Honors Students & Alumni
Honors Student Spotlights
Through the many exciting and challenging opportunities afforded to them through their studies at Saint Mary's and in the Honors Program, our students are exploring their passions, honing their skills, and making a difference in their fields here in California and around the country.
We are always looking for chances to highlight the many outstanding achievements of our members, both past and current, as they navigate their college careers and their professional pursuits ahead. Read about a few of our amazing students and some of their accomplishments in Honors and beyond.
James Brumley '26
Marketing & Finance Double-Major
from San Diego, CA
In a recent internship, James worked at Amazon in New York, NY, and will be returning full-time upon graduation. James also has experience as a Strategic Business Development Intern at General Atomics and as a Marketing Intern at Vaksman Khalfin.
James won a recent award through Gaels Ignite, a Saint Mary’s annual startup pitch competition, which brings together undergraduate, graduate, and alumni teams to present ventures before a panel of entrepreneur judges. He also received the Procter & Gamble People’s Choice Award for his startup concept “LEGO® Habitat Heroes," an eco-conscious, educational LEGO® line designed entirely from recyclable materials. The idea promotes environmental stewardship while inspiring children to explore STEM careers through play. His final pitch featured research over several months, including detailed financial projections, customer personas, market research, product mockups, and competitive analysis. James was also the recipient of "Best Individual Presentation in Business" for his project called "Estate Planning Research and Product Strategy" at the 2024 SMC Student Research Conference & Showcase.
At Saint Mary’s, James is involved in the American Marketing Association as a Co-Founder & President, as part of the Guyette Leadership Fellows, and the SEBA Dean's Student Advisory Council.
James feels that Honors pushed him to sharpen how he communicates big ideas. Whether it’s through a presentation, speaking at colloquia, or debating in Seminar, he’s learned how to explain things with clarity and confidence. These are skills he’s carried straight into internships. He wants to better the SMC community by paying it forward, mentoring underclassmen, helping them navigate the same choices he once did by sharing what he’s learned about internships, leadership, and working in the real world. James explained that SMC taught him that leadership isn’t just about results, it’s about values. That’s shaped how he sees his future: he wants to build a career that drives growth and impact. The most rewarding part of James’ experience in the Honors Program has been surrounding himself with other driven people, which has pushed him to raise the bar. He walked into SMC as a pretty naïve freshman, and through this program, he’s learned a lot about who he is!!!
One quote that James lives by is:
“You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.”
―Robin Williams
Allison Chu '26
Psychology Major
Allison Chu, a fourth-year Psychology major with a concentration in Counseling and Clinical Psychology, found her biggest inspiration at Saint Mary's in her PSYCH-346 class: “Psychology of the Family.” She has since applied this focus to conducting research for an Honors Contract, worked as an intern at the CARE Center, and has gained valuable skills in self-discipline and time-management to help further her work, as well as to help her develop an independent research study all on her own.
In addition to her academic achievements, Allison has been closely involved for the last three years both as a member and as the current president of Women’s Club Volleyball. Now in charge of the team, Allison oversees a completely student-run and student-funded organization, traveling nationally to compete in championships and to play teams from around the country.
During her time in the Honors Program, Allison’s favorite part has been all the people she met through the program. She enjoys the opportunities Honors provides to meet people with similar passions and interests, and has met many of her close friends through Honors events and networking.
Last year Allison started working as a counselor for both the summer camp and the afterschool program at Quest Therapeutics Camp. These programs provide children with individualized treatment plans, group therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy, and through working alongside amazing counselors and therapists, Allison continues to grow and to expand her knowledge and skills. In terms of her career, her current plans include graduate school and further studies in Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as School Psychology.
One quote that Allison lives by is:
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind."
— Taylor Swift
An admirer of Taylor Swift and a longtime fan of her music, Allison personally identifies with this quote’s message of empathy and hopes that everyone she meets thinks that she is a kind and loving person.
We will greatly miss having Allison at SMC after graduation, but we wish her the very best in the years ahead!
