Every year the University awards fifteen individuals the Outstanding Freshman award, which recognizes freshmen who have excelled in academics and on-campus activities. This award is often a precursor to the amazing things that students will accomplish during their OU career, and the Spring 2020 group was no exception. Now that graduation is just around the corner, Honors @ OU decided to catch up with a few of the Honors students bestowed with this award back in 2020! What have they been doing in the ensuing years?
Joy Nath is now a senior who will graduate with a BBA in Economics and a BA in Linguistics in May 2023. While at OU he has stayed involved in both Honors-based programs and university programs. In the Honors College, he served on the review board for The Honors Undergraduate Research Journal and was the student member of the search committee for the Honors College assistant professor of Asian American Studies. He is currently working in the Honors Research Assistant Program. As for university programs, Nath is a part of the LGBTQ+ in Business group, as well as a Peer Educator with the Gender and Equality Center, an executive member with The Big Event, and a Crimson Club member.
It is no surprise that along with this impressive resume Joy has earned a fair amount of recognition to go along with it. Aside from the Outstanding Freshman award, he also earned the title of Outstanding Sophomore as well as the Campus Life Award. He has also been a part of PE-ET, the Top 10 Senior Honor Society, and has claimed many departmental scholarships. You can spot Joy on the Homecoming court this fall.
Joy has been a part of the Honors College for all four years, and he has all the praise for it. "Honors classes have been the place where I really found my community, the place where I could exercise all that I was learning in a meaningful way. The College helped me see the value of having a diverse curriculum in my education," Nath says. He recommends the Honors College for all eligible students, regardless of major.
After graduation, Nath plans to move to New York City to work with BlackRock in their internal Audit division.
Lilly Amechi has certainly kept herself busy since receiving the Outstanding Freshman accolade in 2020. She is now a senior, majoring in the Legal Humanities Pre-Law program and minoring in Constitutional and International Studies. She has been a part of the Honors College durng her time at OU and has taken part in various Honors-based programs such as the Informed Citizens Discussion Group, the Informal Reading Groups, and she studies abroad through the Honors at Oxford program. Lilly says of the Honors College, "Being an Honors student has shaped my college experience tremendously. The Honors professors have taken me under their wing, expanding my knowledge and understanding of the world, advocating on my behalf, and celebrating my wins."
Lilly's list of extracurriculars outside of the Honors College is quite impressive. During her college career she has served as a member of the SGA executive cabinet, the Society of Fellows, the Provost's Student Advisory Board, and the Crimson Leadership Association. Her biggest achievement in student programs was establishing the Black Undergraduate Law Student Association and serving as its president. Amechi is also a member of the Black Student Association Brigadese and is the Community Projects Chair for the Black Emergency Response Team (BERT).
Amechi has made a name for herself on campus, and she has the awards to prove it. Her research earned an Undergraduate Libraries Research Award, a Latin America and Caribbean Paper Award, and a Carceral Studies Consortium's Student Work Prize. She has been an active social justice advocate within BERT, which assisted in influencing the decision to commute Julius Jones's execution and helped earn the Robert D. Lemon Social Justice Award. Other achievements include the PACE award, the Ann Balch Award, the Campus Life Award, and the Outstanding Sophomore title.
For freshmen and incoming students, Lilly advises them to stay true to their individual passions and not worry as much about the rigid goals and plans they may arrive with. She is also quick to emphasize that networking is crucial to excelling throughout your college career.
After graduation, Amechi plans to earn her Juris Doctor degree.
Rabiea Abo Taho is a senior completing an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science degree. He has been a part of the Honors College for all four years. During his time in the Honors College, Abo Taho has taken advantage of the specialized classes available to Honors students. He has enjoyed the small class size because it allowed him to connect with professors and his fellow classmates.
Abo Taho has also been very involved in programs at the Gallogly College of Engineering. He has been a member of the Honors Leadership Program since his sophomore year. That program allows students to enhance their knowledge by offering workshops, courses, mentoring opportunities, and meetings with their peers. Through the program, he has connected with several professors and mentors who made a significant impact on his OU experience.
Rabiea never let his extracurriculars interfere with his grades: he has been on the President's Honor Roll for five semesters, and the Dean's Honor Roll for four semesters. His high academic standing has helped earn him numerous scholarships. He has also been able to work at the Advanced Research Radar Center as a research assistant and had the opportunity to represent the University in recruitment events in the Middle East.
When asked what advice he has for new students, he was vocal about the importance of trying new things, whether that be changing your major a couple of times or joining a new club. He also says, "There is no straight path to success like high school, so stick to what you like and don't compare your success to others, only compare yourself to your past self."
Rabiea is still deciding about his plans after graduation, weighing the choice between pursuing a master's degree and going straight into the job world.
Grace Rogers is now a senior, graduating in the spring with dual degrees in Psychology and Community Health on a pre-PA track. She has been involved with the Honors College throughout her time at OU and has participated in various student events as well as the Informal Reading Groups. Of her time with the Honors College, she says, "It has made me realize how far you can push yourself in reference to academics, volunteerism, work, and extracurricular activities. It also helped ease the transition from high school to college."
