The third annual Raptor Rising Star Awards celebrate student success in the face of adversity.
Excitement filled the air as students, family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered to honor exceptional Rutgers University–Camden students during the third annual Raptor Rising Star Awards. The awards ceremony is hosted by Rutgers–Camden Student Academic Success and goes beyond celebrating grade point averages, recognizing students who have demonstrated outstanding resilience in the face of challenges.
Marsha Lowery, vice chancellor for student academic success, and Brandon Quiles, assistant director for student support services, welcomed the crowd and congratulated each awardee on their tremendous effort. “This is one of my favorite events each year as we come together to celebrate our students,” said Lowery. “Rutgers–Camden students are tremendous, and have earned this recognition through their tenacity, grit, and persistence, and I am looking forward to being present when they cross the stage for graduation.”
Each year, faculty and staff members nominate students who have overcome obstacles or pursued unconventional paths to achieve their academic goals. Considerations for the awards include course-based communications with instructors, significant improvement after midterm progress reports, increases in GPA, and substantial efforts to resolve issues through a student support office.
In Their Own Words
We are all here because we did not give up. When things get tough, let this be a reminder that you are capable of great things no matter the obstacles.
Jessica Toft
RSBC’25, treasurer of the Student Governing Association and a Raptor Rising Star awardee
There is a drastic difference between high school and college that you definitely have to be ready for. As a first-generation student, I did not have a family member who could prepare me for what that feels like. I began reaching out to my student success coach and tutors, who helped me get rid of my fears and rewrite my pathway to success.
Islijah Hernandez
Raptor Rising Star Awardee
As an immigrant from Myanmar, a country currently facing severe challenges under military rule, I have experienced numerous hardships throughout my academic journey. These struggles have prevented me from participating in many research and internship opportunities. Despite this, I remained determined, eventually securing a position in Professor Kwangwon Lee's biology lab, where I gained valuable hands-on research experience. Balancing part-time work with my studies, I was able to achieve all A's last year. I strive to keep improving and making the most of opportunities while staying engaged at Rutgers–Camden.
Myo Thinzar Htin Aung
Raptor Rising Star Awardee
2024 Raptor Rising Star Awardees
A
Topher Abacan | Dylan Acanfora | Caden Adams | Oluwasade Adeyemo | Sultan Ahmed | Essence Alford | Brian Allende | Lynnette Alvarado | Sherlyn Alvarado-Villa | Esi Amissah | Gabby Arriaga | Malaysia Ashcroft | Michael Assifo | Myo Thinzar Htin Aung | Maliyah Ayala | Zack Azfar
B
Lord Baskerville | Niaisa Battle | Ryan Bauer | Madison Bell | Samantha Benckert | Dylan Berry | Gabriel Bishara | Sean Boen | Brice Bradley | Dominique Bragg | Mike Brand | Autumn Breeden | Jordan Brickner | Ida Brooks | Shaion Brown | Cheyann Bullock | Luis Burgos | Joliaris Burgos Pagan
C
Elanny Caba | Briana Cardoza | Victoria Cerini | Zachary Cerveny | Miranda Chang | Nitin Charles | Uchenna Chukwueke | Caroline Chukwunyere | Anthony Clark | Elizabeth Clas | Abigail Cross | Dylan Cruice | Thalia Cruz | Virginia Cruz Morales | Breana Cuevas
D
Tierra Daniels | Dominque Davis | Keane Davis | Aniyah Davis | Dorien Davis | Wiselande Dejean | Kristina Dejoy | Julianne Dela Pena | Stephanie Devanney | Stephanie Dicicco | Bobbijo Dominick | Edie Doobinin | Cameron Downs | Tynirah Drain-Mantez | Emily Dubiago | Xia Durham | Jack Durkin
