The University Libraries are pleased to announce the Wright State University 2023 Top Scholars. Top Scholars is an annual award given to a graduating senior from each college and Lake Campus. Top Scholars are selected by the dean and must have at least a 3.6 GPA, be on track to graduate in spring, and represent the mission, vision and values of our inclusive University.
Each recipient receives a certificate, and a book is purchased and added to the University Libraries’ permanent collections in honor of each Top Scholar. Bookplates with the student’s name, college, and award year are affixed to the book and are also added to the libraries catalog record. The subjects of the books are chosen from within the student’s majors and the books are selected by the libraries’ collection management team. The Wright State University and the Friends of the Libraries fund the award, now in its 29th year.
We would like to publicly recognize and congratulate our seven Top Scholars for 2023 and share their after graduation plans and favorite memories as Wright State University students.
Raj Soin College of Business
Christopher Broach
Major: Management Information Systems
Book: The Convergence of Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technologies, by Sam Goundar, G. Suseendran, and R. Anandan
After Graduation Plans and Favorite Memory: “Over the past four years, I’ve spent most of my time maximizing my college experience by striving to do my best every semester. Immediately after graduation, I’ll be taking a couple of months off. During this time, I’ll be working on technical certifications, reading, hiking, and reflecting. Beginning in July, I’ll start working as a full-time Configurations and Data Manager in the simulations division at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Joining Wright State as a non-traditional student immediately after leaving the Air Force was one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made. Although earning an undergraduate degree is something to be very proud of and excited about, this isn’t why. It’s because of the experiences I’ve had and the relationships I’ve made along the way. My favorite thing about Wright State was the Entrepreneurship Club. This is where I met Damian and Tyler, two incredibly influential figures who motivated me to do much more than simply attend class and complete assignments. They are largely responsible for my reception of this award as they are the ones who motivated me to pursue great things, like a research project with Dr. Zadeh. It’s a fair assumption that without them, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to maximize my time here at Wright State University.“
College of Liberal Arts
Samantha Baxter
Major: English/Political Science
Book: Primary Language Impact on Second Language and Literacy Learning: Linguistically Responsive Strategies for Classroom Learning, edited by Bogum Yoon & Kristen L. Pratt
After Graduation and Favorite Memory: “I plan to start full-time at my current internship. I work for a local Environmental Monitoring company (Fondriest Environmental) that provides monitoring equipment to researchers and conservation groups. I will be working as a writer and managing editor for all of the company’s publications, including all web and print content.
My favorite memory at Wright State would have to be going to New York with the Model UN team during my freshman year. I had spent the entire year working on being the best delegate I could be and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to become a better public speaker. At the conference, I spoke in front of over 300 people and it didn’t even phase me. It was a testament to how much I grew over the course.”
Boonshoft School of Medicine
Kyah Rowley
Major: Public Health
Book: Prospective Longevity: A New Vision of Population Aging, by Warren C. Sanderson & Sergei Scherbov
After Graduation Plans and Favorite Memory: “After graduation, I will be attending the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science this fall to finish my education and become a funeral director.
My favorite thing about Wright State is the diverse community of students and supportive faculty. This community has allowed me to make so many happy memories through organizations such as my sorority and through unique classes and learning experiences like the French courses and the field school opportunities I participated in! There are so many great experiences available that helped me to make the most out of my time at Wright State!”
College of Science and Mathematics
Cassandra Poeppelman
Major: Biological Sciences
Book: Human Growth and Development, edited by Noel Cameron & Lawrence M. Schell
After Graduation Plans and Favorite Memory: “I am excited to continue my education next Fall 2023 in the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program at Wright State University.
Over the past four years, Wright State has given me many opportunities to make life-long friendships and work toward the career of my dreams. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of numerous organizations, including Student Government Association, Residential Community Association, C.J. McLin Jr. Scholars Association, and the College of Science and Mathematics Dean’s Circle. The time I spent with my peers in these organizations was priceless, and I know that I can look forward to seeing where life takes all of my close friends after graduation. Additionally, I look forward to my own future in research. Wright State opened my eyes to the world of scientific discoveries and has already given me enough experience in research to begin in the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program next Fall 2023. I can’t wait to see what new opportunities we will all have in the coming years!”
College of Health, Education, and Human Services
Lisabeth Jones
Major: Organizational Leadership
Book: The Business of People: Leadership for the Changing World, by Iain Fraser & Madeleine Taylor
After Graduation Plans and Favorite Memory: “After I graduate with my undergraduate degree in Organizational Leadership (OL), I will continue toward my graduate degree in Instructional Design & Learning (IDL) Technologies at Wright State University. I am part of an OL/IDL Combined program, where I began taking graduate-level courses while completing my undergraduate degree. I am wrapping up my second graduate course and am confident I chose the right path. After completing my IDL master’s degree, I plan to pursue an MBA.
My favorite thing about the time I spent at Wright State was becoming part of a team again. I gained a renewed sense of purpose and self.”
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Celeste Hicks
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Book: Translational Research in Traumatic Brain Injury, by Daniel Laskowitz & Gerald Grant
After Graduation Plans and Favorite Memory: “After graduation, I’ll be starting this Fall at Purdue University to get my master’s degree in biomedical engineering. I’m especially interested in biomedical electronics, so I hope to work in biomedical device development after I get my master’s degree.”
“My favorite memory at Wright State was working as a teaching assistant in engineering circuits labs. I love building and troubleshooting electronic circuits. It was always very rewarding to help other students fix their malfunctioning circuits and see them work properly. Going to lab was the highlight of my week, and I’ll miss it a lot. “
Lake Campus
Devin Siefring
Major: Nursing
Book: Nursing Health Assessment: A Clinical Judgment Approach, by Sharon Jensen
After Graduation Plans and Favorite Memory: “After graduation, I have a job lined up at Upper Valley Medical Center Emergency Department as a Registered Nurse. I plan to work at UVMC to gain experience before moving on to grad school.
As a nursing student, I’ve spent hundreds of hours in the clinical setting learning from mentors and caring for patients. Everyday had its own skill, lesson or pathology to expand upon. One that I vividly remember was caring for a patient that was critical in Dayton Children’s Emergency Department. Caring for the child, communicating with the family and learning along the way was truly a fulfilling experience.”
Congratulations to our 2023 Top Scholars!
The University Libraries and the Friends of the Libraries thank everyone who with hard work, collaboration and cooperation made this year’s Top Scholar awards possible.