SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Opening Remarks
Aaron Korngiebel, Dean of Business & Social Sciences
BSS Faculty Nominated Excellence Awards
BSS Perseverance Awards
Students selected by the BSS Student Awards Committee
BSS Division Award Recipients
Stanford University Institute for Research in Social Sciences
Presented By: Dr. Carolyn Ybarra
Konnilyn Feig Memorial Scholarship
Presented By: Dolores Davison
Closing Remarks
ANTHROPOLOGY
Spring 2024 Environmental Justice in Cuba Students
Nominated by: Professor Kathryn Maurer
Ana Maria Avila Hernandez, Naamah Fidel, Ariel Garsh-Ochoa, Parker Graves, Jelena Hertzler, Ellen Judd, Audrey Kernick, Aviv Kobza, Lillian Pickering, Karina Pulidoalas, Mana Qalambor, Joshua Lipp, Ryan Barahona
At the start of the Spring 2024 quarter, this group of amazing students traveled to Cuba as part of a Global Experiential Learning program focused on environmental justice in Cuba. They took classes in Global Studies, Anthropology, and Social Sciences, and all of them truly excelled as individuals, and exceeded all expectations as a group. They were engaged 24/7 in the experience, they exhibited extraordinary care and concern for each other, for the group as a whole, and for our Cuban hosts, and they worked tirelessly in the community collaborations to implement local strategies for more sustainable tourism and to increase awareness of environmental issues. In just a few weeks they managed to produce four separate plans for long-term projects, and many are continuing to participate in these projects even after the classes have ended, with a few even returning to Cuba this summer to volunteer. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to work with these amazing people, and thrilled to celebrate their excellence with our division!
Sunaina Tadakamalla
Nominated by: Professor Samuel Connell
Sunaina has survived three quarters of Anthropology with Prof Connell. An expert journalist, it is hoped that she will use her writing skills to promote anthropology across the globe. Thank you Sunaina, for your patience and understanding throughout the year. Congratulations!
Megan Fisher
Nominated by: Professor Samuel Connell
Dr. Megan Fisher has been an important student in Anthropology courses for the entire academic year. Academically outstanding, Megan has managed also to survive three consecutive quarters with Prof Connell. Hopefully in the year to come she will continue to be involved with Anthropology and begin more in-depth research projects with the Center for Applied Anthropology.
ANTHROPOLOGY & GLOBAL STUDIES
Liliana Arya Gordon
Nominated by: Professor Julie Jenkins
Arya has been a student in both my Cultural Anthropology and my Global Issues courses, and I have had the opportunity to watch them grow in various leadership roles around the campus- being in the exec board of the Anthropology Club, GSA, and Filipino Culture Club, as well as running for the VP position of ICC this last year. They are the type of person that is patient, willing to hear multiple points of view, but also a strong advocate against injustice and inequality. Just this week, Arya noted to a room full of students at the Foothill Innovation Challenge that Martha Stewart was also an ex-con as a pointed reminder against stereotyping. This is the type of spirit that Arya brought with them to my classroom and in most spaces that I see them in.
BUSINESS
Jasmine Trujillo Mata
Nominated by: Professor Laurence Lew
It is with great pride and affection that I nominate Jasmine Trujillo Mata for the Foothill College Business & Social Sciences Division Excellence Award. Jasmine truly embodies the spirit of our division, excelling academically and showing a deep commitment to service. When I first met Jasmine two years ago in the Honors section of Principles of Business, she was a shy and timid student, worried about her community college experience and making friends. But her determination and resilience have turned her into a remarkable leader and an inspiring presence on our campus.
In just two years, Jasmine's growth has been extraordinary. She has excelled academically, earning an invitation to attend Berkeley this fall, and has become a beacon of leadership and community engagement. As Co-President of the Business & Entrepreneurship Club, Jasmine organized both the Google Case Competition and the Foothill Innovation Challenge. Her exceptional organizational skills and passion for fostering innovation and collaboration have made a significant impact. Jasmine's journey from a hesitant newcomer to an accomplished campus leader is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and the vibrant community at Foothill College. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and are thrilled to present her with this well-deserved award.
