The Department of Chemistry has Recognized Seven Students for Excellence

College Awards - to honor outstanding students

Bridgewater College’s Department of Chemistry has recognized students for their accomplishments in chemistry and research.

Bridgewater College’s Department of Chemistry has recognized students for their accomplishments in chemistry and research.

The following awards were presented: the John Martin Award for Organic Chemistry to Benjamin C. Hanks, the Dr. Stuart R. Suter Endowed Scholarship to Youmna K. Moawad and Lane Phillips, the Garland L. Reed Chemistry Award to Jyailah Friendly, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Outstanding Senior Award to Gabrielle M. Perkins and the Joseph M. and Jane A. Crockett Award to Era Shehu and Mary Ruth Shifflett.

Hanks received the Martin Award, which is presented to the outstanding student in organic chemistry. The award is given in memory of Dr. John W. Martin Jr., class of 1947, who served on the Bridgewater faculty for 24 years preparing students for careers in medicine and pharmaceutical work.

Hanks, a sophomore chemistry major with a minor in physics, is the son of Susan Ferrell and Jordan Hanks, both of Henrico, Va.

Moawad and Phillips each received a Suter Endowed Scholarship of $4,500 for the 2020-21 academic year. The award is presented to chemistry students with an interest in research and a minimum grade point average of 3.2.

Moawad is a sophomore biochemistry major from Rockingham, Va. Phillips, a sophomore environmental science and applied chemistry double major, is the son of Matthew and Heidi Painter of Timberville, Va. He is a member of the college’s Flory Honors Program. He is also a member of the Chemistry Club and will serve as treasurer of the Environmental Science Club for the 2020-21 academic year. Both Moawad and Phillips are laboratory assistants for the department of chemistry and serve as academic coaches.

Friendly was presented the Garland Reed Award that recognizes the best chemistry project conducted during the year at the college and includes a $1,500 cash prize. The award is named in memory of Garland L. Reed, a 1948 Bridgewater graduate in chemistry, who had a distinguished career in the Food and Drug Administration.

Friendly, a senior biochemistry and applied physics double major, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sean Friendly of Manassas, Va. Friendly is a member of the Philomathes Society, Bridgewater’s scholastic honor society, and the Flory Honors Program. She serves as an academic tutor for physics.

Perkins, the winner of the Outstanding Senior Award, received a one-year membership in the ACS presented by the Virginia Section of the American Chemical Society.

Perkins, a senior biochemistry major with a minor in mathematics, is the daughter of Andrew and Denise Perkins of Franklin, Va. Perkins is a member of the Philomathes Society and Alpha Chi, a national scholastic honor society. She serves as president of the Chemistry Club. She completed a research project, “Intermittent Light Study to Investigate Electron Diffusion Kinetics in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells,” with Dr. Ian McNeil, assistant professor of chemistry.

Following graduation on May 2, Perkins will pursue a Ph.D. in molecular bioscience at the University of Kansas.

Shehu and Shifflett received the inaugural Joseph M. and Jane A. Crockett Awards.

The Joseph M. and Jane A. Crockett Award recognizes excellence in academic performance of two first-year students in chemistry courses. This award is named for Dr. Joseph M. Crockett, and his wife, Jane. Crockett, professor of chemistry at Bridgewater College for 35 years, retired at the end of the 2019-20 academic year holding the position of A. LeRoy and Wanda H. Baker Chair of Science.

Shehu, a chemistry major, is the daughter of Roland and Kostandina Shehu of Rockingham, Va. Shifflett, a biochemistry major, is the daughter of Larry and Katie Shifflett of Grottoes, Va. She is a member of the Flory Honors Program.

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