Kiana Paredes '27
Politics & Accounting Double-Major
from San Francisco, CA
Kiana Paredes, a 3rd-year Politics and Accounting Double-Major, is best described as a driven, determined, and resourceful student. Elected 2027 Class Chair and currently serving as an intern in the Student Activities & Engagement Office, Kiana creates and hosts events for students to help grow their engagement with their peers and community outside the classroom. In student government, she loves to lead through service and to stand up for students who deserve a voice. Her favorite part of her work is having the opportunity to get to know students she wouldn’t otherwise meet in class.
In her hometown of San Francisco, Kiana's favorite spot is at the Legion of Honor, where you can catch a majestic view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and when not busy with class or work, her favorite pastime is to go on long walks in nature, especially in the hills of Pacifica. This past summer, she also had the opportunity to work at an estate planning law firm as well as in the Dependency Department of San Francisco County Superior Court.
On campus, Kiana enjoys running and trying new foods, but a special part about Saint Mary’s that separates it from the majority of other colleges and universities has to be its student-professor relationships. For Kiana, her favorite professor has been Professor Catherine Finger (Accounting). Prof. Finger made Kiana believe that she was capable of pursuing accounting as a field of study, despite her never having been exposed to the business world prior to her arrival at SMC. By combining her skills in writing, speaking, and math, Kiana is now on the path to becoming a successful attorney and living her dream life one day.
And what would SMC be without its brilliant Collegiate Seminar? Lauding it as both beneficial and enriching, Kiana describes Seminar as one of her favorite classes, one that stands out in its emphasis on fully student-led discussion and reflection. In her first year, reading Saint Augustine’s Confessions showed Kiana that God doesn’t expect you to be perfect; it is the pursuit of the best version of yourself that makes you a follower of Christ. As a non-Catholic, she truly admires this message.
Now over halfway through her undergraduate career and having been through it all, from back-to-back exams to endless essays to draft and edit, and even a few unexpected life events, Kiana can leave you with one simple piece of advice–one your parents have probably told you over and over:
Never leave anything until the last minute!
Clarice Reinwald ‘26
Biochemistry Major, Biology Minor
from Clayton, CA
A dedicated student in the School of Science and an aspiring oncology pharmacist, Clarice enjoys a wide range of interests and professional pursuits, holding an assortment of different jobs in their senior year, both on and off campus, including a pharmacy clerk at Walgreens, an AI teaching consultant at Data Annotation & Labeling Inc., and an Interfaith and Religious Diversity Coordinator at the SMC Mission & Ministry Center.
In addition to valuable mentorship opportunities, the Honors Program has given Clarice the chance to connect with many peers in ways they would not have otherwise, and is also what pushed them toward becoming the Vice President of the SMC Film Club. Outside of SMC, Clarice also holds the title of co-founder and serves in an executive role for the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology's (ASBMB) Southwest District Undergraduate Panel.
Clarice has presented at numerous conferences in the last several years, the most notable being the 2025 ASBMB Annual Meeting in Chicago, as well as the 2025 Student Research Conference & Showcase right here at Saint Mary’s, where they were awarded Best Presentation in the Sciences for their poster titled “Immobilized Radicals for DNP-Enhanced NMR and MRI.”
One notable assignment Clarice is most proud of is an extensive article they wrote on serotonin syndrome, providing an in-depth review of the condition. The primary reason they want to be a pharmacist is due to their own experiences with serotonin syndrome, making this paper particularly meaningful to them. After graduation, Clarice has committed to UC Irvine's Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program for the class of 2030 to continue on their path and start the next step of their career.
Mia Schowengerdt '26
Environmental Science Major
from St. Louis, MO
Mia Schowengerdt is a fourth-year Environmental Science major here at Saint Mary's. Mia hails from St. Louis, Missouri, and is held in the highest regard by both her professors and peers for her academic prowess and her deep dedication for learning about and protecting the natural world.