Aaliyah López
Nominated by: Professor Laurence Lew
I am honored to nominate Aaliyah López as a recipient of the Foothill College Business & Social Sciences Division Excellence Award. Aaliyah is a first-year student who embodies the very spirit of determination and intellectual curiosity that our division aims to cultivate. When I first met Aaliyah in my Intro to Data Analytics & Business Decisions class, she expressed doubts about her abilities in a subject she had never considered herself strong in. However, throughout the course, Aaliyah's natural talent for data analysis became evident. She quickly grasped complex concepts and, when faced with challenges, demonstrated incredible grit and perseverance. Her enthusiasm for the subject grew so much that she decided to pursue further studies in this field, including the Data Analytics Certificate, encompassing business, math, and computer science.
Aaliyah's passion for data analytics is matched by her commitment to social justice, which serves as the “why” behind “what” she wants to accomplish. Aaliyah wants to be a voice of action for those who have no voice. She entered the Foothill Innovation Challenge – the first time that she ever thought about participating in such an effort – to tackle the reintegration of ex-convicts into society, a topic she feels passionately about due to its impact on a voiceless, marginalized population. Her innovative idea and dedication earned her a unanimous win in the competition, beating out hundreds of other students across the campus. On-stage, Aaliyah humbly shared that “she hadn’t expected to make it very far, let alone here (in the final round), she just wanted to give a voice to those who are often unheard.” Aaliyah's drive to make a difference and her academic prowess make her a shining example of the students we are here to support. I am proud to recognize her with this award and look forward to witnessing her continued success and impact.
Kira Meyer
Nominated by: Professor Natasha Mancuso
I met Kira in the Winter Quarter of 2024, she was taking my Principles of Marketing class on campus. From the start, Kira impressed me as an exceptional student. Always prepared, ready to engage in learning and connect with peers. Her personal qualities have made her stand out as well. Kira is smart, curious, and diligent, but more importantly, she is humble, kind, and supportive of her peers. Kira came to Foothill from Los Altos High. She shared with me that she lost her mom when she was a teen, but this tragic event did not break her. Supported by her loving dad and two brothers, Kira chose to go to Foothill because she recognized the College’s great reputation and wanted to stay close to her family. Kira is thriving at Foothill due to her dedication, but also because she is truly grateful for the support and care she receives at our college.
ECONOMICS
Lawrence Joe
Nominated by: Professor Brian Evans
Larry has been pretty much the top student in every class he has had with me. I basically began using his exams as the answer key. But what sets Larry apart is his reasoned approach to problems, and his willingness to listen to, and help, his classmates. I always noticed how he was phenomenal in small group discussions - allowing others to express their opinions and then gently helping them when they got stuck. He has been the President of the Economics Club and has repeatedly invested time into creating fun and educational activities. I want to thank Larry for basically doing much of my job.
Sofiia Ostrovska
Nominated by: Professor Brian Evans
Sofiia has also earned an A in every class she has had with me: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, and, this quarter Global Economics. I look forward to her completing the series next year in Political Economy! What I love about Sofiia, however, is her amazing attitude. She comes to class every day with a smile on her face - and is just a joy to be around. She also comes from Ukraine and has shared, with the Fund the Future Club, the challenges and realities of what is happening back home. I respect so much her love of live and of her country. She is an amazing person who will go on to do amazing things to make this a saner, and happier, world. Thank you Sofiia.
HISTORY
Eric Flint
Nominated by: Professor Bill Ziegenhorn
Eric has been instrumental in coordinating relationships between Hidden Villa and Foothill College, particularly in our Anthropology and History Departments. He helped create our visiting archives room on campus where student volunteers get hands on experience working with archival records.
HISTORY & WOMEN'S STUDIES
HUMANITIES
Michelle G. Bianco
Nominated by: Professor Mona Rawal
Michelle was a student from my Fall 2023 Hum 5 Modern World class, she shows exceptional strength and integrity in discussing issues of social justice while also contributing vastly with her insights into the issues of the periods in the art eras of the modern world.
PHILOSOPHY
Kiran Thomas
Nominated by: Professor Mona Rawal
Kiran was a student in my Logic class in Phil 7, from Spring of 2023. Kiran shows exceptional abilities in theories from symbolic logic and their applications. Kiran contributed to classroom activities in solving exercises in logic. Also Kiran has a deep interest in AI and related areas of technology. Kiran has scored very high in the course, along with a strong aptitude for critical thinking.
