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2020 Selection Committee

Rondre AshfordResidential Education Office

Stephanie Dathe Associated Students

Dr. Martha Enciso Division of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement

Lanie Lockwood College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

Dr. Reynaldo MonzonResearch and Assessment

Lakeisha NacosteFormer Quest for the Best Vice Presidential Student Service Award Winner

WELCOME to the 34th annual Quest for the Best Vice Presidential Student Service Award ceremony celebrating

the accomplishments of our top students.

This year we honor 10 outstanding individuals who exemplify the values and mission of San Diego State University. These students are being recognized for their academic excellence, community service, and campus leadership and involvement.

Each student winner has nominated a faculty or staff member who has made the most significant contribution to their personal growth. We honor these faculty and staff winners for their positive influence and mentorship in the lives of these students.

We are happy to celebrate your accomplishments together. We know that your support has inspired these students to discover and develop their own personal quests while at San Diego State University.

We express sincere appreciation to Pepsi, whose sponsorship makes tonight’s event possible.

Sincerely,

Christy SamarkosInterim Vice President for Student Affairs

T he educational mission is more

than a certification of degrees; it is

a series of quests. It is a quest for

knowledge about our present world,

its past, and its possible future. It is an

internal quest to discover and develop

the potential within each person. It

is a quest to serve and improve the

community outside the university and

to further human understanding and

the qualities of leadership.

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CHRISTIAN HOLTSenior, Kinesiology with an emphasis in Pre-Physical Therapy

Involvement » Afrikan Student Union » Associated Students Board of Directors » Campus Fee Advisory Committee » Residential Education Office

• Black Affinity Group• Resident Assistant

» Student Activities and Safety Task Force

Volunteer & Community Service » Hope for San Diego » Miracle League » Tijuana Home Build

Honors & Awards » California’s Masonic Scholarship » Dean’s List » Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Berkley Alumni

Chapter Scholarship

Post-Graduation Plans:Attend medical school and become a pediatrician

Faculty/Staff Honoree Anwar CruterResidential Education Office

TALIA KIEUSenior, Public Health, minors in Women’s Studies and LGBTQ+ Studies

Involvement » Flying Samaritans of SDSU » Gamma Rho Lambda » Planned Parenthood Generation Action » Research Assistant » Women’s Club Water Polo

Volunteer & Community Service » Advocates for Youth » Planned Parenthood

Honors & Awards » Collegiate Water Polo Association Scholar

Athlete Award » Global Affairs Study Abroad Scholarship » Initiative for Maximizing Student Development » Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholarship » SDSU Student Research Symposium

President’s Award

Post-Graduation Plans:Pursue a Ph.D. in Health Behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Faculty/Staff Honoree Dr. Jerel CalzoSchool of Public Health

BRANDON LIMSenior, Psychology & Journalism with an emphasis in Media Studies, minor in Sociology

Involvement » Asian Pacific Student Alliance » Mortar Board Honor Society » Professional Studies and Fine Arts

College Council » SDSU Writing Center

Volunteer & Community Service » Asian American Psychology Association » Feed-In for the Homeless » Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana

Honors & Awards » Avocado200 Club Bowling Scholarship » Outstanding Scholar Award » Professional Studies and Fine Arts

College Council• Outstanding Representative• Outstanding Student Advocate

Post-Graduation Plans:Pursue a Master’s in Student Affairs or Psychology in order to continue serving students in higher education

Faculty/Staff Honoree Dr. Kimberly NishiCounseling & Psychological Services

DUSTIN ADKINSSenior, Sociology and Economics with an emphasis in Public Policy

Involvement » Alpha Kappa Psi » Associated Students Board of Directors » Food Recovery Network » Rotaract of SDSU

Volunteer & Community Service » Associated Students Food Pantry » Aztecs Rock Hunger » Miracle League

Honors & Awards » Associated Students Commendation » California Student Aid Commission » Daniel B. Nowak Outstanding Student

Service Award » Johnson Fourth Year Continuing

Education Award

Post-Graduation Plans:Begin a career in basic needs work, especially related to policy

Faculty/Staff HonoreeDr. Andrea DooleyOffice of the Vice President for Student Affairs

