Each spring top Fresno Pacific University students are honored with academic awards. Here are the 2023 Outstanding Graduates as well as those winning honors at commencement, the Seminary Gala, the Traditional Undergraduate Honors Banquet and Undergraduate research Night.
Outstanding Graduates
School of Business
Leann West, B.A. in Business Administration: Organizational Leadership Emphasis
Rachel Berry, M.A. in Strategic and Organizational Leadership
School of Natural Sciences
Rosemary Chapman, B.S. in Kinesiology: Pre-Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy
Jeffrey McPhetridge, B.A. in Mathematics
School of Education
Gabriel Vasquez-Salinas, B.A. in Liberal Arts – Science Concentration
Stephanie Villareal, B.A. in Liberal Arts – Science Concentration
School of Humanities, Religion & Social Sciences
Elizabeth Davis, B.A. in English: Secondary Teaching and Theater
Danya Gonzalez, B.A. in History and Political Science
Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary
Lisa Basile, M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy
Mitchell Ross, Master of Divinity and M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy
Commencement
Magdalena Wenger received the Harold Haak Award
Jeffrey McPhetridge, Rosemary Chapman and Anastassiya Barakhoyeva received Highest GPA Awards
Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary Gala
- Mental Health and Integration Award: Kari Medeiros, MFT
- Bob and Dorla Cross Excellence in Education Award: Maria Nunez, MFT
- Zondervan Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Study of Theology: Nicole Alvernaz, M.A. in Theology
- Advanced Families: Ilene Rodriguez, MFT
- Senior Seminar: Launa Grunau, M.A. in Community Leadership and Transformation
Traditional Undergraduate Honors Banquet
School of Business
Irelda Alarcon Ayon received Senior Highest Honors in Business Administration
Juan Zamora, Jr., received Junior Highest Honors in Business Administration
Sara Lundquist and Tatum Benson received senior honors in Business Administration
Joleen Contreras and Riley Creech received junior honors in Business Administration
School of Natural Sciences
Paola Guadalupe Gonzalez Mendez received Junior Highest Honors in Applied Mathematics
Jasmine Sirvent received Junior Honors in Applied Mathematics
Magdalena Wenger received Senior Highest Honors in Biology
Kirstin Whaley and Rebecca Huettman received Junior Honors in Biology
Katherine Warkentin received Junior Highest Honors in Environmental Science
Rosemary Chapman received Senior Highest Honors in Kinesiology
Elizabeth Naranjo received Junior Highest Honors in Kinesiology
Anastassiya Barakoyeva and Benjamin Jungbluth received senior honors in Kinesiology
Ariana Vera received Junior Honors in Kinesiology
Kalobe Jimenez received Junior Highest Honors in Mathematics
Jeffrey McPhetridge received Senior Honors in Mathematics
Ramon Martinez Gonzalez received Junior Highest Honors in Nursing
Ceceli Vega and Katrina Quintana received Junior Honors in Nursing
Luke Smith received Senior Highest Honors in Software Engineering
Alison Ukei received Junior Highest Honors in Software Engineering
Lydia Manu and Vincius Molz received Senior Honors in Software Engineering
School of Humanities, Religion & Social Sciences
Brandon Chavez Moreno received Senior Honors in Biblical and Theological Studies
Michael Smith received Senior Highest Honors in Communication
Aisha Duran received Junior Highest Honors in Communication
Janelle Mayberry and Kristin Milligan received Senior Honors in Communication
Ashley Winchell and Samantha Diaz received Junior Honors in Communication
Ashley Nessling received Senior Highest Honors in Criminology
Garrett Frear received Senior Honors in Criminology
Elizabeth Davis received Senior Highest Honors in English
Brandi Aguilera received Junior Highest Honors in English
Lauren Lee and Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana received Junior Honors in English
Megan Le Blanc received Junior Highest Honors in Graphic Design
Gabriel Santanton and Hope Erwin received Junior Honors in Graphic Design
Danya Gonzalez received Senior Highest Honors in History
Breanna Hurt received Junior Highest Honors in History
Allyson Huettmann and Ethan Winter received Senior Honors in History
Jordan Smith and Joseph Avila received Junior honors in History
Magdalena Wenger received Senior Highest Honors in Intercultural and Religious Studies
Anna Krumpe received Senior Honors in Intercultural and Religious Studies
Karina Morales received Junior Honors in Intercultural and Religious Studies
Emily Hand received Senior Highest Honors in Liberal Studies
Elizabeth Munoz received Junior Highest Honors in Liberal Studies
Ana Apodaca Valle and Corinne Acosta received Senior Honors in Liberal Studies
Daisy Pacheco and Jazmin Saenz received Junior Honors in Liberal Studies
Eric DeHaeseleer received Senior Highest Honors in Music
Marnie Debardeleben received Senior Honors in Music
Bryana Yoshida received Junior Highest Honors in Philosophy
Leondre McBride and Nicolas Portwood received Senior Honors in Philosophy
Douglas Livingston and Elise Leik received Junior Honors in Philosophy
Alexa Queenan received Junior Highest Honors in Political Science
Paola Espinoza received Junior Highest Honors in Pre-Law
Laiba FaHeem received Junior Honors in Pre-Law
Erika Garcia received Senior Highest Honors in Psychology
Elise Leik received Junior Highest Honors in Psychology
Maria Barragon Aldaco received Senior Honors in Psychology
Camila Alduenda Esquer received Junior Honors in Psychology
Jasmine Rodriguez received Junior Highest Honors in Social Work
Avrielle Herms received Junior Honors in Social Work
Trinity Sainz received Junior Honors in Sociology
Ramon Martinez received Senior Highest Honors in Spanish
Noemi Gonzalez received Junior Highest Honors in Spanish
Andrea Pineda and Brenda Sanchez received Senior Honors in Spanish
Alex Hodson received Senior Highest Honors in Theater
Stephanie Gonzales received Senior Honors in Theater
Nicolas Portwood was named Outstanding Student of Ancient History and Classics
Undergraduate Research Night
First-place presentations in the six areas:
- Kinesiology: Rosemary Chapman, “The Effect of Electrical Stimulation on Muscle Activation of the Lower Trapezius”
- Biology: Kimberly Xiong and Emily Acosta, “Antibacterial Activity of Lemon Grass Oil”
- Psychology: Cameron Garcia, “’Students, Lend Me Your Phone:’ Compliance between Students and Staff Members”
- Liberal Studies: Elizabeth Xiong, “Reading Rainbow: Reading Diversity and Story Structure”
- Intercultural and Biblical Studies: Joseph Vasquez, “The Problem of Masculinity: An Exploration of Jesus as the Ideal Man in John 2”
- Humanities and Social Science: Elizabeth Davis, “Suffragettes and Silver Shoes: Dorothy’s Feminism in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz”
PHOTO (from left): Travis (T.J.) Lake, who graduated with an M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis, speaks with Eileen Whelan, Ph.D., associate professor of education and director of the school psychology program, and Gerald Lavarias, Ph.D., assistant professor of education.