Spring 2021 Graduates

Megan Behrends

Wiota, IA

Agricultural & Life Sciences Education

Minor in Political Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Honors Peer Adviser

Memorable Honors experience: Leading a FHP class my sophomore year and watching my students achieve amazing things throughout their own journeys at Iowa State. I am also proud to have been selected as the CALS Student Marshall.

Honors Project: The Secret Among Food Labels

Maria Bellows

Marion, IA

Animal Ecology

Minor in Music

Memorable Honors experience: Hanging out in Jischke after hours. I am also proud to have performed in the ISU opera studio, done 6 months of field research in Kenya, and to have received the NREM Senior Contribution Award.

Honors Project: Comparing the Social Integration of Immigrant vs. Natal Males in a Wild Troop of Olive Baboons (P. anubis)

Hunter Blum

Bennington, NE

Animal Ecology

Minor in Statistics

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Summer Grant Recipient

Honors Project: Sexual Shape Dimorphism in Sphaerodactylidae Toe Morphology

Lauren Burrough

Ames, IA

Food Science (AGLS)

Minor in Microbiology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: FHP Class with our leaders! They were awesome role models right away. I am also proud to have been inducted into Cardinal Key Honors Society.

Honors Project: Effect of High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma on Inactivation of Listeria Monocytogenes on Queso Fresco Cheese

Emily Everhart

Coon Rapids, MN

Food Science (AGLS)

Memorable Honors experience: The Jack the Ripper seminar. I am also proud to have served as the Dairy Products Evaluation Club President.

Honors Project: Investigating the Impact of Educational Messages on Purchase Behavior with Dairy Products Containing Lactose

Grace German

Holstein, IA

Animal Science

Minor in Entrepreneurship

Memorable Honors experience: Creating my honors project. I am also proud to have been initiated into the Cardinal Key Honor Society and to have received the Iowa State University President's Leadership Initiative Award.

Honors Project: The Role of Cattle in Regenerative Agriculture

Marjorie Hanneman

Franklin, WI

Agronomy, Genetics (AGLS)

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Living on the Starbuck Honors Floor my freshman year. I met some of my best friends on my floor! I am also proud to have been elected the National President of the Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences.

Honors Project: Validation Study of a Real-Time PCR Method for the Detection of Pantoea Stewartii subsp. Stewartii in Maize Seeds

Julia Harris

Weatherford, TX

Animal Science, Chemistry

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: The musicals seminar. The weekend-long class was almost too long for our attention spans, but as a class we really got to know each other and have fun, which provided many new friendships.

Honors Project: The Development of Cookies Containing Aronia Berry Juice

Kelsey Karnish

Donahue, IA

Environmental Science (AGLS)

Minors in Sustainability, GIS

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: The National Parks seminar I took was so much fun! I am also proud to have dean's list every semester and graduating suma cum laude.

Honors Project: Use of Soil & Terrain GIS Data to Inform Placement of Agricultural BMPs in Iowa

Erin Kay

New Lenox, IL

Animal Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Completing my Honors Project with Dr. Matthew Ellinwood. I am also proud to have completed my undergraduate degree in three years.

Honors Project: Abnormal Presentation of Feline Congenital Hypothyroidism

Samantha Lyle

Davenport, IA

Horticulture

Memorable Honors experience: I am proud to have been a Peer Mentor and Teaching Assistant for the Horticulture Department

Honors Project: Herbaceous Database for Visual Learning

Diane Maxwell

La Porte City IA

Animal Ecology, Forestry

Minor in Sustainability

Memorable Honors experience: The Honors course: Yes We Catan! (Settlers of Catan). I am also proud to have completed two majors, a minor, and been part of the ISU Honors Program all in 4.5 years as a non-traditional, first-generation student.

Honors Project: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl - Unbeatable Role Model

Grace Mercer

Rapids City, IL

Animal Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: All the unique honors seminars I got to take, like War and Peace. I am also proud to have been accepted to the ISU veterinary school.

Honors Project: The Influence of Environmental Enrichment on Piglet Behavior During Early Weaning

Elizabeth Moore

What Cheer, IA

Animal Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Participating in the First-Year Honors Mentored Research Program, which connected me with great mentors that I continue to look to today. I am also proud to have been accepted into the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Honors Project: Advantages of Utilizing a Synchronization Protocol Prior to Natural Service in Beef Cows

Mason Ohnemus

Milo, IA

Agricultural Business, Finance

Minor in Statistics

Participation & Awards: Honors Ambassador, Honors Peer Adviser

Memorable Honors experience: Working on my honors capstone project and being able to dive into a topic that I love was an amazing experience.

