Convocation is a time not only for awarding students their earned degrees, but also for recognizing outstanding student service, community participation, and standout academic achievement records of the graduates of each class.

These School of Information Studies (iSchool) undergraduate students were presented with the following recognitions at Saturday’s Class of 2019 Convocation ceremony:

  • James Lu, presented with the John Weitzel Award for Information Systems, an award recognizing students who exhibit excellence in information systems through coursework or research projects. The honor is in memory of former faculty member John Weitzel.
  • Oriana McDonough and Kyle Garuccio, both presented with the Donald A. and Joyce P. Marchand Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, an honor established by a former iSchool Dean and his wife that recognizes outstanding seniors based on scholastic achievement.
  • Shanyah Saunders, presented with the Katie Bennett Undergraduate Leadership Award. The recognition, which is presented in memory of extraordinary iSchool student leader Katie Bennett ’10, is given to an School senior who demonstrates all-around excellence as a student, and who has made contributions to the school through service and is a role model for other students.
  • Alan Nguyen was awarded the Undergraduate Service Award, an honor recognizing a continuing commitment to helping others through personal engagement as well as campus and community-service leadership.
  • Ryan French received the Adam Levitt ’03 Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Innnovation. The honor is in remembrance of Levitt, a student who demonstrated innovative and tireless spirit; and it is presented each year to one undergraduate who has demonstrated excellence in innovation in information management and technology through innovative startup ventures.
  • Christopher Chomicki, presented the Undergraduate Award for Excellence in IM&T Professional Practice. The honor is awarded each year to an outstanding senior who has demonstrated excellence in professional practice in the field of information management and technology by assuming a leadership role in the workforce at an accelerated pace and/or had their ideas for change accepted at a company where they have worked or interned.

Class marshals for the undergraduate Class of 2019 were Shanyah Saunders and David Robusto.

iSchool Class of 2019 members named by Syracuse University as Remembrance Scholars were Kenneth Buckner, Hairol Ma, Kathryn Munster, David Robusto and Jezrel Sabaduquia.

A tribute was read in remembrance of Brianna S. Herrrera, a beloved iSchool classmate who passed away in January of 2019.