The ceremony was held Friday at the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts. Among the night’s honorees was Associate Professor of Environmental Science Christina Bauer, who received the prestigious Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award. Named for Professor Emeritus of History Harry W. Nerhood, the award acknowledges overall excellence in teaching.
Bauer, who holds the Chester and Olive McCloskey Chair in Chemistry, has worked in polymers and nanotechnology for more than 15 years. Her recent focus has shifted to environmental sustainability, including research on detecting micro and nanoplastics in ecosystems.
“Like many of my colleagues at Whittier College, I aim to teach students practical skills while challenging them to think independently and creatively about our most pressing scientific and societal issues,” Bauer said. “Receiving the Nerhood Teaching Award is such an honor, and it reaffirms that these methods resonate with students, giving me a confidence boost to continue on this path, even more so in the era of AI.”
Assistant Professor of English Douglas Manuel received the inaugural ACE Award for Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes a faculty member who challenges students to think critically, facilitates conversations about difficult topics, sparks a desire to see their students succeed and learn, and unlocks their potential.
“I'm thankful for the students because they teach me just as much, if not more than, I teach them,” Manuel said.
Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All Academic Team — Outstanding Distinction Noah John Bigara Zander Huynh Kenshiro Matsuzawa Álvaro Oliveros Criado Emily Loren Flores Haley Rae Kivett Charlotte Umstead
College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Honoree Baseball Nathan Sherman
Basketball Ignacio Bettinelli Camryn R. Beaver Faith Boulanger Yaneli Rosales Lorita Nour Salloom
Soccer Kevin Eduardo Bravo Rowan Slater Jessie Bonsness Audrey Burgmaier Ariana Cisneros-Botello Juliana Hodgson Elizabeth Marie Roybal Shayla Sakkakhanaune
Swimming & Diving John Nick Coltrin Garrett Dykier James H. Saw Riana Barrett Isabella Cabral Piper Guinn Tara Hendrickson
Volleyball Mia Isabella D'Amato Analise Kusleika Morgan Lin Nadine Oronoz
Art and Visual Studies
Outstanding Student in Graphic Design Giselle Fausto
Outstanding Student in Studio Art Estasia McGlothlin
English Language and Literature
Outstanding Achievement in English Zachary Ross Prothero Alexandra Sandoval
Global and Cultural Studies
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Global and Cultural Studies Lissa Castillo Higueros Galilea Landa-Posas
History
Outstanding Graduate in History Lissa Castillo Higueros Damian Garcia
The Paul Moore '68 and Allison Moore-Smith '00 Teaching Scholarship Lissa Castillo Higueros Damian Garcia
Modern Languages and Literatures
The Martin Ortiz Award for Academic Excellence in Spanish Palmer V. Patel Annalise Chantel Valdivia
Outstanding Student in Chinese Ha My Minh Pham
Outstanding Student in French Anna Gaber Damian Garcia
Outstanding Service to the Department (French) Felix Rose
Music
Outstanding Achievement in Music Production Zachary Alexander Kowalski
Outstanding Scholarship in Music Madisen Endo
Religious Studies
C. Milo Connick Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Religious Studies Seattle Tiernan Schuessler
Outstanding Contribution to the Department Malika J. Tadesse
Biology
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Biology Elizabeth Marie Roybal
Outstanding Service to the Department Casandra Avila
Outstanding Academic Achievement and Research in Biology Mursalle Khwajazada
Chemistry
Undergraduate Research Award in Chemistry Isabel K. Barrientos
The W. Roy Newsom Award in Chemistry Casandra Avila Charlotte Umstead
Environmental Science
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Environmental Science Adriana Renee Cox-Gonzalez Callista Marie McCarthy
Outstanding Research in Environmental Science Olive Ausness
Outstanding Service to the Department Adriana Renee Cox-Gonzalez
Mathematics
The Pyle Prize for Outstanding Graduate in Mathematics Allison Gonzalez
The Dr. Sharad V. Keny Memorial Endowed Scholarship Alexandra Haluska Jace Benjamin Chong
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Integrated Computer Science-Economics Manasvi Vardham
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Integrated Computer Science-Mathematics Chenhao He
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Mathematics-Business Natalia R. Medrano
Physics
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Physics & Astronomy Kamarina Hewett
Business Administration
The Charles R. Laine Award for Outstanding Graduate in Business Administration Zachary Alexander Kowalski
Outstanding Graduate in Accounting Diego Cruz
Outstanding Graduate in Finance Ahmed Amer
Outstanding Graduate in International Business Rocío Martín Muñoz
Outstanding Graduate in Management Sydnee Verlin
Outstanding Graduate in Marketing Chloe Fung
The John A. Murdy Writing Award Jordan Dahl
Economics
The Gregory Woirol Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Economics Ha My Minh Pham
Education and Child Development
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Child Development Adriana Grace Tunque Carnecer Analise Kusleika
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Education Mackenzie Crecelius
Outstanding Service to the Department Victoria Mejia
Kinesiology
Outstanding Graduate in Kinesiology Emily Loren Flores
Outstanding Service to the Department Antonio Lauriano Saavedra
Outstanding Graduate in Pre-Physical Therapy Haley Rae Kivett
Outstanding Graduate in Sports Management Chloe Fung
Political Science
The Burnett-Bergerson Political Science Award Piper Guinn Galilea Landa-Posas
Psychological Sciences
Outstanding Academic Achievement in the Psychological Sciences Elsie Johnson Audrey Selena Luna Sonali A. Ortiz-Casillas Nicole Plata
Outstanding Scholarship in the Psychological Sciences Ioana Podarita
Outstanding Service to the Department Kasey Davis Sonali A. Ortiz-Casillas Katherine Shum
Social Work
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Social Work Demona Rosenlof
Outstanding Service in Social Work Denisse Palacios Delgado
Outstanding Student in Field Education Leila Tiffany Vuskovic
The Claudia Dorrington Social Justice Award Bree Brasher Sammantha Garcia
Sociology
The Charles J. Browning Prize in Sociology Nevaeh Gutierrez
The Paul Moore '68 and Allison Moore-Smith '00 Teaching Scholarship Kelly Jacqueline Nutter
Outstanding Student in Sociological Praxis Estasia McGlothlin
Gender Studies
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Gender Studies Lucy Jane Campbell Lissa Castillo Higueros
Public Health
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Public Health Casandra Avila Shayla Sakkakhanaune
Whittier Scholars
Outstanding Service to the Whittier Scholars Program Lexis Brattain
Outstanding Graduate in the Whittier Scholars Program Isabel Leonore Perez-Flores
Outstanding Research and/or Creativity in the Whittier Scholars Program Naia Watkins
The Whittier College Writing Program
First Year Writing Prizes Cara Mia Botha Gabriella Alferez Anderson
First Year Project-based Learning Prizes Christian A. Arreola Elise Chaidez Chole Crecelius Daisy Hernandez Dario Ludusan Chau Bao Pham Ambrine Lugay Denis Matthew Jameson Geller Abel Abraham Kidane Maya N. Torres Niah Vazquez
Outstanding Writing Tutor Mackenzie Crecelius
First Year Programs
Outstanding Contributions to First Year Programs Mia Isabella D'Amato Audrey Sparks
Associated Students of Whittier College Awards
Key to the College Award Francisco Gomez
Marilyn Veich Award Daisy Machado
Richard B. Harvey Award David Sloan
