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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nKim, a third-year student majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology with minors in chemistry and music performance, was sitting next to her thesis mentor, Dr. Kathy Magnusson, at a conference when she received news of her selection. \u201cIt was really sweet to share that moment with her,\u201d Kim reflects. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing group of individuals who have received this award, and I feel very appreciative and honored to be included. But it\u2019s not just me who’s being recognized,\u201d she adds. \u201cI think a lot of the recognition is for my mentor\u2026 so I view it as sort of a joint award. It is a team kind of thing that really validates how much I value her.\u201d\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Magnusson is a professor of neuroscience and a principal investigator in the Linus Pauling Institute. Kim is currently conducting her thesis in Magnusson\u2019s lab, researching receptor targets implicated in dementia-related neurodegeneration. With a pre-medicine option and a Medical Humanities certificate, Kim is drawn to this project because she \u201ccan see its application. American medicine is very reactionary,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m interested in seeing how that could change. Working in the Magnusson lab is helping me see how a more preventative approach could work.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kim also credits her experiences in the lab and within the Honors College community with fostering supportive relationships that model positive team and leadership dynamics, which she strives to emulate in her roles as a general biology learning assistant, ASOSU Senator and president of the OSU Biochemistry Club. \u201cThe Honors College advisors and administrative staff are so welcoming and approachable,\u201d she shares. Kim voices appreciation for her mentor\u2019s example as well: \u201cDr. Magnusson shows up for me and other lab members in the best way possible.\u201d Ultimately, she says, \u201cI try to model that in every relationship and community I\u2019m a part of.\u201d\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kim conveys gratitude for the interdisciplinary, exploration-oriented community she discovered in the Honors College as a first-year student. \u201cHigh school was so regimented. There was only one main way to demonstrate that you\u2019re excited about learning. Coming into OSU, I was happy to discover that the Honors College offers a supportive environment, where it is safe to try things and make mistakes.\u201d Kim highlighted the honors biology course she took with Dr. Nathan Kirk as an example. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t just one right answer,\u201d she explains. \u201cThat class re-sparked my curiosity and taught me to embrace uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRunner up Nyssa Engebo, a fourth-year bioengineering student, shares the desire to create a positive impact in healthcare using the skills she\u2019s developed in the Honors College and at OSU. \u201cAfter graduating, I want to enter the pharmaceutical industry and work as a process engineer,\u201d she shares. \u201cI hope to make medication affordable and accessible for everyone.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engebo\u2019s passion for science and engineering intersects with her artistic interests in her honors thesis: a children\u2019s book highlighting unique scientific facts or inventions from each of the 50 states, written and illustrated by Engebo. \u201cI attend family science nights weekly,\u201d she says. \u201cI was inspired to make this project after reflecting on how important K-12 outreach was for me in deciding my path. On a trip to Phoenix, I spent an afternoon visiting the botanical gardens and was fascinated by saguaro cactuses. I spent the flight home researching them. I realized that moments like these could be significant in a kid\u2019s life and that every state has something unique to offer.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engebo was nominated by her thesis mentor, Dr. Skip Rochefort, a professor in the school of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering (CBEE). Engebo is deeply involved in the school, serving as current president of the CBEE Student Club, and she has worked in Rochefort\u2019s lab since her freshman year. Her campus involvement also includes the Society of Women Engineers and her role as an HC student ambassador. \u201cI\u2019ve been an ambassador since my second year, and it\u2019s been one of my favorite experiences in the Honors College,\u201d Engebo reflects. \u201cIt\u2019s been really cool to talk to incoming students about why I love OSU, as well as get to know the Honors College staff.\u201d\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When she found out she had been selected as a runner-up for this scholarship, Engebo says she was \u201creally excited.\u201d She says, \u201cI am incredibly grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I have been afforded in my time here. I\u2019m very proud of what I have been able to accomplish, and that never would have happened without the Honors College.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMohnish Judge reports feeling \u201cvery surprised and incredibly grateful\u201d upon learning of his selection as a runner up for this year\u2019s award. \u201cSeeing the amazing work that many of my peers in the Honors College engage in, this recognition encourages me to continue with my own work knowing that it provides at least a little bit of value to the people around me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judge\u2019s on-campus and community work during his time in the Honors College has been diverse. A third-year economics major with a religious studies minor and a Language in Culture certificate, Judge created and currently serves as president of the Himalayan Student Association and as co-president of the Pre-Law Society. In past years, Judge has worked as a peer advisor for LING 201 and engaged in efforts to provide low-income housing and services in Corvallis.