CSS Honors ’22 Graduates in Sixth Cohort

May 18, 2022

On May 6, the Chancellor’s Science Scholars Program honored its sixth cohort and newest group of graduates with a farewell dinner at the Extraordinary Ventures Great Hall.

The evening, which kicked off UNC’s Commencement weekend, was filled with laughter and tears as accomplishments were celebrated and memories of the challenges and victories of the past four years were shared. Kena Lemu, a nutrition and medical anthropology double-major from Whitsett, NC, was chosen by her peers to be the evening’s student speaker. CSS executive director Dr. Thomas Freeman presided over the presentation of CSS honor cords and CSS Laureate certificates.

The evening also saw the presentation of the 2022 Distinguished Service Award, given annually to a senior who demonstrates significant leadership in service to the Carolina and Chapel Hill communities. This cohort—the largest in program history—had three recipients of this highly competitive award:

Dalal Azzam – for promoting inclusion, equity, and social change on campus
Madyson Barber – for outstanding mentorship, teaching, and STEM outreach efforts
Mariah Jordan – for dedicated public service and the promotion of the public good

Congratulations to all of our Spring 2022 graduates!

Cohort 6

Jasmine Akoto
Zebulon, NC
B.S., Biology
Minors: Chemistry and Neuroscience

Dalal Azzam**
Cary, NC
B.S., Biochemistry and B.S., Neuroscience

Shauntel Baker
Knightsdale, NC
B.S., Psychology
Minor: Medical Anthropology

Madyson Barber**
Raleigh, NC
B.S., Physics and B.A., Computer Science

Bria Bryant
Wake Forest, NC
B.S., Neuroscience
Minors: Biology and Chemistry

Shen Chung
Fayetteville, NC
B.S., Mathematics
Minor: Data Science

Carla Escobar-Tomlienovich*
Charlotte, NC
B.S., Quantitative Biology and B.S., Neuroscience
Minor: Hispanic Studies

Amanda Harris
Greenville, SC
B.S., Computer Science
Minors: African, African American and Diaspora Studies and Cognitive Science

Ashleigh Henry
Raleigh, NC
B.S.P.H., Environmental Health Sciences

Daniela Hercules Alfaro
Burlington, NC
B.S., Biology and B.S., Neuroscience
Minor: Chemistry

Ladaysia Jackson-Antrum
Brooklyn, NY
B.S.P.H, Nutrition
Minors: Chemistry and African, African American and Diaspora Studies

Naomi Johnson
Cary, NC
B.S., Neuroscience
Minors: Chemistry and African, African American and Diaspora Studies

Alanna Jones (December ’21 grad)
Columbia, SC
B.S., Neuroscience
Minor: Chemistry

Mariah Jordan**
Shaker Heights, OH
B.S., Biology and B.S.P.H, Health Policy and Management
Minor: Chemistry

Breannah Keys
Lanham, MD
B.S., Chemistry
Minor: Neuroscience

Nia Lee (August ’21 grad)
Raleigh, NC
B.S., Biology and B.A., Psychology
Minor: Chemistry

Kena Lemu**
Whitsett, NC
B.S.P.H, Nutrition and B.A., Medical Anthropology

Jacob Locklear
Wilmington, NC
B.S., Biology and B.A., Peace, War and Defense
Minor: Chemistry

Terrique Morris
Charlotte, NC
B.S., Psychology
Minor: Cognitive Science

Cinthya Plazas*
Chapel Hill, NC
B.S., Biology
Minors: Chemistry and Neuroscience

Dana Rubin
Waxhaw, NC
B.S., Computer Science,
Minor: Mathematics

Paloma Ruiz*
Cary, NC
B.S., Quantitative Biology
Minor: Creative Writing

Javier Scott
Greenville, NC
B.S., Psychology and B.A., Biology

Yolanda Simpson
Hillsborough, NC
B.S., Biochemistry and B.S., Neuroscience

Gillian Taylor**
Concord, NC
B.S., Mathematics
Minor: Religious Studies

Avery Terry
Burlington, NC
B.S.P.H., Biostatistics

Autumn Tucker*
Waxhaw, NC
B.S., Neuroscience
Minors: Computer Science and French

Lesli Villa-Solorzano
Chapel Hill, NC
B.S., Computer Science
Minor: Neuroscience

Maggie Wagner
Cornelius, NC
B.S., Biomedical Engineering
Minors: Chemistry and Spanish for the Professions

Najla Ward-Conyers*
Charlotte, NC
B.S., Biology
Minors: Chemistry and Medical Anthropology

Avery Wooten
Palo Alto, CA
B.S., Quantitative Biology
Minor: Chemistry

Rebecca Zasloff*
Davie, FL
B.S., Biology and B.A., Sociology
Minor: Neuroscience

*Graduated with Honors
**Graduated with Highest Honors