PSYCHOLOGY
Helen Keeney
Nominated by: Professor Ben Stefonik
Helen has been taking classes at Foothill as part of a career shift from tech with the goal of becoming a counselor and clinical psychologist. Helen has taken my Honors General Psychology and Biopsychology classes, and I have also had the pleasure of working with Helen on an independent studies research project she developed to assess the effectiveness of different kinds of guided meditation on individuals with and without ADHD symptoms. As I thought about what words to write to capture the experience of having Helen as a student, one word kept coming to mind. Fun. It has been so much fun having Helen as a student. Helen has a deep sense of compassion and humanitarianism, and she is incredibly intellectually gifted. Not only has she been the smartest person in the room in my classes, but she has been a true learning partner. She would extend my explanations on topics, she would engage meaningfully with other students, and through her abundance of compassion, goodwill, and mirth, she would help lead the way for establishing a culture of care and mutual respect in each of the classes she took from me. Helen, is incredibly talented, and I wish her the best on her new career journey!
Paloma Guetierrez
Nominated by: Professor Ben Stefonik
It has been a pleasure having Paloma as a student in my General Psychology and Research Methods classes. Paloma is an outstanding student – she is the type of student who sits in the front row and arrives to class on time every single day. Paloma is intelligent, motivated, and passionate about social justice and making a difference in this world. In addition, Paloma received an endorsement from someone whose opinion I hold in high regard, my nephew, who lives in Madison, WI. During winter quarter, I held several classes via Zoom from Madison. During one of the classes, we were discussing the implications of forming relationships with AI Chatbots. I invited my niece and nephew to jump on Zoom and contribute their gen alpha perspectives, being 11 and 15, respectively. During the discussion Paloma engaged with my niece and nephew and made a comment that encouraged everyone to have compassion and generosity of heart toward those who might be suffering from loneliness. After class ended, my nephew said to me, “I liked Paloma the best.” My nephew is an excellent judge of character, and I consider his endorsement a high compliment. I am confident Paloma will make a meaningful dent on this world and I wish her all the best along her career and life journey!
Sunday Holland
Nominated by: Professor Eta Lin
I am enthusiastically recognizing Sunday Holland for the BSS Excellence Award in Psychology. My first interaction with Sunday was when she took my General Psychology class last year, and she always sat in the front row! She not only excelled in this class, but she also stood out in my Statistics and Independent Studies classes. There are not many students who say that they are excited and having fun learning statistics! Besides being a stellar student, Sunday exudes positive energy, and she is an incredibly giving and compassionate person… always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone. She also serves as a research assistant at Stanford University where she is conducting a literature review and documenting the recruitment process for conducting interviews. Sunday also conducted her own ambitious project, which investigated the impact of the Flourish app on students’ mental and emotional well-being, and sense of belonging. I commend her for making it through the arduous IRB process, which speaks to her resilience, commitment, and tenacity! She presented both at the Western Psychological Association Conference and RSL Symposium. Sunday will apply for doctoral programs in clinical psychology in the upcoming year. Any institution would be incredibly lucky to have her!
Vivian Lai
Nominated by: Professor Eta Lin
I am happy to recognize Vivian Lai as a recipient of the BSS Excellence Award in Psychology. She has a strong passion for learning, and she took both my Social Psychology and Statistics classes. She not only did very well my classes, but she always demonstrated a high level of maturity and responsibility to others. In addition to being a high achieving student, Vivian is involved in various clubs and services on campus. She served as the Inter-Club Representative for the Psychology Club. She has served in a leadership role by helping to organize the meetings, submitting the needed club paperwork, and ensuring that all club officers and faculty advisors are informed and communicating on regular basis. Vivian is also the Treasurer for the Active Minds Club, which focuses on mental well-being, and she serves as a student ambassador to the Mental Health and Wellness Center. When she is not taking classes and engaged in the various club activities, then you will find Vivian working at our Writing & Language Center at Foothill. Vivian is truly a gem, and I look forward to having her at Foothill for another year!
Noel Navarrete
Nominated by: Professor Florina Petcu
Noel’s passion and inquisitiveness are contagious and energizing. Since I met them in my General Psychology class, Noel has really impressed me with their ability to challenge theories and concepts, their inquisitiveness and initiative. Noel is not only a great student but a kind individual – respectful, forgiving, and always ready to lend a hand.
