Members of Class of 2016 Honored For Their Excellence in Academics, Leadership in Service

Emily Conn selected as Class of 2016 valedictorian

Over their four years at the College of the Holy Cross, the Class of 2016 has exhibited excellence in many different forms and, as their time as students on Mount St. James comes to an end, the community gathers to celebrate and honor their vast achievements.

Among these students is Emily Conn, who has been selected to deliver the Class of 2016 valedictory address during the Commencement exercises on Friday, May 27.

Conn is an English major in the College Honors Program and completed a thesis on Milton’s “Paradise Lost;” she is also a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society.

Conn has been involved in campus ministry, serving as a lector and liturgical coordinator, and in the Chaplains’ retreat programs, participating in and helping lead Manresa and Escape retreats. She has been a Resident Assistant for three years, and served as the Head RA in Mulledy Hall this year. She has been an Orientation Leader for both summer and fall orientations and has participated in Spring Break immersions all four years, serving as leader to this year’s immersion trip to the Appalachian community of Pearisburg, Va. She also traveled to Nicaragua on a 10-day immersion trip in January 2015.

Following graduation, Emily will head to San Jose, Calif., where she will join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and work at Sacred Heart Community Service.

Conn was also named as the recipient of The Leonard Award, given to the valedictorian of the graduating class for proficiency in oratory, debating, or like competition. Conn, and other outstanding members of the Class of 2016 were honored for their academic excellence and leadership in service during this year’s presentation of academic prizes and awards on May 26 in the Dinand Library Main Reading Room. The full list of recipients is shown below:

The Presidential Service Awards – Jack M. Green, Erin L. Hillis, Michael A. Mastroianni, Jacob W. Medina, Christopher R. Morgan, Victoria L. Paulino, Zhenxi Qi, Ja-Lene S. Scott-Dottin, Matthew F. Watson, Anthony E. Yakely The George B. Moran Award – Amina V. O. Gomez The George J. Allen, Ph.D., '65 Psychology Award – Elizabeth M. O’Brien The American Institute of Chemists Foundation Award – Anthony E. Yakely The Pedro Arrupe Medal and Prize – Anthony E. Yakely The Asian Studies Program Award – Nina Ho The Beethoven Prize – Michaella A. Caporello The Bourgeois French Prize – Sarah E. Curran The Nellie M. Bransfield Award – Brian F. Ott The Joseph C. Cahill Prize (ex aequo) – Marshall G. Lougee, Michelle I. Schefter The Frank D. Comerford Award – Bethany J. Fogerty The Philip A. Conniff, S.J., Prize – Steven A. Merola The Crompton Gold Medal – Emma S. Sikes The John J. Crowley Memorial Prize – Daniel L. Maher The John J. Cummings, Jr./BAI Award – Brendan P. Connallon The Caren G. Dubnoff Political Science Award – Sean R. Griffin The Economics and Accounting Achievement Award – Sean R. Griffin The James Fallon Debating Purse – Sean R. Griffin The Father Flatley Medal – Adam J. Sliwowski The Rev. John W. Flavin, S.J., Award in Biology – Jeffrey S. Bourgeois, Jr. The Vin Forde Memorial Award – John J. Sansone The Thomas A. Fulham Environmental Studies Prize – Derek C. Keough The Dr. Marianthi Georgoudi Memorial Award – Caitlin P. Murphy The Edna Dwyer Grzebien Prize – Karina S. Camargo The George H. Hampsch Award – Harrison B. Cahoone The Rev. William F. Hartigan Medal – Anthony V. John The Rev. Robert F. Healey, S. J., Greek Prize – Henry L. Whitmore The Holy Cross Club of Worcester Prize – Adam R. Ouellet The Thomas P. Imse Alpha Kappa Delta Award – Zhenxi Qi The Robert Edmond Jones Award – Savannah L. Plante The Edward V. Killeen, Jr., Prize – Alexis K. Dame The Lambda Alpha Anthropology Award – Natasha R. Meyer The Latin American and Latino Studies Award – Brian J. Beaton, Jr. The John C. Lawlor Medal – Castan V. Sommer The William E. Leahy Award – Barry S. Quinn The Leonard Award – Emily R. Conn The Heather C. Lochmuller '98 Award – Sarah C. Valente The Rev. John J. MacDonnell, S.J., Computer Science Award – Joseph E. DiSabito The Gertrude McBrien Mathematics Prize – Timothy J. Arnold The Leonard J. McCarthy, S. J., Memorial Prize – Paige A. N. Tortorelli The Nugent Gold Medal – Zachary T. Fernandes The John Paul Reardon Medal and Award – John F. Gallagher The Freeman M. Saltus Prize – Brendan C. Perra The George Bernard Shaw Award – Brian F. Ott The Study Abroad Independent Project Prize – Tiffany L. Holland The Vannicelli Washington Semester Program Award – Jacob W. Medina (Fall '14), Brian J. Beaton, Jr. (Spring '15) The Varsity Club Norton Prize – Michelle J. McNeil The Shirley Verrett French Prize in Memory of the Rev. Lionel P. Honore, S.J. – Lillian R. Daley The Edward F. Wall, Jr., Prize – Kellie A. Gignac The Women's and Gender Studies Award – Caitlin M. McGuire The Carter G. Woodson Prize – Chyna M. Hope