Honors Project:Survey of Factor-based Investing

Lauren Peters

Carpentersville, IL

Dairy Science

Memorable Honors experience: The honors seminar Uncovering the Mysteries of Microbes. I am also proud to have scored my dream internship on a large dairy farm.

Honors Project: Dairy Throughout the States

Behnia Rezazadeh Shirazi

Shiraz, Iran

Biology (AGLS), Biophysics, Biochemistry

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Summer & Stewart Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Living in Anders House for my first two years, and crumpets and late nights at Jischke with Anders folks. I am also proud to have been selected for the 2021 Wallace E. Barron award, been named a 2020 Goldwater Scholar, publish my first-ever scientific paper as a first author, and serve as the president of UNICEF Iowa State club.

Honors Project: Reproducibility of Reactive Hyperemia and Whole-Body Cooling

Jordan Schroeder

Roscoe, IL

Animal Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: All the Honors seminars I took that allowed me to explore topics outside my major. I am also proud to have worked at the Writing and Media Center, which was an invaluable experience and leadership opportunity.

Honors Project: Learning about Learning: Analyzing the Efficacy of PSYCH 131 for College of Agriculture and Life Science Students at Iowa State University

Catherine Thom

Chaska, MN

Agronomy

Memorable Honors experience: Living in Harwood. I am also proud to have served as the Agronomy Club Recording Secretary.

Honors Project: How Man-Made Structures Affect Catenas

Kayla Wernsing

Sauk City, WI

Environmental Science (AGLS), Geology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: The opportunity to be a FHP leader and getting to develop my leadership style through teaching about Avatar: The Last Airbender and volcanoes. Amazing. I am also proud to have won best undergraduate poster presentation at the Great Plains Limnology Conference for the research done for my internship that summer.

Honors Project: An Exploration of Des Moines River Geochemical Trends and Anthropogenic Drivers

Avery Wickham

Peosta, IA

Animal Ecology

Minor in Insect Science

Memorable Honors experience: Learning how to do stand-up in Comedy College! I am also proud to have been awarded the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation J.N. Ding Darling Scholarship.

Honors Project: Ames Insect Initiative

Danielle Youngblut

Cedar Rapids, IA

Agricultural Business, Advertising

Memorable Honors experience: Trivia Night! I am also proud to have started my own small-business!

Honors Project: Redesigning Gravel Road Sunflowers

Katelyn Zimmerman

Spencer, WI

Agricultural & Life Sciences Education

Memorable Honors experience: Serving on the CALS Honors Committee. I am also proud to have served as the Iowa State Professional Agricultural Student Organization President.

Honors Project: The Cyclone Aide Experience

Diandra Duenser

Arlington Heights, IL

Architecture Professional Degree

Memorable Honors experience: Living on the Honors floor in Martin Hall my freshman year. Movie nights, group dinners, and so much more were always a lot of fun. I am also proud to have been Tumbling Club president

Honors Project: Architecture and Our Well-Being

Madeleine Loyd

West Des Moines, IA

Integrated Studio Arts

Minor in English

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Making friends in my honors dorm! I am proud to have been a peer mentor for Drawing I, where I helped new design students learn drawing fundamentals and techniques.

Honors Project: Concept Art for Prop and Scene Design

Emma Madden

West Des Moines, IA

Art & Design (Bachelor of Arts), Psychology

Memorable Honors experience: Taking an honors seminar on disability and accessibility on campus. I am also proud to have been on the Dean's List 7 semesters.

Honors Project: Media Portrayals of Mental Illness

Lena Menefee-Cook

Ames, IA

Art & Design (Bachelor of Arts), Performing Arts

Memorable Honors experience: Taking an honors seminar with Jean-Pierre Taoutel! I am also proud to have performed live in two ISU Theatre productions at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and to have been the recipient of the Iowa State Sesquicentennial Learning to Live a Live Leadership Award.

Honors Project: OF THE DEEP Shadow Puppetry Design

Tommy O'Donnell

Urbandale, IA

Community & Regional Planning

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: When my group in FHP assembled to take our team picture on a giant, inflatable duck. Looking back on pictures from that night brings back a lot of goofy joy. I am also proud to have received the 2020 APA Outstanding Planning Student Award and Exemplary Student Project Award.

