September 19, 2024: Behind You is the Sea, by Susan Muaddi Darraj

Funny and touching, Behind You is the Sea brings us into the homes and lives of three main families—the Baladis, the Salamehs, and the Ammars—Palestinian immigrants who’ve all found a different welcome in America.

Behind You is the Sea faces stereotypes about Palestinian culture head-on, shifting perspectives to weave a complex social fabric replete with weddings, funerals, broken hearts, and devastating secrets. (Description from author’s website).

Special guest Dr. Vaughn Shannon, Professor, International and Comparative Studies, will provide background information on the history of Palestine.

November 21, 2024: Broughtupsy, by Christina Cooke

Told through an intimate first-person account, Broughtupsy follows a 20-year-old Akúa as she attempts to reconstruct her fractured family by flying from Canada to her native Jamaica to reconnect with her estranged older sister Tamika, her younger brother Bryson’s ashes in tow. As she tries to get closer to her sister and put her brother to rest, Akúa’s confronted with the difficult realities of being gay in a deeply religious family, of feeling separate from her home culture after years of living abroad, and of battling the grief of losing her mother and then brother at pivotal moments in her young life.

As she spreads her brother’s ashes while home in Kingston, Akúa meets Jayda, a bashful young woman who shows her a different side of the city and gives her a glimmer of hope of how to be at peace with her sister and herself. At its core, Broughtupsy asks us all: what are we willing to do for family? And what are we willing to do to savor the feeling of home? (Description from the author’s website).

January 16, 2025: A Sign of Her Own, by Sarah Marsh

A mesmerizing tale of historical fiction that follows a deaf former student of Alexander Graham Bell as she learns to reclaim her own authentic voice.

Ellen Lark is on the verge of marriage when she and her fiancé receive an unexpected visit from Alexander Graham Bell. Ellen is deaf and for a time she was Bell’s student learning visible speech. During their lessons, Bell also confided in her about his dream of producing a device that would transmit the human voice along a wire: the telephone.

Now, on the cusp of wealth and renown, Bell wants Ellen to speak up in support of his claim to the patent of the telephone, which is being challenged by rival inventors. But Ellen has a different story to tell: that of how Bell betrayed her and other deaf pupils in pursuit of his own ambition. Ellen knows that this is her one opportunity to tell the true story—her story—but to do so will risk her engagement, her future prospects and her mother’s last wish for her.

Inspired by Alexander Graham Bell’s real deaf students, this stunning historical debut casts new light on the inventor and the invention that would forever change how we communicate.  (Description from the publisher).

March 20, 2025: The Dayton Literary Peace Prize Winner for Fiction

More information will follow when available.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Constantine Bambakidis

Major: Computer Science

Book: Understanding Cybersecurity Technologies: A Guide to Selecting the Right Cybersecurity Tools,  by Abbas Moallem

“After graduation, I will be completing a master’s degree in the field of cyber security and pursuing a career in cyber operations. I also plan to start a cyber security club to participate in national competitions, expand my photography business and adopt a dog to hike the Appalachian Trail with.”

College of Science and Mathematics

Hannah Davidson

Major: Physiology and Neuroscience

Book: Immunohistochemistry: A Technical Guide to Current Practices, ed. By Trung Nguyen

“After graduating this spring, I will be completing my masters in Physiology & Neuroscience at Wright State University. This summer, I will be participating in the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program with the Naval Medical Research Unit-Dayton, where I have been interning for two years. Long-term, I plan to become a neonatologist and continue research in developmental neuroscience.

My undergraduate experience here at Wright State has been a such a sweet time – thanks to my experiences in groups like Asian Student Association, Dean’s Circle, and Student Government. I am so grateful for the support of family, faculty, and friends.”

College of Health, Education, and Human Services

Celeea T. Dixon

Major: Sign Language Interpretation

Book: Advances in Educational Interpreting, ed. By Elizabeth A. Winston & Stephen B. Fitzmaurice

“After graduation I am going to be attending the University of Miami-Oxford to obtain a Masters in Special Education. When that is finished, I plan to do both, sign language interpreting and be an Intervention Specialist for students who range with mild to moderate learning disabilities.

My all-time favorite memory was networking with the other African American students/organizations on campus. Going to Black Student Union events, and being initiated in the Illustrious EX chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. has made me a better person, teammate and friend. I will always be thankful for the connections I have made here at Wright State University.”

Raj Soin College of Business

Jacob Maher

Major: Financial Services

Book: Artificial Intelligence Applications in Banking and Financial Services, by Abhishek Gupta, Dwijendra Nath Dwivedi, and Jigar Shah

“A few of my favorite WSU memories include volunteering for several Raider Open House events where I had the opportunity to speak to potential students and families about the Raj Soin College of Business and tell them about campus life. I have made many very close friendships during my years at WSU which will last a lifetime,  going on spring break trips and winning intramural sport championships with them are also amazing memories that I cherish. 

Immediately after graduation I will be starting a full-time position at Buckingham Advisors in Centerville on the financial planning team. I had the opportunity to intern at Buckingham Advisors last year and was fortunate enough to receive a full-time offer to come back. Here I have already learned a ton about the field and gained valuable professional experience. Buckingham Advisors employs many WSU alumni, and I am excited to start my professional career with an amazing organization. My long-term goals include earning the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designation and eventually starting my own financial planning firm. 

I was fortunate enough to graduate high school with an Associate’s Degree from Edison State Community College, which allowed me to graduate in 3 short years. The first thing that stood out to me when I started at WSU was how genuine and caring the professors are. I am proud to have been a part of the Raj Soin College of Business and am excited to be part of the Raider Alumni Family. “

College of Liberal Arts

Bethany Moore

Major: International Studies

Book: The Geopolitics of Shaming,by Rochelle Terman

“Following my graduation, I will be working for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) as an intelligence specialist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.” 

Lake Campus

Zachary Pleiman

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Book: Theory of Machines: Kinematics and Dynamics, by Dustin Green

“Hello, my name is Zachary Pleiman. I was born in raised in Fort Loramie, OH. I grew up playing a variety of sports, including basketball, golf, track and field, and baseball. On my free time I would participate in outdoor activities along with helping at our family farm. I graduated from Fort Loramie High School as part of the 2020 class. I went right into my college career the following fall at Wright State University’s Lake Campus. I completed my entire 4-year tenure here and will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering degree.

“When attending college, I also worked at a year-round Co-Op at Machine Concepts located in Minster, OH. This job allowed me to get a foot into the door and experience what a mechanical engineering career would have to offer. For the past 3 years at this company, I was able to learn a lot about this career field. With this said, after my college career is over, I plan to continue working at Machine Concepts as a full-time mechanical engineer.”

Boonshoft School of Medicine

Naser Zarrabi

Major: Public Health

Book: Indigenous Public Health, by Linda Burhansstipanov and Kathryn L. Braun

“After graduation, I plan to further my knowledge in the medical field through research and volunteering. My hope is to be accepted to the Boonshoft School of Medicine to pursue my ultimate goal of becoming a physician and helping people.

My favorite memory at WSU was having the opportunity to be an undergraduate teaching assistant for anatomy lab. I enjoyed this experience as I was able to help students improve their learning and understanding. I also appreciate all of my amazing professors and the faculty members that helped me throughout my studies at WSU. I would especially like to thank the Dean of Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dr. Toussaint, Dr. Hinson-Enslin, my advisor, Laura Marker, Professor Severt, Dr. Ritucci, Dr. Zhong, Professor Calabro, and all of my professors in the Public Health department. Their help has guided me to receive this award and continue on the path to reach my goal of becoming a physician.”