This past summer Mia worked as a wildlife rehab intern at the New Mexico Wildlife Center. Through this opportunity Mia was able to gain firsthand experience working with the side of environmental protection many turn their nose up at: the maintenance and upkeep of wild animals. Mia bravely aided in husbandry, medical assistance, necropsies, and surveying at the Center, all in the name of bettering wildlife health. In her time here at SMC, Mia has found that one of her biggest career aspirations is in wildlife conservation. In her Jan Term Travel course JAN 405–Endangered Australia: Wildlife & Culture, Mia authored a research paper analyzing the different conservation techniques and practices utilized by local and governmental agencies in Australia, including contrasting modern and indigenous conservation techniques, an area that has historically been understudied. This experience helped to shift the trajectory of Mia's experience for the long run. As she describes it, this experience “acted as a confirmation that I was pursuing the right degree for me and helped me realize that I wanted to keep pursuing wildlife conservation as a career.”
For her professional career, between the various earth and environmental sciences, Mia is still deciding on what specifically she wants to study. However, regardless of which path Mia will take, one thing remains true: her continued commitment to the conservation and protection of the environment, whether this future career includes working at nature reserves as a vet technician assistant or as a park wildlife ranger. After gaining a few years of field experience, Mia hopes to pursue a master’s degree in some form of environmental science and advance her career into the world of academia.
Aside from her research aspirations Mia also has a deep love for mentorship, especially in supporting and educating the next generation of scientists and environmental advocates. She currently serves as the president of the SMC Green Gaels Club, the only environmental protection club on campus, and is a STEM tutor and FYAC peer mentor.
Additionally, Mia has been a member of the Honors Program since her freshman year and has taken part in and aided in countless events on campus, including presenting her work for consecutive years at the SMC Student Research Conference & Showcase. Through her three Honors contacts, Mia has honed her career interest beyond the normal curriculum. Mia is grateful for the experiences she has gained here at Saint Mary’s and the invaluable support she has been shown by her faculty and peers for her education, career goals, and beyond.
While we are truly sad to say goodbye to our graduates this spring, we could not be more proud and excited for Mia’s future.
Sofia Yildirim ‘27
Environmental Science & Biology Double-Major
from Alameda, CA
Sofia Yildirim is an Environmental Science and Biology double-major, and a departmental scholarship recipient. Her research explores how environments and organisms influence each other, with award-winning work on zooplankton and the study of diurnal spatial trends.
Over the summer, Sofia took part in Washington State University’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, funded by the National Science Foundation. In this program, she conducted in-depth research on the feeding performance in reference to a functional niche space with common clown fish, and is currently preparing a manuscript for her novel findings, which will feature Sofia as the first author.
On campus, Sofia serves as co-president of the Belly Dancing Club and a tutor for the STEM Center, as well as a member of several other campus groups and organizations, including Green Gaels and the college choirs. She currently holds leadership positions in the MENA Club and the Honors Program, specifically as the Academic Events & Contracts Officer on the Honors Student Executive Team.
Her most rewarding experience in the Honors Program has been meeting two of her closest friends, both Environmental Science majors. Surrounded by like-minded people, Sofia has greatly enjoyed her community of peers who share her interests and passions about the earth.
After graduation, Sofia plans to earn her Master’s degree in Marine Science before finding work in an organization where she can conduct further research, with a particular interest in the deep sea. Eventually, she aspires to continue her academic work and pursue a Ph.D.
Stavroula Psefteas ‘26
Psychology Major, SSTE Minor
from Danville, CA
Our one and only Chair of the Honors Program Executive Team, Stavroula Psefteas is known for her commitment, involvement, and leadership within the Honors community. She has been part of the Honors Executive Team (formerly the Honors Student Commission) for three years, and has been part of the Honors Program since her Freshman year. Starting as a Colloquium commissioner (now “Peer Perspective officer”), Stavroula was honored to step into her new position as Chair of the Executive Team her senior year. Having now been on the Executive Team for most of her college career, she has treasured the opportunity to collaborate with her fellow commissioners over the years, creating meaningful events, and working behind the scenes to help the Honors Program run smoothly.
Stavroula appreciates the Honors Program for the ways it has expanded her thinking. Through meeting classmates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, she has learned to engage with ideas more deeply and thoughtfully. Classes such as Honors Seminar stands out as one of her favorite experiences, as she fondly remembers inspiring discussions, polite disagreements, and times when peoples’ ideas challenged one another. One of her most memorable texts from Seminar was The Tempest, a play she had previously read but only truly understood after deeply exploring the text with her classmates who all offered varying perspectives.