E
Kaseem Edwards | Polina Egorov | Juni Emmons | Justin Encarnacion | Amy Escobar-Miron | Smidjika Etienne
F
Priscalene Felix | Maryelena Fernandez | Gillianys Figueroa | Kristin Finnigan | Divina Francis | Adayjah Franklin
G
David Garback | Jaceline Garcia | Adriana Gargano | Sahara George | Xavier Gordy | Misha Green | Rebekah Green | Brianna Green | Kathryn Gregory | Angelica Groce | Damon Guinn | Maria Gulshan | Rosalinda Guzman
H
Abigail Harris | Bree Harris | Christopher Hayden | Genesis Hernandez | Islijah Hernandez | Francis Hill | Elijah Hinds | William Horton | Zachary Huang | Sharaya Humphries | David Hunter
I
Karen Iglesias Popoca | Shrivats Iyengar
J
Malia Jacobs | Miatta Jamiru | Milerka Jaquez Bacilio | Nico Jenkins | Ahmir Johnson | Larodge Johnson | Najla Johnson | Tamia Johnson | Ryan Joseph
K
Kadriye Karasoy | Gavin Keingarsky | Josiah Kennedy | Zohaib Khan | Yash Khanna | Waleed Khokhar | Alissa Kim | Sunny Klemash | Kennedy Kleszics | Dylan Konadu | Ashley Kopf | Nikoloz Kurtanidze
L
Andrew Lam | Alexandra Larue | Olamide Lateef | Nicholas Latona | Godson Laurard | Charles Leuthold | Cindy Li Leah Lin | Adrianna Lipshultz | Arron Little | Shamiya Livingston | Haleigh Long | Andres Lopez | Marilyn Lopez | Abens Louis | Tyson Lowe | Paola Lozada Gonzalez | Jasmine Lyte
M
Benjamin Mac Leod | Jen Macao Cedillo | John Mackey | Alexis Maduro | Mahgul Mahmood | Ava Maloof | Tianqing Mao | Armen Mardikian | Alex Martinez | Stephanie Martinez-Pena | Demitra Massey | Ana Matos Diaz | Devon McGlinchey | Rachel McKnight | Shakina McNeil | Matogoma Meite | Sebastian Mensah | Andrew Merkle | Justin Merryfield | Brandon Messick | Somer Meyers | Jade Miller | Tyler Mills | Gabriel Minasian | Alex Montesinos | Jimmeka Moore | Katie Moore | Steven Morales | Izzy Morales | A'yanna Morton
N
Doniven Navedo | Joseph Nguyen | Han Nham | Alexa Nichols | Kara Nock
O
Mo Obanor | Nana Offei | Benjamin O'Hara | Dideoluwa Olu-Owotade | Keily Ortiz | Samantha O'Shaughnessy | Patrick Otey
P
Acer Paiste | Quill Pannell | Grisleidy Pena | Jenifer Perez | Rosaly Perez | Olivia Perez | Ashley Petthyng | Pamela Phan | Giovanni Phanor | Cian Phillips | Kate Piazza | Ian Pierre-Louis | Ajanin Pinkett | Amir Pleasant | Jordan Popovski | Sol Portal | Chris Portorreal | Brock Price
R
William Ramos | Mahirajsinh Rathod | Daniel Ren | Adrian Rentas | Wayne Reynolds | Thelma Rice | Braedyn Richardson | Lily Rivas | Ariana Rivera | Faith Rivera | Kayla Rivera | Bryce Roberts | Kenneth Roberts | Daniel Robeson | Samira Robinson | Kathryn Robinson | Lila Roche | Chanel Rockemore | Bianca Rodriguez | Damien Rodriguez | Nicole Rodriguez | Morgan Roff | Marcia Roots | Angeliyz Rosario | David Rozycki | Cheyla Ruiz | Ethan Ryaboy
S
Danielle Salayi | Keila Santiago | Ari Santiago-Ramirez | Amelia Santos Cruz | Shawon Sarker | Omkar Sathe Ludia Servidieu | Saalif Sesay | Marvin Sewell | David Shaba | Nimra Shaban | Ishaan Sharma | Je-Naya Shipley | Shreya Simon | Yesmine Smith | Melissa Socolow | Leonor Soriano | Genesis Soto | William Speakman | Brandyn Stafford | Aine Steiner | Ryan Stewart | Timothy Sumner
T
Sehrish Tahseen | Derek Taylor | Faith Telva | Inessa Ten | Anderson Tenemaza Guaman | Jacqueline Tilly | Aneesah Timbo | Jessica Toft | Christopher Toledo | Mason Torpey | Nelfy Torres | Nagelli Torres Francisco | Amanda Torres Moya | Jayden Tossie | Kathaleen Tran | Kenbrian Tuppal
U
Claribel Ulloa Azcona
V
Destiny Vail | Thomas Van Osten | Kaitlyn Vargas | Brandon Velez | Harold Veliz
W
Jake Watson | Diamani Waugh | Gavianne Waugh | Audrey Were | Jacob Whiteman | Jazmyn Whitfield | Trevon Williams | Zaniya Williams | Selia Willis | Benjamin Wilson
Y
Cory Yhap | Mya Yost
Z
Mackenzie Zambino | Isabella Zimmerman