TIA ABUSHAMSenior, Double majoring in Biology and Philosophy

Involvement » College of Sciences

• Diversity Council• Student Council• Student Success Center

» Commuter Life » Middle Eastern Student Union » Mortar Board Honor Society

Volunteer & Community Service » Alvarado Hospital and Medical Center » Scripps Mercy Hospital

» SDSU Adaptive Fitness Clinic

Honors & Awards » Adrian Gonzalez Scholarship » Phi Eta Sigma

» Phi Kappa Phi

Post-Graduation Plans:Pursue a Master’s in Philosophy before applying to medical school

Faculty/Staff HonoreeOmar BazaStudent Life & Leadership

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NAOMI MOORESenior, International Security and Conflict Resolution

Involvement » Associated Students External Relations Board » College Democrats » Counterterrorism Group » Model United Nations » Olive Tree Initiative » Shake Smart

Volunteer & Community Service » International Rescue Committee » The United Nations Association

Honors & Awards » Critical Language Scholarship » Dean’s List » Diversity Awareness Certificate » Phi Kappa Beta » Students for a New American Politics

Fellowship

Post-Graduation Plans:Apply for a Fulbright grant as an English teaching assistant or apply for a Master’s in Terrorism Studies

Faculty/Staff Honoree Dr. Cheryl O’BrienPolitical Science

CITLAYI VILLASEÑORSenior, Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, minors in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies and Cellular & Molecular Biology

Involvement » American Chemical Society » Mathematics, Engineering, Science,

Achievement Program » Society for Advancement of Chicanx/Hispanics &

Native Americans in STEM (SACNAS)

Volunteer & Community Service » Ocean Discovery Institute » Pre-College Institute STEM Exploration » RiverBlitz San Diego River Park Foundation

Honors & Awards » CSU-LSAMP at SDSU PROUD Award for

Outstanding Service and Leadership » Doris A. Howell Foundation CSUPERB

Research Scholar » NIH Maximizing Access to Research Careers

(MARC) Scholar

Post-Graduation Plans:Attend Northwestern University to research biochemical neurobiology

Faculty/Staff HonoreeThelma ChavezCollege of Sciences

MARIA VOSS Junior, International Security and Conflict Resolution with an Emphasis in Environment and Security, minor in Arabic and Islamic Studies

Involvement » National Residence Hall Honorary » Peace Corps Prep Program » Residential Education Office » Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team

Volunteer & Community Service » American Friends Service Committee » Greenlove » San Diego Surfrider Beach Cleanups

Honors & Awards » Mundt Peace Scholarship » National Residence Hall Honorary Program of

the Month » University Police Student Employee of the

Month

Post-Graduation Plans:Join the Peace Corps before pursuing a Master’s in International Relations

Faculty/Staff HonoreeDr. Cheryl O’BrienPolitical Science

JULIA MOLUFSenior, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, minor in Psychology of Personality

Involvement » Best Buddies » ChiLD3 Language Lab » Residential Education Office » Rotaract of SDSU

Volunteer & Community Service » Best Buddies Brews » Camp Able at Coronado » Make-A-Wish San Diego

Honors & Awards » Associated Students Study Abroad Recipient » Best Buddies California Student of the Year » Rising Star Scholarship » Scripps Hospital Martin Luther King, Jr.

Scholarship

Post-Graduation Plans: Begin a career in the nonprofit sector

Faculty/Staff HonoreeDr. Sonja Pruitt-LordCollege of Health and Human Services

GABRIELLA MEDINAJunior, Sustainability, minor in Political Science

Involvement » CHESC Attendee-Representative of SDSU » Climate Action Committee » Enviro-Business Society » Greenlove » Residential Education Office Hall Council

» Sustainable Day Planning Committee

Volunteer & Community Service » Feeding San Diego » I Love A Clean San Diego Coastal Clean Up » Oceans 2 Earth Foundation

Honors & Awards » Certification of International Volunteering » Dean’s List

Post-Graduation Plans:Move to Australia to do coral reef surveying and work in a sea turtle rehabilitation center

Faculty/Staff Honoree Lori StewartReligious Studies

CongratulationsSan Diego State University Quest for the Best Vice Presidential Student Service Award winners!

The Pepsi Bottling Group of San Diego is aproud sponsor of the Quest for the Best Vice Presidential Student Service Award

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