A defining moment in Stavroula’s Honor’s journey was completing her first Honors Contract. Although she was initially daunted by the task, she gained confidence and found genuine enjoyment in the research process after meeting with her faculty advisor. Presenting her work at the Student Research Conference & Showcase and seeing her final poster printed and displayed remains one of her proudest achievements.
Outside of the Honors Program, Stavroula has spent multiple summers working for the Town of Danville’s summer camps, where she grew from camp counselor to site leader, manager, and eventually an office assistant responsible for planning activities and logistics! These experiences strengthened her leadership, organization, and mentorship skills, which are qualities she brings to every community she joins.
After graduation, Stavroula hopes to pursue a career as a high school English teacher, inspired by her love for literature, communication, and supporting the younger generations. She is grateful for how Honors has shaped her into a reflective, collaborative, and confident scholar. Through rigorous discussion, challenging texts, and an encouraging community, she has learned how to listen, how to question, and how to grow.
A phrase she lives by is “give it your all.” Whether tackling an Honors Contract, leading a team, or taking new responsibilities at work, Stavroula commits fully and strives to do her best at pushing herself to rise to each occasion.
We will be sad to see her go, but we could not be more proud of Stavroula’s accomplishments, her leadership, and the passion she has poured into the Honors Program. We look forward to seeing what’s ahead for her!
Honors Alumni
Nash Anderson '23
Global & Regional Studies Major, Theology & Religious Studies Minor
During his time at Saint Mary's, Nash served as president of the Native American and Indigenous Student Association (NAISA), vice president of Saint Mary's Phi Kappa Phi Chapter, a Liberal Arts Bridge Ambassador, a Social Justice Advocate at the Intercultural Center, and was an involved student on campus. For one of his Honors contracts, he wrote a paper and held a presentation in applying religious studies analytical theories to Judaism and then critiquing the religious studies theories on their application to understanding a religion.
During his graduate studies he worked at the Office of Inclusion and Belonging and co-founded the SMC Graduate Student Association. In 2025, he received his master’s degree in leadership from the Kalmanovitz School of Education in order to further social justice and sustainable development with nonprofits.
Amanda Boutte '23
Politics & History Double Major
Amanda was a member of the Saint Mary’s Women’s Lacrosse team since freshman year, serving as both Captain and President. She also coached at True Lacrosse, a girls’ club lacrosse program based out of Danville, where she traveled around the country with players to showcase all of their hard work and skill in hopes that they would someday play at the collegiate level.
On campus, Amanda was also a supervisor and lifeguard at the campus recreation center and served as an intern for both the Politics and History Departments. Her favorite memories at Saint Mary’s included spending quality time with her friends at the recreation center and traveling to Denmark and Sweden for Jan Term. Her post-graduation plan was to attend law school and eventually pursue a career in public interest law.
Tsianna Crooks-Backus '23
Clinical/Counseling Psychology Major, Communication Minor
Although Tsianna joined the Honors Program initially for social involvement, she soon discovered the professional skill development that Honors also offered her.
The Honors Contract that Tsianna eventually proposed on the psychology behind D1 athletes, was unlike anything she had researched before. Sending out a detailed Google survey, she assessed several personality traits and how they correlated with success in sports, eventually finding that D1 athletes scored lower in neuroticism than non-D1 athletes. Though she was also working two jobs and was involved in Expressions of Blackness, Tsianna had support from her Personality Psychology professor, who helped her balance her workload throughout the semester.
Mariella Crudele '23
Business Administration Major
Mariella’s Italian heritage was always of interest to her, and through the Honors Program she was able to learn much more about her family’s past than she had ever imagined. First joining as a sophomore based on a recommendation, she felt like Honors supplied her with a “good mix of academic and social life.”