Honors Project: Heartland Utopias: Intentional Communities in Iowa

Amelia Sheckler

Cato, NY

Industrial Design

Minor in Communication studies

Memorable Honors experience: Bagels and Brew. I am also proud to graduate Summa cum laude.

Honors Project: Future of Furniture

Mia Tiric

Des Moines, IA

Architecture Professional Degree

Minor in Journalism, Digital Media, Sustainability

Memorable Honors experience: I am proud to have been a Hansen Prize Nominee, Kalaher Award Nominee, and recipient of a Kocimski Grant for Sustainable Research.

Honors Project: Modern Intentional Communities & the Future of Sustainable Architectural Typologies

Bethany Trang

Germantown Hills, IL

Graphic Design

Minor in Music

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Bagels and Brew every semester! I am also proud to have led a small group with International Friendship Connection, through which I made some great friends.

Honors Project: Asian American Experiences

Morgan Ambourn

Eden Prairie, MN

Computer Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: Getting to know other honors students as an FHP leader. I am also proud to have made the Dean's list every semester and complete an internship every summer during college.

Honors Project: Distance Perception in Virtual Reality

Carolyn Bernemann

Mason City, IA

Mechanical Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Living in Harwood for the first two years of college – that provided me with the most amazing group of friends and many unforgettable memories. I am also proud to have been selected for the award-winning engineering honors project presentation for Fall 2020.

Honors Project: Applying Similitude Modeling Methods to Tribological Applications

Noah Berthusen

Waukee, IA

Software Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: Leading an HON 121 class. I am also proud to have led the Iowa State Climbing Team as a captain.

Honors Project: Efficient Quantum Circuit Compression using Reinforcement Learning

Casey Bradt

Madison, WI

Aerospace Engineering

Minor in Political Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Harwood Honors housing. I am also proud to have been inducted into Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.

Honors Project: Stirring the Pot of Cleaner Cooking Technology

Nicholas Heger

Des Moines, IA

Computer Engineering

Minors in Data Science, Economics, Spanish

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: The welcome kickoff before freshman year started. I am proud to be graduating with honors!

Honors Project: Physics Solver/Simulator

Stephanie Jou

Panama City, Panama

Aerospace Engineering

Memorable Honors experience: Honors seminars on topics I would have never thought about studying. I am also proud to have led a team and worked with students from various universities to complete our capstone project.

Honors Project: Structural Analysis on Small UAS

Timothy Kaufmann

Cedar Rapids, IA

Chemical Engineering

Minor in Biochemistry

Honors Project: Modeling Calcium Alginate Diffusion

Zacharias Komodromos

Aradippou Larnaca, Cyprus

Electrical Engineering

Minor in Computer Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: Being an FHP Leader. I am also proud to have been board manager for ISU's PRISUM.

Honors Project: The Importance of 1800s Science Advancements on Society Today and the Significance of Todays Advancements on Tomorrow

Karter Krueger

Denver, IA

Software Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: The First-Year Honors Mentor Program. I am also proud to have been president of Robotics Club.

Honors Project: Playing Catch with a Mobile Robot

Bethany Lippert

Steamboat Rock, IA

Industrial Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Living in Anders my freshman and sophomore year. It was great to be a part of a small community right away when I came to Iowa State. I made so many fun memories, from crumpets to formal spelling bees to intramurals! I am also proud to have received honorable mention in an international simulation competition in which I participated for a class.

Honors Project:Using Systems Thinking to Increase Effectiveness of a Local Food Pantry

Christopher Lopez

Ankeny, IA

Computer Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Both of my honors seminars were awesome! Learning about Intellectual Property then musicals! I am also proud to have gotten A's in all my coursework.

Honors Project: Study Abroad iOS App

Heather MacMurdo

Brooklyn Center, MN

Materials Engineering, World Languages & Cultures

Minor in Chemistry

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Meeting and building connections with people my freshman year, and then recognizing and meeting other Honors students at various events throughout the rest of my time at ISU. I am also proud to have dual membership in Tau Beta Pi and Phi Beta Kappa.

Honors Project: Comparative Analysis of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Policy and the 1960s Bilingual Movements, and their effects on Bilingualism in the United States

Joaquin Matticoli

Agoura Hills, CA

Aerospace Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Honors Student Executive Board

Memorable Honors experience: Living in Harwood for two years. I am also proud to have been the vice president of Spanish Club my junior year.