Noel is taking another one of my classes and poses questions that not only motivates their peers but inspires me, and keeps me on my toes. They are smart, funny, and generous, the kind of student you wish you could clone. Although teaching a class full of Noels would make every lecture a roller coaster! Noel always has a smile on their face no matter the circumstances. Despite facing their share of challenges, Noel never complains. In fact, I had to prod them to learn more about their difficulties, and as I discovered more, I was amazed at their resilience and ability to deal with life’s curveballs with such grace.
Dale Tibbils
Nominated by: Professor Florina Petcu
I am quite selective when it comes to identifying someone worthy of BSS Excellence, but Dale's actions since I met him have consistently met that criteria. I had the pleasure to be his instructor for two classes, Cultural Psychology and Abnormal Psychology but also mentored him for RSLS so I got to know him pretty closely. Dale is always engaged, eager to learn, open to suggestions, and passionate. Conversations with him are always thought provoking. Dale’s passion for justice and helping others has been inspiring. He is dedicated to his work helping children with disabilities in the educational system and although he has a BA in Politics and Literature, he decided to restart the journey showing commitment to his goal of making a bigger change. He had an engaging and thoughtful class presentation on destigmatizing childhood mental health disorders, specifically disruptive behavior disorders. It was not even part of the class requirement, he just offered. Talk about overachieving! He is already a behavioral interventionist and helps children with autism spectrum disorder. More so, he shared his experiences to the Psychology Club. His presentation at RSLS on gifted education was received with interest and appreciation, and it was inspiring for us educators to learn more about the barriers faced by students with diverse methods of learning. I cannot be more proud of his efforts and hard work and I am confident that Dale will continue to make significant contributions to the field of Educational Psychology and beyond.
SOCIOLOGY
Nicole Nguyen
Nominated by: Professor John Fox
Since Nicole came to Foothill College she has taken on every challenge and excelled. Her work in my classes was not only outstanding, but her leadership in the Social Justice Club showed that she stands up for oppressed people around the world. That alone would have been enough for this award. In addition, she served as the student trustee from Foothill this past year, and also served on the California Community College Trustees Board. Her passion, tenacity, and bravery are an inspiration to not only her peers but to faculty, which is why today she is celebrated.
Raiyah Hussain
Nominated by: Professor John Fox
When I think about the concept of service, I think of Raiyah. A Sociology major, Raiyah excelled in three of my classes and took on a leadership role in the Social Justice Club, as well as interning with FA-PAC and being involved with student government as the Heritage Month Coordinator and Students Rights Officer. Her sociological work includes interning at Stanford in the Research Experience Program, but even more important is the experience she has had traveling the world and witnessing global inequalities, from Pakistan to Iraq to New York. Through her coursework she has gained a keen sociological understanding of her experiences and will take this understanding to the next step on her academic journey. Raiyah's work has been, and continues to be, excellent, and today we celebrate her.
BSS Perseverance Award Recipients
BSS Division Award Recipients
Stanford University Institute for Research in Social Sciences
These students were chosen as the top research assistants who volunteered at Stanford this year, as part of the Stanford Institute for Research in the Social Sciences (IRiSS) collaborative Research Experience Program with Foothill College.
This year the committee chose three students. The independent reviewers chose one Intern of the Year and two Intern of the Year Finalists.
Nicole Nguyen ~ 2024 Intern of the Year
Supervisor Hannah K. D’Apice, Faculty Christine Min Wotipka, Graduate School of Education, Stanford University
As a research assistant, Nicole's work ethic has enabled her to make substantial contributions to my dissertation research on supporting Indigenous groups in higher education. Over the past 10 months, she has demonstrated exceptional motivation and capacity to engage in rigorous academic work, analyzing peer-reviewed journal articles on Indigenous communities' experiences across 30 countries around the globe. Nicole went above and beyond by taking the initiative to organize her thematic findings about the academic literature in an easily navigable spreadsheet, facilitating my review as her supervisor. Her contributions to my research have been invaluable, showcasing not merely her work ethic and initiative, but also her intellectual ability to synthesize findings on complex social topics across multiple countries' contexts.