Working with Italian 4 professor Maria Grazia, Mariella created a 50-page canva document throughout the semester including pictures and information about her heritage. She also wrote an essay discussing the artifacts she found going through her grandparent’s memorabilia from Italy. Even though she added in the extra step of reading books about Italian history which she used to connect to her family’s personal experience, Mariella never felt like this project overwhelmed her as she struck a good balance of working and relaxing throughout the semester.
After graduation, Mariella stayed to work at her alma mater as Coordinator of Undergraduate Academic Services in the School of Economics & Business Administration!
Madeline Fletcher '23
Kinesiology Major
Transferring into a new school can be intimidating, especially as an upperclassmen. However, Madeline - a junior transfer student - used this new beginning to get more involved by joining the Honors Program as a way to meet new people.
Once settled at Saint Mary's, Madeline set her sights on an ambitious project in the form of a nutritional cookbook for student athletes. With the help of her Kinesiology 107 professor, Derek Marks, Madeline tirelessly worked to research and develop new recipes that provided student athletes with healthy options that consisted exclusively of ingredients available at Trader Joes. Having made each of the recipes herself to ensure each meal was perfected, Madeline put in around 50 hours of work completing this her cookbook.
Taylor Perea '23
Justice Community & Leadership Major, Mathematics & Psychology Double-Minor
While attending Saint Mary's, Taylor served as president of the SMC Women’s Rugby Team and the ASL Club. She was in the Honors Program since her freshman year, when she joined to get more involved around campus and push her academic work forward.
For one Honors Contract, she wrote and illustrated a children’s book on how science and religion are closely tied together. The book was influenced by a TRS class on the topic, and she spent a lot of time making the information clear and concise enough that a child would be able to understand it easily.
One piece of advice Taylor would give to people starting in the Honors Program is to take advantage of colloquia and familiarize yourself with the resources available to you. Reach out to professors as many of them have connections and can get you some experience before you graduate. After graduation, Taylor hoped to go to graduate school to become a social psychologist, specializing in conducting research.
Emily Britt '24
Psychology Major
Emily majored in Psychology and always found Shakespeare to be an impactful and inspiring influence. For this reason, she decided to dive further into his infamous work Macbeth for one of her Honors Contracts, meticulously analyzing the depictions of power and the gender dynamics between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Emily then created drawings of several scenes, using colors, clothes, backdrop, fire, and physical position, as well as many more details to highlight what she thought were the most important points in this scene. She also produced a comprehensive essay which analyzed her own drawings and explained her artistic choices while referencing Shakespeare’s scenes.
Emily enjoyed the freedom for creativity that this project allowed, as painting and drawing were both hobbies she enjoyed. While Emily originally joined the Honors Program wanting the extra challenge that this academic-minded community would offer, she never imagined how much fun she would have with it.
Emma Cardinale '24
Allied Health Science Major
Emma joined the Honors Program to be involved in campus events and meet motivated students like herself while also wanting to be a good role model for the school. She always had a passion for science, so when she participated in the Summer Research Program alongside Emily Hancock and Dr. Kai Blaisdell, being able to apply her knowledge in a laboratory setting proved to be very rewarding. She worked with the aphid species Schizaphis graminum over the summer, viewing her research through the lens of climate change and connecting her results to impacts on agriculture, food supply, and economics.
Emma was pleasantly surprised both by her perseverance in her work and by the skills she gained in transferring her research into visuals and presenting her findings in various ways. To Emma, being a researcher over the summer was a big commitment, but it was well worth it, because she not only learned so much about herself, but she was deeply inspired by those around her and made so many great connections along the way.
Sahiba Dogra '24
Biology Major, Data Science Minor
During her time at Saint Mary's, Sahiba was passionate about biomedical research, with hopes to pursue a career in genetics, immunology, or neuroscience. She enjoyed academics, especially when they encourage her to think outside of the box, so she joined the Honors Program to continue to challenge herself throughout her time at SMC. Her first Honors Contract was through the Summer Research Program, working with Dr. Kai Blaisdell on aphid vectors and plant viruses. An exciting result of the research was the discovery of plant viruses such as Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus in the Redwood grove.