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judge was nominated by his thesis mentor, Dr. Adam Schwarz, a professor in the School of Language, Culture and Society. \u201cI became interested in linguistics as a field of study when I was introduced to it during my first year at OSU,\u201d Judge conveys. \u201cHoping to conduct research oriented around my identity as a Tibetan-Indian-American, Tibetan honorifics presented itself as a conceptually rich research topic.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Entitled \u201cThukpa, Zhela, and Shesa: A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Tibetan Honorifics,\u201d Judge\u2019s thesis \u201cexplores the mutual constitution between language, thought and culture within the context of Tibetan honorifics. I plan to share this project within Tibetan diaspora communities,\u201d he notes, \u201caiming to contribute to discourse surrounding colonialism, diaspora studies and cultural preservation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After graduating this spring, Judge is excited to conduct linguistic research in India on a Fulbright grant. \u201cI plan to use this as an opportunity to continue my study of the Tibetan language,\u201d he shares. \u201cBeyond that, although I\u2019m leaning towards law as a potential career path, I\u2019m also interested in public policy, political advocacy and of course, linguistics.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judge describes his thesis research as having been the most rewarding aspect of his Honors College experience. \u201cThe Honors College provided me with flexibility and support, allowing me to pursue what was most meaningful to me in a way that fostered my energy, curiosity and interests.\u201d He also expresses appreciation for the \u201cstrong sense of community\u201d he\u2019s found here: \u201cWhether it be through events, connections I\u2019ve made in the classroom or the work I\u2019ve engaged in with my thesis,\u201d Judge affirms, \u201cI\u2019ve felt like part of a larger collective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRunner up Anna Nielsen also values the Honors College community and gives back to it as president of the Honors College Student Association (HCSA), a group responsible for \u201cplanning more than 15 service, enrichment and academic events each term for the OSU Honors College.\u201d Nielsen\u2019s leadership involvement extends beyond the Honors College into general chemistry and general physics classrooms, where she works as a learning assistant. \u201cI love the opportunity to build connections with students and further my own foundational knowledge!\u201d she shares. Nielsen also volunteers at Community Outreach Inc., a local non-profit, as a clinic coordinator and translator. \u201cIn these roles,\u201d she explains, \u201cI work as part of a team to coordinate care for underserved patients.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nielsen is also engaged in on-campus research. \u201cAs part of OSU\u2019s Electrophysiology Facility, I work under Dr. Kenton Hokanson conducting whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology to study the behavior of neurons,\u201d Nielsen says. For her thesis, she specifically aims to \u201ccharacterize the electrical activity of individual neurons from the hypothalamus of the brain.\u201d Hokanson, a microbiology instructor and advisor and the Director for the Electrophysiology Facility, is Nielsen\u2019s thesis mentor and nominated her for this award. \u201cLearning electrophysiology in the Hokanson lab has been the most fun and rewarding experience during my time at OSU!\u201d Nielsen says. \u201cThe process of asking questions, diving into neuroscience literature and then observing first-hand the results of our research has been unbelievably exciting. Shout out to my incredible lab!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nielsen\u2019s academic and community engagement complements her classroom learning, as she pursues majors in biology and Spanish as well as a minor in biochemistry. Currently a junior, Nielsen plans to further her research journey during and beyond her remaining time in school. Post-graduation, she intends to pursue a graduate degree in neuroscience and medicine. \u201cI also am excited to adventure out in the world and explore my community,\u201d Nielsen adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To Nielsen, this scholarship \u201cmeans a lot! I was grateful, surprised and excited to receive this award,\u201d she reports. \u201cI\u2019m honored to be recognized for my achievements alongside the other nominees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nRunner up Sophia Fischer is a fourth-year student majoring in psychology with minors in Spanish and organizational leadership. \u201cI was really excited to learn that I had been selected as a runner up for the Hendricks Scholarship,\u201d she reports. \u201cI feel really grateful.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fischer first became involved in the Honors College in 2021, when she participated in the Honors College Center for the Humanities Summer Internship. \u201cI worked with Dr. Joel Zapata and conducted interviews with Latine social justice leaders for his project Latina\/o\/x Social Justice en Oreg\u00f3n,\u201d Fischer shares. She describes her experience in the Honors College since then as having been \u201creally enjoyable, due to the added support and resources the Honors College provides.