amor: 2013 honorable mention

·     Ms. Katherine Dynarski: 2012 honorable mention

The Marshall Scholarship.  In 2014, Ms. Joana Petrescu was the first Villanovan awarded the Marshall Scholarship.  With this fellowship, Joana is carrying out research in cancer biology at the University of Cambridge, England. Joining the elite group of Marshall Scholarship awardees in 2015 is Mr. Nicholas Ader, Villanova's second-ever recipient of this prestigous award.  Nick, too, will be heading to the University of Cambridge for PhD work. Read more about Nick and the award here. 

The Fulbright Award.   Villanova is the top producer of Fulbright awardees among Masters-granting institutions! (Read about it here.)  Among the ranks of Villanova Fulbrighters is Ms. Jessica Eby (2014-2015 Fulbright recipient, 2014 Biochemistry) who is currently teaching English in Laos.