Nicole has also been a model of professionalism and proactive communication. As evident from her resume, Nicole maintains a full schedule of academic and community-based activities, alongside her work as a research assistant. In balancing these commitments, she has demonstrated superb levels of professionalism by maintaining a consistent line of communication with me as her supervisor. I have rarely had to wonder about Nicole's research progress because she either proactively schedules check-in meetings with me, or sends me email updates in the event she cannot schedule a synchronous meeting.
Finally, Nicole has demonstrated deep intellectual curiosity and empathy when investigating how inequality manifests in education. In both her formal work product and our informal conversations, I've been impressed with her ability to identify intersectional connections between different forms of systemic inequality, while also demonstrating a sincere desire to ideate potential solutions. Combined with her other qualities, Nicole's intellectual curiosity about and empathy for communities from different backgrounds make her not only an exceptional researcher, but an exceptional future leader. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her, and look forward to seeing the impact she makes in her future career.
Jaeyeop Na ~ Intern of the Year Finalist
Supervisor Jieun Song, Faculty Francisco O. Ramirez, Graduate School of Education, Stanford University
Jaeyeop Na has been working with me on a research project concerning the internationalization of higher education globally. For this research, which examines internationalization efforts at 500 universities worldwide, we needed to collect extensive data and review a substantial amount of literature. Despite his busy schedule, including immigration and transfer applications, Jaeyeop has been exceptionally reliable and responsible in his tasks. He not only completed all assigned work but also showed great enthusiasm for the research, engaging more deeply than required, which impressed me.
He exceeded my expectations as a research assistant in several ways. Initially tasked with data collection for individual universities, he began to identify patterns as data accumulated, noting similarities among universities from the same regions or tiers. His observations were invaluable to me and my broader research team in developing further ideas. Furthermore, as he has an interest in international affairs and politics, his enthusiasm grew when we delved into the literature to understand different patterns in the internationalization of higher education globally. We focused particularly on the influence of liberal and illiberal forces in global society. Jaeyeop extensively reviewed literature and provided insightful contributions, notably identifying regional networks within "illiberal" or "post-Soviet Union" areas, suggesting active collaboration among ideologically aligned nation-states. He dedicated significant time to finding compelling examples for our paper, enriching it with tangible insights and intriguing narratives.
Jaeyeop was a pleasure to work with—always responsive, timely, and thorough in his responsibilities, far surpassing my expectations. Thanks to his contributions, my project is nearing completion and will be submitted to a journal within a month. I will certainly acknowledge his excellent assistance in my article's thank-you note.
Sunday Holland ~ Intern of the Year Finalist
Supervisor Iris Zhang, Faculty Jackelyn Hwang, Department of Sociology, Stanford University
Sunday was such an amazing intern to work with. She immediately understood the goals of our project. She never missed a single deadline for work to turn in, was reliably communicative, never showed up to meetings late, and her ideas about the work has really made a big difference in shaping the direction of the project. I would wholeheartedly recommend her for an award that recognizes her social science research skills.
The project Sunday was working on involved reading sociology articles published in top academic journals and assigning certain “codes” to the articles that my co-author and I developed. One of those codes was something we struggled with through the coding process because we were having a hard time deciding what we were looking for with that code. Sunday engaged with these discussions throughout as she coded articles. She suggested early on that we define the code in a particular way to be in alignment with our research goals/argument, which had a big impact on the research team as we continued to work together on coding articles as a team with consistently results.
Konnilyn Feig Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Konnilyn Feig was passionate about, and active in human rights and social justice issues and projects throughout her life, and encouraged her students to engage in their own passions for community service. Dr. Feig also strongly advocated, supported, and taught in the Honors Institute at Foothill College. Recipients of this scholarship exemplify these values.
MANY THANKS TO
Our donors and fundraisers for all of their generosity and hard work:
- FHDA Foundation Staff
- Dr. Judy Miner
- The Swenson Family
Our administrators President Kristina Whalen, Stacy Gleixner VP of Instruction, Kurt Hueg Associate Vice President of Instruction.
Our fabulous faculty who spend countless hours nurturing our students.
Families and friends for encouraging our students as they pursue their academic endeavors.
Special thank you to our 2024 BSS Celebration of Excellence Committee: Eta Lin, Bill Ziegenhorn, Julie Jenkins, Mona Rawal, Alex Collins, Dolores Davison, Aaron Korngiebel