Dr. Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-American woman to fly in space. She was selected for a second flight in 2000 and tragically died in the 2003 Columbia disaster. She logged 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space.
Dr. Severo Ochoa was born in Spain in 1905 and naturalized to the United States in 1956. Four years later, in 1959, He received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work with Dr. Marianne Grunberg-Manago in discovering an enzyme that builds RNA and DNA.
The 2024 Chawla-Ochoa Academic Achievement Award recipients along with their majors, minors, and a small highlight of their involvement on campus. Congratulations to all our awardees!
Major: Architectural Studies with a minor in French
African Student Association: General body member (Spring 2021-Spring 2022) | E-boad member (Director of advertisement and relations) (Fall 2022-Spring 2024) |Muslim Student Association: General body member (Spring 2021-Fall 2022); Vice President (Fall 2022-Spring 2023); President (Fall 2023-Spring 2024) | Hi-Fashions member (Fall 2022-Spring 2023) | Senior Week Volunteer (Spring 2023) | Women Track and Field sprinter (Spring 2023) | BOLD women leader scholar (Fall 2022-Spring 2024) | IC Philanthropy Award (2020-2024) | PRW award winner (Spring 2023) | Trivia-Alpha Honor Society (Spring 2023) | Project For Peace '23 Grant recipient (Spring 2023) | C-Step/LSAMP scholar (Fall 2023-Spring 2024) | Handwerker Gallery (Spring 2022 - Spring 2024) | Alumni Hall phonathon (Spring 2023) | Architecture Studio TA (Fall 2023) | ICare Case Manager Intern (Fall 2023-Spring 2024) | LSAMP regional symposium presenter (Fall 2023) | C-Step conference presenter (Fall 2023)
Major: Cinema Production and Screen Cultures
Ithaca College Leadership Scholar (2020 - Present) | Anthony Ceracche Scholarship (2023-2024) | Peggy Ryan Williams Award for Academic and Community Leadership (Spring 2023) | ACP Experimental Cinema Teaching Assistant (Fall 2023) | Introduction to Film Aesthetics and Analysis Course Ambassador and Teaching Assistant (Fall 2022) | Ithaca College Writing Center - Peer Tutor (Fall 2021 – Present), Admin Tutor (Fall 2022 – Present) | Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival Brand Ambassador and FLEFF Fellow (Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024) | DKA Cinematic Society - President (Fall 2023 – Present), Diversity Chair (Fall 2021 – Spring 2022), Associate Education Secretary (Fall 2022 – Spring 2023), Sunshine Chair (Spring 2022 – Fall 2023), Design Chair (Fall 2021), Member (Spring 2021 – Present) | Production Designer for Coca-Cola Refreshing Films Competition (Spring 2023) | Archival Volunteer and Intern Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound (Summer 2023) | Buzzsaw Magazine Writer and Co-Editor “Prose and Cons” (Spring 2021 – Spring 2022) | Stillwater Magazine Print Edition Contributing Photographer (Spring 2024) | ICTV “A Work of Art” – Casting Director (Spring 2021) | Service Saturday Participant (Fall 2022 - Fall 2023) | Cornell Cinema Volunteer (Spring 2024) | Women Leaders Series in Seneca, NY (March 2022) | Leadership Scholar Program Mentor (Fall 2022) | Ithaca College Peer Leader (Fall 2022) | Lambda Pi Eta Honors Communication Society | Oracle Honors Communication Society | Deans List (7 semesters)
Major: Biochemistry with a minor in Neuroscience
American Chemical Society Conference, Poster Presenter (March 2024) | Cornell University x Ithaca College Chemistry Undergraduate Research Symposium, Poster Presenter (April 2023) | Northeastern Region 1 District TriBeta Convention, Poster Presenter (April 2022) | Upstate/CNY Zebrafish Meeting, Poster Presenter (April 2022) | Ithaca College Chemistry Department Seminar, Presentation Speaker (August 2022) | Chemistry Department Undergraduate Researcher (May 2022 - Present) | H&S Summer Scholars Program (May 2022 - July 2022) | Biology Department Undergraduate Researcher (August 2021 - May 2022) | Resident Assistant (August 2022 - Present) | STEM RLC RA (August 2022 - May 2023) | Biology Learning Assistant (August 2023 - Present) | Chemistry Teaching Assistant (August 2022 - Present) | Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Services Learning Coach (January 2022 - Present) | Member, Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society (April 2024 - Present) | Member, American Chemical Society (March 2024 - Present) | Oracle Honor Society (Inducted Fall 2022) | Co-President & Co-Founder, South Asian Student Association (January 2023 - Present) | Treasurer, Pre-Health Society (August 2023 - Present); (Pre-Med Member since August 2021) | Treasurer, Chemistry Club (August 2023 - Present); (Member since August 2021) | Treasurer, IC Genes Club (August 2023 - Present); (Member since August 2022) | Secretary, Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society (August 2023 - Present) | Treasurer, Biology Club (January 2022 - Present); (Member since August 2021) | Member, Club Swimming Team (August 2021 - Present) | Dean’s List (Fall 2021-Present) | Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Award (for 2021 - 2022 year) | Ithaca College Merit Scholarship (August 2021 - Present) | Larry Metzger Scholarship (August 2023 - Present)
Major: Biochemistry with a minor in Neuroscience
Student Governance Council Vice President of Academic Affairs (Spring 2023- Present) | Spectrum: Treasurer (Fall 2022- Present) | IC Genes President (Fall 2023- Present) | IC Women in STEM Treasurer (Fall 2023-Present) | Biology Club Co-President (Fall 2023-Present) | Student Governance Council Scholarship Committee Chair (Fall 2023- Present) | Social Justice and Sustainability Committee Member (Spring 2024) | Student Governance Council Elections Committee (Spring 2024) | Student Trustee Search Committee Member (Spring 2024) | Appropriations Committee Student Governance Council Member (Fall 2023- Present) | Academic Policy Committee-Full Ex-Officio Member (Fall 2024- Present) | Academic Policy Committee-Curriculum Ex-Officio Member (Fall 2024-Present) | TriBeta Biological Honors Society- Chi Xi Chapter Vice President (Fall 2023-Present) | Biology and Chemistry Teaching Assistant (Fall 2022-Present) | OAOA Peer Tutor (Summer 2023-Present) | Undergraduate Research Assistant (Spring 2022-Present) | Biochemistry Honors Thesis (Fall 2023-Present) | Dean's List (Spring 2021-Spring 2023) | The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi: Inducted Spring 2024 | TriBeta Biological Honors Society: Inducted Spring 2023 | Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society: Inducted Spring 2024 | OAOA Academic Honors Award (Spring 2022-Spring 2024 | OAOA Academic Excellence Award (Spring 2024) | OAOA Leadership in the Campus Community Award: Spring 2024 | Ithaca College Chemistry Club Member (Fall 2023-Present) | Ithaca College Pre-Health Society Member (Fall 2022-Present) | PRISM Member (Fall 2021-Present) | Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program Scholar (Spring 2022-Present) | Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Scholar (Spring 2022-Present)