Honors Project: High-Fidelity Aerodynamic Optimization for Wind Turbine Blades

Evan McKinney

Clive, IA

Computer Engineering, Physics

Minor in Math

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: All the fun, random activities we did during our FHP meetings and the research opportunities that came along with the Mentor Program. I am also proud to have been President of IEEE-HKN.

Honors Project: Graph Calculus for Software Analysis

Stefan Peng

Marshalltown, IA

Computer Engineering

Minor in Chemistry, Chinese

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Living in Harwood. I am also proud to have served as an FHP leader.

Honors Project: Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells through Electric Field Stimulation

David Reynolds

Grand Island, NE

Mechanical Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Mentor, Student Enrichment, UHP & Stewart Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Being a Freshman Honors Leader. I am also proud to have been involved in undergraduate research, which has open so many doors, from publishing to participating in REUs and a study abroad research program. I owe these experiences to FHMP.

Honors Project: Development of a Microfluidic Platform for Embryonic Zebrafish Confocal Microscopy Imaging

Kenna Short

North Liberty, IA

Mechanical Engineering

Minor in Psychology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, UHP Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Honors seminar: The Happiness Class. I am also proud to be graduating Summa Cum Laude, to have been an undergraduate researcher in the Virtual Reality Application Center, to have received a University Honors Program Grant, and to have been a Youth Innovation Award Finalist.

Honors Project: Interactive Console Design for a Mars Rover

Thomas Simon

Edina, MN

Chemical Engineering

Minor in Biomedical Engineering, Classical Studies

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: The Honors seminars. My education is more well rounded because of them. I am also proud to have been a Community Advisor in the residence halls and leader in the Salt Company for two years.

Honors Project: Investigating How Aptamers Dock with SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein

Rae Stephenson

Marshfield, MA

Chemical Engineering

Minor in Biomedical Engineering, Music

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: The First-Year Honors Program! I am proud to have been the principal cellist of the ISU Symphony Orchestra and a two-time concerto compeition finalist.

Honors Project: Non-Binary and Gender Nonconforming Fashion in Vogue, 2000 to 2020

Srisai Anirudh Tangellapalli

Ankeny, IA

Computer Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: The first-year honors seminar

Honors Project: Evaluating Machine Learning Models to Identify Leaf Damage on Sorghum

Danielle Thompson

Prior Lake, MN

Chemical Engineering

Minor in Spanish, Sustainability

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: The Honors leader mini-retreats. I am also proud to have served on the cabinet/executive team for the Society of Women Engineers every semester I was on campus.

Honors Project: Environmental Impacts of Modified Escherichia coil Lignocellulose Biomass Component for Biofuel Production

Iris Top

Pella, IA

Computer Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Living in an honors cluster in Friley for two years. I made some awesome memories and friends! I am also pround to have been the treasurer for the ISU Gaffers' Guild. It was a cool experience to be a part of the opening of the new studio in the Student Innovation Center.

Honors Project: Hardware Trojans

Charles Truka

Stanton, IA

Chemical Engineering

Minor in Chemistry, Biology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Mentor Grant Recipient, Honors Ambassador, Honors Peer Adviser

Memorable Honors experience: Being an FHP leader. I am also proud to have been Tau Beta Pi Volunteer Group Leader.

Honors Project: Effect of Oxo-Degradation Products on Yeast Growth

Jacob Veatch

Altoona, IA

Software Engineering

Minor in Cyber Security, Business

Participation & Awards: HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: FHP classes. I am also proud to have been an intramural champion.

Honors Project: An Analysis of Comedy College: A Look into the Data of Students and their Comedy

Anne Wallace

Johnston, IA

Chemical Engineering

Minor in Biology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: My time in the Freshman Honors Program. I am also proud to be part of the Engineers' Week Executive Board, Tau Beta Pi, and STARS.

Honors Project: Gel Entrapment of Tumor Cell Clusters Patterned by Dielectrophoresis (DEP) at a Bipolar Electrode Array

Phillip Ward

Machesney Park, IL

Mechanical Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: I am most proud of my role as social chair for ALD/PES and also my GPA.

Honors Project: Using Physical Principles to Create an Image

Faith Anton

Mount Vernon, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Memorable Honors experience: Although the capstone project seemed daunting initially, it has been one of the most impactful experiences I have had - both in the honors program and at Iowa State in general. I am also proud to have been a member of Iowa State Greek community and held numerous executive and leadership roles in my chapter.