\u201d In particular, Fischer has found smaller honors class sizes to be the most rewarding aspect of being in the HC, \u201cas it allows me to better know the other students and have invigorating conversations. The HC seminar courses also present topics that I never would have learned about otherwise,\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fischer is also active in two psychology research labs on campus: the Disability and Social Interaction Lab (DSIL), directed by Dr. Kathleen Bogart, and the Perception, Cognition and Performance (PCP) Lab, directed by Dr. Jason McCarley. Fischer received a nomination from McCarley, as well as from her thesis mentor, Dr. Regan Gurung, another professor in the School of Psychological Science. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fischer defended her thesis exploring the stress and quality of life experienced by working college students in winter, 2024. \u201cAs a student employee myself, I was really interested in looking at the stress and quality of life of individuals who have to balance school, work and learning to live on their own,\u201d she explains.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe most rewarding aspect of my thesis was being able to defend it in front of my mentors and friends and prove to myself that I could conduct an entire research project. Although the day of the defense was stressful, I was proud of the work I had done and was excited to share it with everyone who had supported me throughout the entire process.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following her graduation this spring, Fischer is looking forward to pursuing a Ph.D. in industrial\/organizational psychology at the University of Oklahoma.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nColin Lindquist says he was \u201cincredibly pumped to hear” he had been selected as a runner up. \u201cBeing nominated was a huge honor in itself. As a hard-core academic underachiever in high school,\u201d he jokes, \u201can award like this means a great deal to me. It has been a nice reminder to reflect on the opportunities passed to me by countless individuals. Thank you!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of the opportunities that have shaped Lindquist\u2019s community engagement during his four years at OSU involve addressing the mental health needs of student athletes. A participant on the OSU men\u2019s rowing team, Lindquist has been an active member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since his freshman year, primarily serving as a co-chair of the Mental Health Committee following its creation within SAAC in 2022.\u202f \u201cI have worked alongside the other co-chairs to help athletics staff with the revision\/improvement of mental health resources and, most recently, in the development of a student athlete mentorship program aimed at reducing substance misuse,\u201d Lindquist explains.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outside of his role in the SAAC, Lindquist has attended events with OSU Athletics and Oregon Special Olympics, worked on wetland restoration with teammates and the Sustainability Coalition and engaged in educational outreach regarding mental health topics at a local middle school.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a senior biohealth sciences major with a minor in psychology, Lindquist is nearing completion of his thesis, which also addresses disparities and misconceptions surrounding innovative therapeutics for mental illnesses. \u201cMy thesis focuses on some of the inconsistencies in our understanding of psilocybin as it relates to clinical research, state models (specifically Oregon Psilocybin Services) and application within hospice and palliative care. I hope to clarify and identify these gaps to help professionals within related disciplines address some of the limitations in accessibility. Hopefully, in the future I will be able to continue my work within this area.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lindquist was drawn to this topic by \u201cglaring gaps between the populations benefiting from psilocybin within research studies \u2014 individuals with terminal diagnoses \u2014 and the individuals without severe diseases who are actually able to access these services in Oregon.\u201d He is completing his thesis under the mentorship of Dr. Amy Koehlinger, who nominated Lindquist for this award. Koehlinger is an associate professor in history and philosophy and religious studies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lindquist appreciates the Honors College for having \u201cnudged\u201d him towards \u201ccompleting a thesis that could have real-world application.\u201d He adds, \u201cthere is nothing more satisfying than seeing how my work and effort are making a positive impact.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond his thesis, Lindquist values both the courses and the people he has encountered within the Honors College for challenging him to expand his \u201cown limited perspective\u201d and exposing him to \u201cincredibly interesting topics.\u201d In particular, Lindquist credits honors courses with sparking his interest in sustainable agriculture and fisheries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After finishing his thesis, Lindquist looks forward to spending time with family and friends in Alaska and celebrating his grandmother\u2019s birthday with a trip to the San Juan Islands. In general, Lindquist\u2019s main goals include \u201clearning as many interesting facts and concepts as I can, having a nice garden full of worms, building a house \u2013 preferably a cozy cabin with rough sanded beams and nice fireplace \u2013 and helping to leave a positive impact on the communities I inhabit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLindsay Beaman, a fourth-year psychology major with a pre-medical option, chemistry minor and medical humanities certificate, is similarly oriented toward growth and community engagement. \u201cI believe that our communities hold a wealth of knowledge,\u201d Beaman shares, \u201cand the opportunity to work alongside others to combat racism and prevent gender-based violence has allowed me to build my own skills and perspectives while being a part of something greater.