In her second Honors Contract, she wrote a paper on the genetics of a rare disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis and the key developments that led to a groundbreaking treatment called Dupilumab. She was honored when her professor nominated her paper for the Spectrum Award and when the paper was chosen as a finalist.
Molly Dreher '24
Psychology Major
A Track and Field athlete for Saint Mary‘s and a Psychology major with Chemistry and WGS minors, Molly was a part of the Honors Program since her first year and loves the resources and connections available to those in the program. Advocacy and community were important aspects of their passions and extracurriculars, and as a D1 athlete, she made a point to involve herself in Title IX work. After helping with Title IX at Saint Mary‘s, they were inspired to join Voice in Sport to make her voice heard.
From 2021 to 2022, Molly led a team that researched, drafted, and presented an amendment to fix systemic issues that hindered Title IX’s efficacy. After meeting with over 30 House and Senate members, they secured two sponsors in Representative Alma Adams and Senator Chris Murphy, and on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Molly and her team announced the bill on Capitol Hill which marked change for equity in athletics. The experience taught Molly how much her voice matters, and has inspired them to continue advocacy in order to bring more equity to medicine in the future.
David Friedman '24
Applied Mathematics Major, Data Science Minor
David was a member of the Honors Program since his first year, originally joining because he found his studies to be relatively easy and thought it would be interesting to engage with like-minded students. He found enjoyment in hosting his own colloquia to share his interests with peers, and Honors also gave him the confidence to participate in Saint Mary's 2023 Summer Research Program. Studying under Dr. Satbir Malhi, he fostered a strong appreciation for using numerical analysis to solve challenging partial differential equations.
This work felt satisfying, and it has also inspired him to want to go to graduate school to get a Doctorate in Applied Mathematics. David hoped to start a career developing tools to make advanced mathematics more accessible and to predict the effects of real-world issues like climate change or the distribution of pollution. He appreciated the resources the Honors Program provided to help build confidence.
Emily Hancock '24
Biology & Music Double-Major
Emily knew once committing to Saint Mary’s that she wanted to participate in two key features of the SMC Experience: the Honors Program and the Summer Research Program. Unifying these two experiences, she added an Honors Contract to her summer research project working on finding safer alternatives to insecticides. In this 10-week program alongside Emma Cardinale and Dr. Kai Blaisdell, Emily worked with aphid pests and the viruses transmitted to barley plants right here on Saint Mary’s campus. Her research showed that Salicylic Acid can be applied topically to the leaves of barley plants both to reduce the amount of aphid feeding and reproduction as well as maximize the plant’s photosynthetic capabilities.
After presenting her experiment in the form of a talk and a poster, Emily was a runner-up for the Joseph P. McKenna Award for the best research project in the program. Her passion for the scientific process reaffirmed, Emily continued to feel called to find new ways of solving big issues that pose a threat to our world.
Chloe Jarrin '24
Health Science Major, Communication Minor
Chloe was a part of the Honors Program since her first year at Saint Mary's and loved the sense of community, diligence, and diversity the program provided. For her third Honors Contract, Chloe conducted in-depth research on intercultural communication in immigrant healthcare. She was passionate and determined to make a difference in healthcare, and this research was the first step. Chloe went on to pursue a master’s degree as a physicians assistant after graduation.
Mary Kyne '24
English & Computer Science Double-Major
A first-gen college student and SMC’s first-ever English and Computer Science double-major, Mary was nominated for the Honors Program her freshman year, and at the end of her junior year, she completed an Honors Contract, optimizing code and improving visualization in the Biochemistry department, which grew her interest in programming and of the possibilities within interdisciplinary research.
Despite the pandemic, she founded The English Underground, a club that promoted community and networking in the English department, and was also President of the Tech Club, which held a collaborative event with Honors that taught students programming. Mary was also a member of GaelSisterhood, La Hermandad, the Rock Climbing Club, the Dean’s Honors List, and was a Lead Adviser at the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum.
Mary’s greatest advice is to get involved on campus; go to as many events as possible, apply for every research opportunity, and attend games, club meetings, and shows, because you’ll be crossing that graduation stage before you know it!