Honors Project:Linking Levels of the Antioxidant SOD-1, Brain Vascular Damage, and Cognitive Performance across the Alzheimer’s Disease Spectrum

Allison Buckert

Mount Pleasant, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Memorable Honors experience: Being able to work closely with Dr. Meyer and the Kinesiology graduate students on my Honors Project. It was so different than anything else I have been able to do at Iowa State, and it was so rewarding.

Honors Project: Cognitive Function Response to Acute Exercise in Major Depressive Disorder and the Effect of Depression Severity

Emily Carley

Council Bluffs, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Minor in Psychology

Memorable Honors experience: Getting to take Honors seminars and learn about so many things outside of my major! I am also proud to have received the Winifred Tilden High Scholar Award.

Honors Project: Differences in Concussion Reporting for Adolescents in Ireland and the United States of America

Danielle Childers

Edgewood, IA

Culinary Food Science - (HS)

Minor in Hospitality Management

Memorable Honors experience: Painting clay pots and planting succulents with friends. I am also proud to have served as an Ambassador for the College of Human Sciences.

Honors Project: Culinary Connection: A Look at Culinary Competency of High School Students

Elizabeth Cuvelier

New Harford, IA

Elementary Education

Memorable Honors experience: Completing my senior capstone research project. I am also proud that my Honors capstone research project was selected to be presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Honors Project: Mental Health Among College Athletes

Kenneth Echevarria

Elgin, IL

Diet & Exercise (H Sci)

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Being part of the First-Year Honors Mentor Program. I have been with that research lab every since! I am also proud to have been a Connect Four Multicultural Club Senior Mentor and an undergraduate research assistant.

Honors Project: Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockade on Overload-Induced Muscle Growth and Function In Mice

Kajsa Hallberg

Le Mars, IA

Apparel, Merchandising, and Design

Minor in Sustainability

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Seminars! I loved being able to learn about new topics that fit in with my interests. I am also proud to have been Design Director for The Fashion Show for 2 years.

Honors Project: #Burnberry: A Case Study of Consumer Backlash for Sustainability Policy Change

Lily Harvison

Valley Springs, SD

Kinesiology & Health

Minor in Genetics

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Mentor Grant Recipient, Honors Ambassador

Memorable Honors experience: Being a co-leader with Eli for Honors 121!

Honors Project:Whole Egg Consumption Downregulates Pre-Frontal Cortex Genes in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats

Claire Jager

Oskaloosa, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Memorable Honors experience: Honors seminars

Honors Project: Effects of Response Time on ACL Injury Risk Factors During Single Leg Hopping in Post-ACL Reconstruction Individuals

Nicole Latimer

Lake Forest, CA

Kinesiology & Health

Minor in Psychology

Memorable Honors experience: My honors seminars were among my favorite classes taken here at ISU. I am also proud to have been president of the Human Sciences Council.

Honors Project: The Effects of a Weighted Pen with a Grip Compared to Auditory Cues in Handwriting for Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease

Maria Lea

Decorah, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Minor in Business

Participation & Awards: UHP Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Bagels & Brew and mingling! I am also proud to have been nominated to be on the College of Human Sciences Dean's Student Advisory Council.

Honors Project: Do You Vaccinate?

Avery Maresca

Johnston, IA

Elementary Education

Honors Project: Divorce in Children’s Literature

Alanna Maxwell

West Des Moines, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Minor in Psychology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Setting up camp in Jischke with Harwood for KQ and winning first place! That dinner at UDCC was a very well earned one for team RMS Titanic. I am also proud to have been one of three drum majors during arguably the most difficult and unpredictable season.

Honors Project: Differences in Marching Techniques with and without Background Music

Nathan Robillard

Runnells, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, UHP Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Research through the First-Year Honors Mentor Program. This experience played an important role in my decision to pursue a career in medicine. I am also proud to have served as an SI Leader for CHEM 178, as well as been awarded the Harry Schmidt Outstanding Senior award within the Department of Kinesiology.

Honors Project: Monocyte Inflammatory Pathways in Depression

Samantha Rooney

Altoona, IA

Elementary Education

Memorable Honors experience: The seminars – they were a fun break from my regular classes. I am also proud to have served on the executive board for my sorority.

