Every year, the University Honors Program awards students for implementing the values of UHP: leadership, community service, and research & innovation. These are our 2024 winners.

2024 UHP Student Leadership Award: 

The UHP Leadership Award identifies one student who has exhibited leadership, excellence, and dedication to being a positive, driving force in society. This student has taken the resources and skills they have learned throughout life and through UHP to be a trailblazer. This year’s award recipient is Genevieve Burye, a student in the College of Engineering with a double major in Environmental and Civil Engineering. 

Genevieve had this to say about her experiences as a leader in the UC Davis and UHP community: “To me, leadership means guiding people through challenging decisions. This can be done in many different ways. Sometimes this means leading by example. It may mean one person needs to stand up and let their voice be heard so that other people can follow suit. Sometimes it is as simple as a person crossing a bridge first to indicate it is safe. I have always thought leading by example is the most important form of leadership. To be a leader, I believe you have to be willing to do the same things you are asking the people following you to do. If you want them to review materials for a project, you also need to demonstrate willingness to pitch in and find sources.

I also think leadership is not something that a person has to be good at to still find themselves in the position. Whenever I join something new, I am usually very quiet but I eventually take on leadership roles. I have learned leadership is something you learn by experience and every leader starts their journey by learning from other leaders. It is a beautiful cycle that I feel lucky I get to be a part of because overall leaders are the ones who everyone looks up to and decides if they want to follow their example or try something new.”

2024 UHP Student Community Service Award: 

The UHP Community Service Award recognizes one student for exhibiting a commitment to giving back to the community during their undergraduate career. All UHP students understand the responsibility to serve the community, but some students truly go above and beyond in their service. This year’s award recipient is Mindy Tran, a student in the College of Engineering, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. 

Mindy reflected on serving others through creating community and highlighting her experiences: “Serving the community has enriched my life by pushing me out of my comfort zone and enabling me to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Through my involvement in various organizations, I have helped foster inclusive and welcoming environments for those in need. As a first-generation student, I experienced a lack of college prep resources during my senior year of high school, making the college application process challenging. This personal struggle motivated me to serve my community and provide support to others facing similar challenges.

My participation in SENDforC and Engineering Ambassadors has allowed me to assist individuals with college preparation. I learned the value of mentorship by sharing my experiences and resources, helping shape individuals' futures and making a meaningful impact. Through SENDforC, I guided high school seniors towards college by reading their UC personal statements and conducting workshops to navigate the application process. As an Engineering Ambassador, I helped incoming freshmen feel less anxious by showcasing the welcoming engineering community and highlighting the available resources.

Additionally, my involvement with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) enabled me to encourage high school students to pursue careers in engineering, despite the field's male dominance. Events like "Project Aspire" provided a platform to inspire and support these students.

In summary, my service has not only allowed me to give back to the community but also helped me grow personally by developing empathy, leadership, and communication skills. The impact of my service is evident in the increased confidence and preparedness of those I mentored, contributing to a more informed and empowered community.” 

2024 UHP Karim Majdi Abou Najm Research and Innovation Award: 

Every UHP student is encouraged to engage in research or scholarship in which they have the opportunity to apply classroom experiences to real-world situations. Within UHP and Undergraduate Education, we are incredibly proud of all that our students accomplish. The UHP Karim Majdi Abou Najm Research and Innovation Award acknowledges a student’s dedication to academic rigor, creativity, learning, and exploration through a research or creative project. This year’s award recipient is Ellianna Damozonio, a student in the College of Biological Sciences with a major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 

Ellianna shared the details of her Signature Work and its contribution to the community: “In addition to the intellectual merit of this project, the design and execution has allowed me to work with other undergraduate students in my lab, passing on techniques and mentorship from what I have learned. I know first-hand how intimidating it can be to enter a laboratory with no prior exposure to the work being done, and my personal experience has prompted me to assume mentorship roles for incoming students. Over the last year, I have worked with three different students, especially during times of limited availability of other mentors in the lab. This experience has inspired me to pursue a career in academia to continue my own learning and ultimately work towards teaching the next generation what I have been taught.”

During this year’s banquet, UHP renamed this award in honor of Karim Majdi Abou Najm, a dedicated UHP student who tragically passed away in Spring of 2023. Karim was set to graduate with the class of 2023 with a major in Computer Science in the College of Letters and Science. UHP posthumously recognized Karim as a winner of the Research and Innovation Award in 2023. Dr. Majdi Abou Najm and Nadine Yehya, Karim’s parents, accepted the award on his behalf and continue to remain involved in the program. 

Karim worked with UHP peer Lara Ibraheem and UHP faculty Lee Miller to develop a startup focused on connecting undergraduate researchers with research opportunities. Their idea and work was recognized when they won the People’s Choice Award at the January 2022 Little Bang Pitch + Poster Competition. They said about their research, “Cornische is on a mission to solve a critical problem with research in academia, specifically the shortage of talent in research due to the lack of pay when compared to the private sector. The disconnect between the comparatively low hourly pay research institutions can afford and the attraction of the numerous benefits in large technological companies means that top talent—which would make a profound impact in advancing research—is often drawn to the private sector. There is a need for financial incentives to draw skilled students into research to move studies forward and contribute to scientific developments.” In reflecting on her work with Karim, Lara had this to say: "I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award than Karim. He was not only accomplished but also an amazing leader who helped everyone around him grow to their fullest potential. When we first discussed the idea of Cornische, I wasn't sure if I could be on his level of innovation. But he always motivated me to dream big, reminding me that we're working hard for a greater goal. Every time we had a meeting with one of our Cornische mentors, he used to say, 'Wow, we're doing great now! Think of where we'll be in 3 or 6 months down the line.' His unwavering dedication to a cause near and dear to his heart always inspired me. He balanced his internship, building the platform, creating a patent, and connecting with investors while still making time for his friends. Knowing Karim, he was always working on something. I have never met someone so passionate about getting more students into research. He was always brainstorming ways for Cornische to innovate and improve. He inspired me (and still does) to always be ambitious and overcome obstacles. I'll never forget how after we had lost one of the startup competitions, Karim networked with the investors there and got a follow-up meeting with two investors. He started drafting ways to improve the business model right after that competition based on feedback he received. He didn't let a ‘no’ extinguish his fire, and he always kept going. His resilience and ambition are what made him an inspiring leader, and I am grateful for all that he taught me and am sure that his co-workers at the lab feel the same."

A huge congratulations to all of our award winners and graduates. Go Aggies!