Rogers has participated in various university organizations such as President's Community Scholars, the Psychology Club, and the American Mock World Health Organization. She is also the president of Oklahoma Blood Institute outreach group at the University. She has been able to work as a research assistant with the Hudson College of Public Health, where she conducte research on deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. Grace has quite a collection of accolades from her time at OU, including the Outstanding Freshman and Sophomore titles and the Campus Life Award. The latter is awarded to students who have positively impacted the University of Oklahoma through their leadership and service.
As for advice for incoming students, she remarks on the importance of utilizing the resources that are available to you as a student. "College can be tough for anyone, and asking for help from a professor, friend, or advisor is the bravest thing to do." She adds that is important to remind yourself that everyone else is going through similar experiences.
Ms. Rogers has applied to the OU Tulsa and OUHSC PA programs. In the future she hopes to combine her passions for psychology and medicine by working in a clinical setting in mental health care.
Matthew Varela will graduate this spring with a bachelor's degree in Meteorology and dual minors in Mathematics and Geographic Information Systems. He has been involved with the Honors College during his four years at OU, participating in programs such as the Informal Reading Groups and the Honors Mentorship Program (HMP). HMP helps incoming freshmen adjust to university life and ease the transition by pairing them with upperclassmen. Mr. Varela also took part in the research aspect of the Honors College: during his freshmen the opportunity to participate in laboratory research. He also participated in Honors research during his sophomore year. These opportunities made him realize his love for it and ultimately influenced his decision to attend graduate school.
Varela has stayed quite busy outside of the Honors College. He is currently the Vice President of Internal Affairs for the student meteorology group OU SCAN, and he is also a member of the Oklahoma Weather Lab and the OU Meteorology Student Affairs Committee. Given his involvement in student and Honors program it is no surprise that he has collected numerous scholarships and awards as an OU student, including the 2020 Cecil C. Barnett scholarship, the 2021 Sooner Heritage scholarship, and the 2022 President International Travel Fellowship. Along with the Outstanding Freshman award, he is a recipient of the PACE award and was a part of the Fall 2019 President's Honor Roll.
Matthew's advice for incoming students is to get involved as much as possible: joining a few clubs is a great way to make friends and discover what you're truly passionate about. He also encourages students to reach out and connet with professors within your department because they can give great advice, help you find research opportunities, and even write letters of recommendation.
Mr. Varela plans to graduate school for meteorology after graduation.
Megan Szymansk will be graduating this year with dual degrees in Biochemical Determinants of Health & Medicine and Letters, and a Business minor. Szymanski has been an Honors student since her freshman year, and has participated in the Informal Reading Groups and served as a Writing Assistant for the Honors Writing Center. She also studied abroad last summer with the Honors at Oxford program. Szymanski has been grateful for her time with the Honors College and says, "The smaller classes with unique learning focuses have tremendously enhanced my undergraduate experience." She adds, "The relationship made with faculty and staff have also contributed to a wonderful four years."
As a student of the Hudson College of Public Health, she works as a research assistant with a focus on venous thromboembolism. Megan is active in various campus-wide programs as well, she serves as chairperson of the Crimson Club, a student organization that works within the office of the President to preserve and promote the history, traditions, and overall excellence of the university. She was president of Alpha Lambda Delta, her sophomore year, Executive Vice Chair for CAC's College Bowl her junior year, vice president of operations for Pi Beta Phi, and has been involved in Panhellenic all four years at OU. Ms. Szymanski also served as a student member on the Department of Classics & Letters' faculty search committee. Megan is a part of the Vice President's Advisory Council.
Ms. Szymanski has earned several awards since winning the Outstanding Freshman title in 2020. She has been named an Outstanding Sophomore PACE award recipient, Outstanding Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, and she is on the homecoming court this fall. She is a Burr Scholar for the President's Leadership Class. She has also been on the President's Honor Roll, and was a Panhellenic outstanding scholar in her freshman and sophomore year.
Megan's advice for incoming students is to as k questions and let their curiosity run free. She plans to attend medical school after graduation.
Emily C. Miller is a senior with a dual degree in Biology and Psychology and a Music minor. As an Honors student, she has been involved in the Honors Student Association, the Informal Reading Groups, and she studies abroad with Honors at Oxford. Emily has also worked as an Honors Writing Assistant, through which she helps students learn to edit their own work and improve their writing skills overall. She has had the opportunity to build her own Honors research focused on opening dialogue with Native American communities about genetic testing and care through the Precision Medicine Initiative. As for the impact of the Honors College, Emily says, "I have been challenged to reach for the stars by both faculty and peers throughout my time in the program."
When it comes to campus-wide involvement, Emily is a member of Women in Technical Studies, the University Choral, the Acts of Kindness Association, the OUr Mental Organization, and the Beekeeper's Organization. Emily is a part of the American World Health Organization as well, which conducts model-WHO activities and conferences that nurtures an interest in global health and develop leadership, public speaking, and diplomatic skills. While an OU student Emily has received the Adams Memorial Scholarship, been named on the President's Honor Roll, and was recognized as an Outstanding Freshman.
Emily would highly encourage any new student to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. She reminisces that if she hadn't followed her own advice she would never have traveled to Europe, conducted research, and made lifelong friends. After graduation, she hopes to continue her education by pursuing an MS in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling, in order to serve underrepresented communities in genetic healthcare.