Honors Project: Exploring the Experiences of Special Education Teachers in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Districts

Sara Siebrecht

Sheldon, IA

Culinary Food Science - (HS)

Minor in Hospitality Management

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Honors Ambassador

Memorable Honors experience: Some of my favorite classes were Honors seminars: American Musicals and Orchid Mania! I also enjoyed writing Honors Summer Snapshot blog posts. I am proud to have served on the exec team of Culinary Science Club, from secretary all the way up to club president. That is how I made some of my most cherished memories and closest friends.

Honors Project: Special Diet Kitchen Baked Products Revision

Karley Spahn

Urbandale, IA

Kinesiology & Health

Participation & Awards: Honors Peer Adviser

Memorable Honors experience: The opportunity to create and conduct my honors capstone project. I am also proud to have been an Honors Peer Adviser.

Honors Project: Effects of Athletic Tape on the Ankle Joint and Ground Reaction Forces During Jump-Landing Tasks

Nicole Whitlock

Kingsley, IA

Elementary Education

Minor in Women's and Gender Studies

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Honors Student Executive Board

Memorable Honors experience: My favorite University Honors Program experience was taking the honors seminar Feminism and the Media with Dr. Stoehr. She is one of my favorite professors at Iowa State, and her seminar inspired me to get a minor in Women's and Gender Studies. I am also proud to have served as the Ex-Officio to the Ames City Council, which allowed me to represent all Iowa State students.

Honors Project: Improving Iowa State Sexual Misconduct Policies and Resources

Lindsey Balkema

The Woodlands, Texas

Biology (LAS)

Memorable Honors experience: Meeting other Honors students through the Honors seminars! I am also proud of my accomplishment of working hard to be on the Dean's list for 7 semesters!

Honors Project: Development of Dental Procedures through Laser and Clinical Procedures

Nicole Benson

Plymouth, MN

Criminal Justice, Psychology

Memorable Honors experience: Working in the MadGuy Lab for my Honors Project to investigate what causes individuals to falsely confess to a crime one did not commit. I am also proud to have been a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Honors Project:Increase Admissions by Starting with Less Serious Crimes

Calvin Clark

Fort Dodge, IA

Journalism & Mass Communication, Performing Arts

Memorable Honors experience: Comedy College

Honors Project: "Our Community Carol" - Theatrical Evolution in a Post-COVID World

William Crow

Ames, IA

Biology (LAS), Mathematics

Participation & Awards: Student Enrichment Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Living in an Honors dorm. I am also proud to have received the LAS Dean's High Impact Undergraduate Research Award.

Honors Project: Locating the mRFPruby Transgene in Drosophila Melanogaster

John Davis

Moulton, IA

Biology (LAS)

Minor in Spanish

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Stewart Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Being a co-leader! I am also proud to have been invited to join Phi Beta Kappa.

Honors Project: Effects of Nicotine Riboside on Oxidative Stress following a High-Fat Meal

Megan Davis

Tyler, TX

Genetics (LAS)

Minor in Pharmacology and Toxicology

Memorable Honors experience: The freshman honors retreat with K2. I am also proud to have presented my research project at the National Convention for Undergraduate Research.

Honors Project: The Effects of Irradiation on Transposable Elements in Maize and Arabidopsis Genomes

Madeline Farringer

Freeport, IL

Biochemistry

Minor in Emerging Global Diseases

Honors Project: Development of an Auxin-Inducible Degron System for use in Plasmodium Falciparum

Dhaval Ghone

Mumbai, India

Biochemistry

Minor in Genetics

Memorable Honors experience: Honors Project: It helped me grow as a scientist. I am also really happy I chose to be an SI leader and a Community Advisor.

Honors Project: Creating and Testing of Cas9 Delivering DNA Origami Nanosystem

Brenda Goh

Singapore, Singapore

Political Science, Psychology

Minor in Health Promotion

Memorable Honors experience: Working with my faculty mentor on my research project. I found the experience to be meaningful and fulfilling, as I was able to pursue my research interests and work with a faculty whom I admire. I am also proud to have received the LAS Dean's High Impact Award for Undergraduate Research for completing 100 hours of research.

