Student Achievements Recognized at Saint Leo’s 2026 Celebration of Academic Excellence

Saint Leo University honored student achievement during its annual Celebration of Academic Excellence, sponsored by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, on Thursday, April 2.

The “Day of Academic Excellence” was a campuswide celebration of academic and artistic talent. Undergraduate students presented original research through oral presentations and poster sessions across disciplines. The event also featured live performances by student musicians, as well as art displays.

“This is a day to celebrate the student who has a research project worth discussing, or participated in an exciting internship, or has written a play or short story worth telling, or offered a musical performance worth hearing, or has painted or photographed something that merits being seen,” said Dr. Brian DePoy, university provost and vice president of academic affairs. “It is also a time to thank our faculty for sharing their expertise with students so they can achieve their potential.” 

Faculty panels judged presentations in Kirk Hall, TECO Hall in the Tapia College of Business, and the Fine Arts building. Classes at University Campus were modified for Academic Excellence Day, focusing the afternoon on the showcase of undergraduate work.

The day’s activities culminated in an awards ceremony and reception held in the Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms at the Student Community Center. In addition to recognizing top presentations from the day’s events, the university honored the highest-achieving students from each of its four colleges, the student club or organization with the highest GPA, and the 2026 Clara McDonald Olson Scholastic Award recipient. Click here to view photos of the award ceremony.

List of 2026 award recipients:

COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES, AND ALLIED SERVICES                      

• Excellence in Academic Leadership Award: Emily Shute, presented by Dr. Austin Trantham
• Excellence in Scholarship Award: Erin Johnson, presented by Dr. Marco Riminelli
• Excellence in Experiential Learning: Caroline Magill, presented by Dr. Cheryl Berry
• Dean’s Award for Excellence: Carter Craig, presented by Dr. Heather Parker

DONALD R. TAPIA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 

• Excellence in Academic Leadership Award: Tajma Muharemovic, presented by Dr. Tonya Mazur
• Excellence in Scholarship Award: Jana Nuss, presented by Dr. Tonya Mazur
• Excellence in Experiential Learning: Anna Intagliata, presented by Dr. Rita Ray
• Dean’s Award for Excellence: Anna Intagliata, presented by Dr. Passard Dean

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ROBOTICS, AND DATA SCIENCE

• Excellence in Academic Leadership Award: Courtney Deese, presented by Stephen Alt
• Excellence in Scholarship Award: David Patino, presented by Dr. Edward Santiago
• Excellence in Experiential Learning: Azarel Labrador, presented by Dr. Van Nguyen
• Dean’s Award for Excellence: Daniel Cobb, presented by Dr. Vyas Krishnan

COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS         

• Excellence in Academic Leadership Award: Kristina Siwak, presented by Dr. Kathleen Van Eerden
• Dean’s Award for Excellence: Sarai Rodriguez, presented by Dr. Kathleen Van Eerden

ORAL PRESENTATION AWARDS

• Oral Presentation Award Recipient: Carter Craig, “From Venom to Therapeutics: a Drug Discovery Journey Guided by AI and Lab Research”
• Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sergiy Borysov
• Runners Up: Jana Nuss, “Using HR Analytics to Strengthen Hiring, Onboarding, and Employee Retention”; Amanda Wetherington, “Spiritual Maternity”; and Sophia Michelangelo, “The Importance of Screening for CCI in Mental Health Practice”

POSTER AWARDS 

• Poster Presentation Award Recipient: Marissa Retzlaff, “Herbicide and Shade Treatment of Cogon Grass (Imperata Cylindrica as an Aid to Restore Ecosystems”)
• Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christoper Miller
• Runners Up: Tamar Olquin, “Workplace Attitudes Toward U.S. Educated Immigrants”; Caroline MaGill, “Seeds of Grace: Nourishing the Mind, Body, and Spirit through Botanical Research”; Michael Tracey Jr., Taliyah Cooper, Karissa Sanchez, Briana Pratt, Cindy Cadichon, Madison Gunn, “The Center of the TootsiePop: Unwrapping the Secrets to Fighting mycobacterium Tuberculosis”

OTHER AWARDS

• Club Organization with Highest GPA: Sigma Iota Rho, presented by Curtis Burton, vice president of student affairs
• Clara McDonald Olson Scholastic Excellence Award: Sophia Michelangelo, presented by Dr. Bryan DePoy, provost and vice president of academic affairs