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beaman\u2019s collaborative efforts to promote equity bridge the realms of research and advocacy. \u201cI work in the Applied Social Cognition Lab with an emphasis on racism in healthcare and intersectional prejudice against women,\u201d she tells. \u201cI also work in the B.E.A.V.E.R.S. Lab, assisting with research on how commonly used drugs impact affective and emotional responses to stressors. In the broader OSU community, I work with the Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Education (CAPE) to advance gender-based violence prevention and reproductive justice initiatives on campus. I also serve on the Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB), where I advocate for student health and wellness action at OSU.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beaman\u2019s violence prevention work led to the development of her honors thesis, which \u201cfocuses on the impact of racial microaggressions in healthcare in relation to their implications for equitable healthcare and undergraduate education. The idea of building a community free from violence and discrimination has always deeply resonated with me,\u201d she says. \u201cAs I became more involved in prevention work, I saw how interconnected these issues are with health equity, exploitation and anti-oppression issues. Simultaneously, I noticed a discrepancy between the education and conversations about oppression, equity and racism in my psychology courses versus those for my premedical option. Recognizing the prevalence of racism in medicine, I became curious about how we might proactively address these issues before students enter medical school. Moreover, I believe that meaningful change centers around the lived experiences of the people and communities impacted by oppression. There is a concerning lack of research that centers the experiences of people of color regarding microaggressions in healthcare.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beaman\u2019s thesis combines quantitative data from psychological studies with qualitative information from \u201cinterviews with Black folks about their lived experiences with racial microaggressions.\u201d For the quantitative portion, Beaman worked with her thesis mentor, Dr. Regan Gurung, and his team to \u201cgauge student perceptions of physicians who perpetrate racial microaggressions against Black and Indigenous patients, as well as associations between student major and perceptions of microaggressions.\u201d With the latter portion complete, Beaman is defending her thesis this spring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gurung nominated Beaman for the award (of which she was also the overall winner in 2023). \u201cHis nomination means so much to me, particularly thinking about the ways he has supported me through my academic journey,\u201d Beaman says. \u201cI have immense feelings of gratitude for my faculty mentors.\u201d She also feels that \u201cbeing named a runner up for this award is a testament to the value in my interests and ambitions. It sends the message that OSU recognizes the importance of prevention work and equity, which is a powerful message to our community.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beaman thanks the Honors College for being \u201ca pillar of support in my research, helping me balance multiple opportunities and present at several regional conferences. My experience with the Honors College has been endlessly supportive,\u201d she adds. \u201cFrom my peers to the faculty to the administration, every step of the way I feel that my growth has been prioritized.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After graduating this spring, Beaman is excited to \u201creturn to the Mayo Clinic as a post-bacc to continue my bioethics research journey. I will be doing research on the ethics of organ donation, fostering equity within donor and recipient selection and the implications of using AI as a part of this process.\u201d Further down the road, Beaman is \u201clooking forward to beginning my\u202fjourney through medical school so I can bring the perspectives I\u2019ve gained in community activism to my medical education and practice. Ultimately,\u201d she affirms, \u201cI want to be a proactive agent for health justice and bioethics through research and medicine.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Congratulations to all recipients!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Ana Tracy, Honors College student writer<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Honors College is pleased to announce that Kaitlyn Kim has been named the recipient of the 2024 Joe Hendricks Honors College Scholarship for Academic Excellence. Nyssa Engebo, Mohnish Judge, Anna Nielsen, Sophia Fischer, Colin Lindquist and Lindsay Beaman have been named runners-up for this prestigious annual award.\u202f Established in honor of Joe Hendricks, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14004,"featured_media":9278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1395124,1049126,1048851,1306],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hc-student-spotlights","category-homefeature","category-homestories","category-student"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14004"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9276"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9297,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9276\/revisions\/9297"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/honorslink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}