Similar to Rushdan, Morgan said mentorship completely changed the
direction of her life. Her mentor introduced her to new avenues, like
the idea of going to graduate school. She warned them not to take the
power of mentorship for granted.
You are students of distinction and we are very, very proud of every
one of you, Morgan said. We are also proud of the faculty and the
staff members who identified you and taken their evening to come and
spend time with us, too.
Henderson congratulated the 2019 winners and emphasized the impact of mentorship on the larger UD community.
You earned the right to be here, Henderson said. In this fashion,
this distinction is by extension a community effort that owes much of
its synergies to the African principle of Ubuntu: I am because we are.
She thanked all of those who helped put the event together. She also
recognized several high school student groups invited to the event in
the hopes getting an introduction to UD and building relationships that
may one day become mentorships. This included students from the
mentoring-focused groups Ladies of Legacy and Aspira of Delaware, as
well as Dhazhea Freeman, who impressed judges of a YMCA of Delaware
essay contest with her words about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freeman is
scheduled to be a first-year student at UD in the fall.
Henderson noted there are many ways to think about mentorship, but
highlighted the interpretation by Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis. He
wrote, True teachers use themselves as bridges over which they invite
their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing,
joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.
2019 Students of Distinction
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Behnam Abasht, Michael Abshat, Michael Babak, Matthew Bott and Jordyn Stevens
College of Arts and Sciences
Janelly Abreu, Victoria Acevedo, Javier Aguiar, Shumailah
Ahmad-Statts, Patience Ankomah, Elaine Ansah, David Arredondo, Jason
Austin, Kobe Baker, Keith Barnes, Thomas Bond, Sean Briscoe, Chenesia
Brown, Camilo Cardenas, William Cavin, Jr., Sharlie Chisholm, Taurence
Chisholm, Jr., Maria Chudzik, Nigel Clark, Norma Cruz, Rufino Cruz,
Andre Cunningham, Wyatt Dawson, Leon DeShields, Jonay Desire, Kathryn
Dias, Martine Edmond, Jean Filo, Braulio Florentino, Rigoberto Flores,
Keynon Harris-Miller, Briana Kenry, Yanko Hernando, Lindsay Hoffman,
Gillian Isabelle, Jayda Jenkins, Caleigh Johnson, Semaj Kelly, Edwin
Lopez, Nana Marfo, Tylor Matthews, Keith Medley, Rigoberto Mejia, Donte
Moore, Lizbeth Mora-Martinez, Eden Negusse, Brandon Okeyo, Comfort
Osundina, Anthony Ozuna-Pena, Amorelle Penick, Garciela Perez, Courtney
Porter, Michael Pugh, Daniele Richards, Maame Riverson, Ade Robertson,
Atlas Moon Rodriguez-Decker, Barbara Romero-Duenas, Dianna Ruberto,
Miata Smith, Jymere Stillis-Stanford, Michael Sydnor, Domonique
Thurston, Santiago Vizcaino, Kayla Williams, David Wilson, Alexis
Wrease, Heran Yosef, Marvin Smith
Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics
Queen Agboye, Leah Austin, Patrick Bingham, Andrew Connell, Martisha
Durant, Amanda Flores, Shawn Futch, Paul Gathii, Jordan Glenn, Russell
Harris, Arynn Hernandez, Cesar Hernandez Sanchez, Tiana Jarman, Jazzlynn
Jefferson, Melissa Jones, Cindy King, Chris Lynch, Briana Mateo, Iyanna
McCoy, Andre McMillan, Joshua Moreira, Onyekachi Njubigbo, Destini
Robinson, April Singleton, Malachi Walker
College of Earth, Ocean and Environment
Hanna Baffone, Brielle Bianchini, Ramiro Bruno, Kaylee Croce, Marissa
McClenton, Christine Obeng, Jared Williams, Iris Perez-Mazariegos
College of Education and Human Development
Racine Boyle, Kwaku Edusei, Maame Bema Kyeadea-Amponsah, Joshua
Lewis, Kadisha Mack, Nicole Mejia, Timothy Penn, Lindsey Perez-Perez,
Alexus Ramirez, Nicole Robinson, Jillian Solomon, Mie-Hawa Sumner,
Deandra Taylor, Jordana Woodford, Christina Woodson, Nefetaria Yates
College of Engineering
Abubakarr Bah, Kelechi Chukwunenye, Jorge Hernandez, Chin-Pao Huang,
Keira Morgan, Olivia Powell, Stephanie Ross, Daniel Sanchez Carretero,
Alexis Withers
College of Health Sciences
Luisa Abadia, Ayomide Adeoti, Shantelle Aidoo, Nana Asante, Justin
Brown, Jordan Carr, George Class-Peters, Rachel DeLauder, Ngozi
Dom-Chima, Leon Elcock, Camille Rischer, Vivian Guyton, Francisco
Hernandez, Cindy Iheanacho, Sierra Kahete, Danyella Lopez-Juarez,
Meiling Genavieve Miranda, Lizette Morales-Ixtepan, Abdual Musa, Maria
Noguez Perez, Amber Rance, Keyanna Riddick, Keddy Rwara, Kameelah
Slater, Gloria Soto, Ariona Thornton
University Studies
Christina Baughan, Aderolake Bolarinwa, Cassandra Harris
Article by Carlett Spike; photos by Kevin Quinlan