Honors Project: Predictors of Offender Treatment Attrition in the Iowa Domestic Abuse Program

Sarah Grambo

Apple Valley, MN

Biochemistry

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Living in an honors cluster house freshman year. I am also proud to have been selected as a student speaker for the 2020 Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Honors Project: Accumulation of Aphid Secretions Changes the Cuticular Surface of the Soybean Plant

Kendall Haefele

Plymouth, MN

Genetics (LAS)

Minor in German

Memorable Honors experience: The medical ethics seminar. I am also proud to have received the LAS Dean's High Impact Award, Sui Tong Chan Fung Fund for the Promotion of Study and Research in Genetics Scholarship.

Honors Project: Roles of EXA1 in Mediated Shoot Elongation

Madelyn Huinker

Coralville, IA

Communication Studies, Environmental Studies

Minor in General Business and Global Health

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor & Student Enrichment Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Finding my research mentor through FHMP and staying in that lab for all four years! I am also proud to have been on the Homecoming Cardinal Court for ISU, and for being third author on a forthcoming research publication!

Honors Project: A New Resource to Inform Climate Change Communication

Madison Hunter

Le Mars, IA

Psychology, Criminal Justice

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Honors Project: The Effects of Knowledge of Case Evidence on Deception Detection Accuracy

Matthew Kigin

West Des Moines, IA

Biology (LAS)

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Getting to go to the FHP retreat even though it was rained out. It was a ton of fun to hang out with my section and play games on campus. I am also proud to have been a founding member of an on-campus volunteer organization for students.

Honors Project: Identifying Novel Hematopoietic Stem Cell Genes through Single-Cell Sequencing

Nathalia Kimmell

Las Tablas, Panama

Economics (LAS)

Minors in History, Political Science

Memorable Honors experience: My honors seminars. I am also proud of my role as a Community Advisor and a tutor, and of my invitation to join Phi Beta Kappa.

Honors Project: Success at the ISU Research Park

Aaron Leppert

Rockton, IL

Chemistry and Secondary Education

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Honors Ambassador, Honors Student Executive Board

Memorable Honors experience: Every day I entered the Jischke Office and said "Morning" or "Hello" to the wonderful Honors Staff! I am also proud to have been selected as a Cyclone Aide Adviser.

Honors Project: Analyzing Quantitative Data Through Summer Evaluations to Outline Expectations Family Members have about their Iowa State Orientation Experience

Matthew Lowe

West Des Moines, IA

Music Education

Memorable Honors experience: The opportunity to seek projects that would help me grow. I am also proud to have received the Mr. Service award from the Cyclone Marching Band

Honors Project: Valley Marchmasters Pregame Show

Makayla McDonald

Norwalk, IA

Criminal Justice

Minor in History

Honors Project: Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign

Maeve McGuire

Eagen, MN

Technical Communication, Communication Studies

Minor in French

Memorable Honors experience: Taking an honors seminar about the musical world of babies and visiting an actual music class for babies. I am also proud to have published my research in an academic journal! I'm working on my second manuscript!

Honors Project:Finding Beauty in the Struggle: Using Relational Dialectics Theory to Analyze Discourses That Influence What It Means to be Both Mom and Caregiver to a Child with Medical Complexities

John Mobley IV

Jefferson, IA

Physics, Mathematics

Minor in Nuclear Engineering

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, Outstanding FHP Scholar, Honors UA, Summer Grant Recipient, Honors Ambassador, Honors Peer Adviser, Honors Student Executive Board, University Honors Committee Student Representative, W. Robert Parks Honors Commendation – Student Award, Outstanding HSB Member

Memorable Honors experience: Taking the "Here, There and Everywhere" Honors seminar about the Beatles and traveling to London/Liverpool. The memories I made on the study abroad trip will stay with me forever, especially the chance to play Paul McCartney's childhood piano! I am also proud to have served as a resource to the Honors community. My involvement in the Honors Student Board over the last four years at ISU has been an absolute privilege.

Honors Project: On the Development, Applicability, and Design Considerations of Generation IV Small Modular Reactors

Elliot Morgan

Colo, IA

Journalism & Mass Communication, Political Science

Minor in Military Science

Memorable Honors experience: Discovering The Salt Company and Cornerstone Church through a friend in an Honor's seminar. I am also proud to have been a first-generation college graduate, Magna Cum Laude.

Honors Project: James Madison – First Amendment Drafting Concerning Religious Liberty

Christina Motalebi

Woodbury, MN

Public Relations

Minor in General Business

Memorable Honors experience: The opportunity to supplement my education with three honors seminars. I am also proud to have been a Greenlee School Student Ambassador, through which I shared my journey at ISU with prospective students and their family.