Madeline Martinez '24
Politics Major, Data Science Minor
From the very start, Madeline found the Honors Program to be an excellent opportunity for personal and academic growth. Not only did she have the chance to meet new people, but she also had got to learn about an array of interesting topics through colloquia. Through interning in the House of Representatives in Washington D.C., she gained priceless insight into the legislative process and the opportunity to meet an array of noteworthy forces inside and outside the political sphere. Through her internship in her California congressional office, Madeline worked on multiple legislative projects relating to natural resources and labor. To share more about how she found this great internship, she hosted her own Honors Colloquium: Life on Capitol Hill!
Kira Minaise '24
Business Administration Major
Having gotten a glowing recommendation by her older sister to join, Kira enrolled in the Honors Program for an extra challenge in college. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Kira was pleasantly surprised by the close-knit and welcoming community in the Honors Program.
Extremely integrated in school extracurriculars, being the marketing officer for Gael Women and Business, working for the RHA, applying to be an RA, and on the executive team for the Middle Eastern Cultural Night, Kira also decided to take on an extra project to further enrich her academic experience. With the help of her business-comm professor Jake Cowan, she was able to find popular movies throughout various decades in history, and analyze the treatment of women in the workplace within a movie review she wrote for each film. Posting her reviews on Letterboxd, she would then discuss each film with her professor in an effort to debrief and fully comprehend the progression of how women were treated in the workplace.
Cassandra Paes '24
Psychology Major
In an fascinating essay about jury selection in connection to racial injustice, Cassandra worked with her forensic psychology professor, Hiroko Nakano, to study several cases where the defendant was a person of color, and yet the jury of their peers was all white. Coming up with the idea as she flipped through the pages of her syllabus, she was drawn to this topic of justice, or lack thereof, and decided that she wanted to learn more about it. While balancing her job at the Stem Center on campus, as well as her participation in Psychology Club, Cassandra managed her time well, and for her Honors Contract wrote an in-depth analysis of cases and trials on the subject of jury selection.
Demetri Papageorge '24
Politics Major, Economics & Law/Society Double-Minor
Demetri was an Honors student and a member of the Honors Student Commission, who also served as the President of the Macken Speech & Debate Club, Showing Up for Racial Justice, and the Fishing Club. He also worked as a research desk worker at the Library and was the Resident Advisor for the Honors Program Living Learning Community in Aquinas Hall.
Bella Rawlings '24
Biology Major
Bella ventured far from her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, to pursue her academic journey in California. With a fervent passion for genetics and a vision to become a genetic counselor for cancer patients, Bella's journey was marked by both academic accomplishments and a deeply personal connection to her chosen field. For two summers, Bella worked at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Dr. Webby's Infectious Disease lab, contributing to groundbreaking research on the influenza virus. In addition to her academic and research achievements, Bella's decision to join the Honors Program was underscored by her unique journey as a student far from home.
Embracing the challenges of attending school in California, Bella recognized the Honors Program as more than an academic enrichment opportunity. It served as a supportive community, providing her with a network of like-minded peers and faculty who shared her commitment to excellence
Isabella Ruiz '24
History Major, Public History Minor
Originally from Fresno, CA, Izzy was in the Honors Program since her first year. A very active member of the Saint Mary's community, she was involved in sports band, La Hermandad, and Pride Club, and worked in the Admissions Office as a Student Ambassador for over three years. She truly loved that she was able to represent her school in such a positive way and she loved that the Honors Program allowed her to research topics that she was passionate about, then present it to her fellow classmates and colleagues.
Her first Honors Contract involved collecting oral histories of students on campus and her last Contract involved creating a blog on fandom spaces and how these spaces address the ideas of feminism. She enjoyed meeting all of the wonderful people in the Honors Program and making lifelong friends at SMC. After graduation, Izzy planned to pursue a master's degree in Library Science and eventually work at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
Emily Dratva '25
Integral Major, Dance Minor
During her time at Saint Mary's, Emily served on the Honors Student Commission for three years, including as Executive Commissioner for her junior and senior year. She had always wanted to serve on the Commission since the beginning of her Saint Mary’s journey, as she believed the Honors Program was the ideal option for students who wanted to further deepen their education.