Honors Project: The Family Life Cycle – Target Marketing Tactics

Sophia Muta

Ankeny, IA

World Languages & Cultures

Minors in Spanish, Biology, and Women's and Gender Studies

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: Meeting my best friends through Honors :). I am also proud to have been the Community Advisor for Starbuck Honors floor.

Honors Project:Sexism Explained

Anyesha Ray

Kansas City, MO

Statistics

Minor in Math, Data Science, Spanish

Memorable Honors experience: I am proud to have president of the Statistics Club, an LAS Student Council member, a presenter for the American Academy of Forensic Science, and to have participated in the Midwest Undergraduate Data Analytics Competition.

Honors Project: Relationships between Handwriting Slant and Demographic Features

Jacob Riesen

Mason City, IA

Mathematics, Computer Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Honors Project: An Algorithmic Information-Theoretic Approach to a Kakeya-type Problem for Circles

Jacob Schmieder

Little Chute, WI

Biochemistry

Minor in Physics

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, UHP Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Completing my honors project. I am also proud to have been Marching Band Drum Major.

Honors Project: Marching Lights Business Plan

Christian Schnieders

Manchester, IA

Music

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: Doing all the honors events with my housemates from Harwood. I am also proud to have been a cyclone aide advisor for New Student Programs.

Honors Project: A Look Into the Music Production Process

Chirayu Shukla

Johnston, IA

Biology (LAS), Psychology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader, UHP Grant Recipient, Honors Peer Adviser

Memorable Honors experience: Making a documentary for my honors project. I am also proud to have won the Beta Kappa Jean Day Lasila Award.

Honors Project: The Storm: A Parkinson's Documentary

Elizabeth Siedell

Lincoln, NE

Biological/Pre Medical Illustration

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient

Memorable Honors experience: Undergraduate research was a formative experience for me in my time at Iowa State. Getting the opportunity to work in a stem cell research lab my freshman year was an experience I'll never forget. I am also proud to have received the H. T. (Jack) Horner Scholastic Excellence Award as well as the Charles E. Townsend Studio Achievement Award for my work as a Biological Pre-Medical Illustration student.

Honors Project: The Budding Biologist's Field Guide to Trees

Justin Squillo

Glen Ellyn, IL

Biology (LAS)

Memorable Honors experience: Undergraduate research in Dr. Jeff Essner's lab. It has been an amazing experience that provided insight into the world of research and prepared me for my future career in science. I am also proud to have been the Biological Sciences Club president, a B.E.S.T. Peer mentor, and graduating Summa Cum Laude.

Honors Project: Functions of Connexin 43.4 in Relation to Cell Adhesion, Tight Junction Formation and Beta-Catenin Localization

Benjamin Tinguely

Fort Madison, IA

Mathematics

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, Mentor Grant Recipient, Honors Student Executive Board

Memorable Honors experience: Dorm life

Honors Project: Eclipsing Binaries

Grace Trembath

Omaha, NE

Biochemistry, World Languages & Cultures

Minor in US Latino/a Studies

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: Being an FHP leader (twice)! I am also proud to have been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in Spring 2019.

Honors Project: Spanish Language Collections in Iowa Public Libraries

Jordan Trommater

Poplar Grove, IL

Biology (LAS)

Minor in Psychology

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Memorable Honors experience: The First-year Honors Program - my leaders and class were so fun! I am also proud to have won the tennis intramural one year and to be graduating Magna Cum Laude!

Honors Project: A Quantitative Expression of Phosphor tau (pY18) in Epilepsy Mouse Model

Ashley Truman

Ankeny, IA

Psychology, Criminal Justice

Memorable Honors experience: Attending Honors-hosted events like Painting with Bob Ross. I am proud to be graduating Summa Cum Laude.

Honors Project: Psychology Internship Spreadsheet

Laurence Vander Werff

Story City, IA

Statistics, Economics (LAS)

Minor in Data Science

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant

Honors Project: Effects of Nudging on Traffic Safety

Stephanie Walton

Cedar Rapids, IA

Genetics (LAS)

Participation & Awards: Mentor Program Participant, HON 121 Leader

Memorable Honors experience: Attending the FHP retreat as a leader and meeting lifelong friends.

Honors Project: Sequencing Lipoate-Protein Ligase for Association Studies with Photosynthetic Traits under Cold Stress