As a sophomore on the Events Commission, she loved being able to plan her own fundraisers, as well as social and service events, and as the Executive Commissioner, she was able to oversee the functions and status of the Commission as a whole. After graduation, she planned to have a long career as an attorney starting as a litigator in civil law field, such as corporate or business law.
Marie-Claire Erable-Rodrigues '25
French & Art Practice Double-Major, Art History Minor
Joining the Honors Program her Sophomore year, Marie-Claire majored in both French and Art Practice and minored in Art History. Working primarily through acrylics, printmaking, and mixed media, her creative process involved finding unconventional uses for these mediums as well as exploring their physical properties. The cyclical themes of genealogy, transmission, and erasure were the subjects of many of her works, which were on display in the Senior Art Capstone show.
After graduation, Marie-Claire planned to take part in the TAPIF Program where she would work as a Teaching Assistant in France while simultaneously developing her artistic practice.
Johnathan Ly '25
Biology Major, Chemistry Minor
Johnathan joined the Honors Program in his freshman year to be challenged to become more involved in campus activities and to advance his academic efforts. His first Honors Contract was on conducting research on frustrated Lewis pairs for Dr. Elizabeth Valentin as part of the 2023 Summer Research Program. The project focused on using microwave energy to make the reaction much more efficient in terms of yield, time, and energy while also providing data to better characterize the relatively newly discovered applications of frustrated Lewis pairs. This work awarded him “Runner Up” for the year’s Joseph P. McKenna Science Medal.
On a normal week during the academic year, Johnathan was a stickler about attending every class, conducting research for Dr. Valentin's lab, and working as an EMT on the weekends. In his free time, he loved to read, spend time with friends, and go on hikes to explore the wonderful terrain behind campus.
Rianne Misquita '25
Psychology Major, Business Administration Minor
A Psychology major (Clinical/Counseling) and Business Administration minor, Rianne completed her studies in three years after joining the Honors Program at the start of her first year to be challenged and meet people who were also academically driven. She participated in the Summer Research Program, working with Dr. McCauley on “Supporting Autistic Children and Parents in Bay Area schools,” where she surveyed nearly 200 parents, interviewing almost 20 about their experiences with their child’s education in the Bay Area and presenting her research at the Bay Area Annual Consortium at Stanford Research Park as the only undergraduate speaker.
Rianne also received the Psychology Department's Frederick Whelan Award for her outstanding scholastic record as a psychology major, and made lasting connections with Psychology faculty and peers, facilitated a support group for neurodivergent students at SMC, served as the first student volunteer at SMC CAPS, and founded internship positions for future psychology students.
Amaya Simoni-Walters '25
Biology Major
A D1 Women’s Soccer athlete, Amaya was passionate about ecology and evolutionary biology research, planning for a career in wildlife conservation genetics with a concentration in infectious disease or neuroscience. As the President of the Native American and Indigenous Student Association, Amaya worked with her executive team to bring awareness to Indigenous experiences and make room for their voices on campus.
Amaya was also a part of the Honors Program since her first year, and for her first Honors Contract, as part of her Human Sexualities psychology class with Dr. Fieto, she wrote and illustrated a children’s book about the daily life of a young girl with two moms, hoping the book could create more opportunities for children to encounter LGBTQIA+ concepts earlier in life.
In her second contract, she attempted to create a working model of an atypical Shewanella Oneidensis glycine riboswitch in an independent study with Dr. Ruff. Amaya urges students to take advantage of the small community at SMC and to forge relationships with professors and classmates.
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Alumni Testimonials
Honors Program Alumni Association
Current Honors Program participants are welcome to join the Saint Mary's Honors Alumni Association after graduation. The goal of the Honors Program Alumni Association is to:
- Give students in the Honors Program the chance to interact with those who have come before them
- Assist alums in reconnecting with and networking with other Honors Program alums
- Update alumni about Saint Mary's Honors Program, and its students
- Promote directed alumni giving
- Involve alumni in initiatives to strengthen the Honors Program mentoring