Each spring, the College of Science and Health (CSH) honors select undergraduate seniors for their academic and co-curricular achievements at the annual CSH Honors Celebration. This celebration is traditionally held a few weeks before
Commencement. Honored students and their families, CSH deans, department chairpersons, and advising staff recognize outstanding academic performance, exceptional community service, and meaningful accomplishments in research.
Below is a list of awards presented during our most recent celebrations. Congratulations to all students for their extraordinary academic achievements.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advocacy Award
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advocacy Award, established in 2024, seeks to acknowledge CSH undergraduate or graduate students who have demonstrated a commitment through words and actions to promoting DEI and supporting DePaul's Vincentian Mission.
2025 Recipient - Mackeda Sahelu – Chemistry and Biochemistry; Neuroscience
Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award
The Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award seeks to acknowledge excellence in undergraduate student research in the CSH. This award has been established to honor one CSH undergraduate senior who conducts exceptional research, articulates his or her research to others, and enhances the DePaul mission in integrating research into the student academic learning experiences. Students may be nominated by DePaul faculty, staff, a fellow student, or may submit a self-nomination.
2025 Recipient – Sydney Bosley, Environmental Science and Studies
Outstanding Community Service Award
The Outstanding Community Service Award seeks to acknowledge one CSH undergraduate senior who has made meaningful and significant contributions to the betterment of society through their involvement in community service. This award will be awarded to one student who is truly distinguished through individual community service efforts or efforts made as a member of a group or society. The recipient of this award has made a significant contribution to our institution's culture of service, further establishing and strengthening the Vincentian mission and DePaul University's commitment to service. Students may be nominated by faculty, staff, a fellow student, or may submit a self-nomination.
2025 Recipient - Melissa Espinosa, Health Sciences
Walter A. Pranger Award
The Walter A. Pranger Award is given each year to a mathematics undergraduate major with outstanding performance in upper-level coursework as well as significant contributions to the intellectual life of the department.
2025 Recipient - Daniel Gawel, Mathematical Sciences
Faculty Mentor of the Year Award
The College of Science and Health acknowledges a CSH professor who regularly goes above and beyond his or her duties and responsibilities to mentor undergraduate students. The SGA representatives in the College of Science and Health award a professor who excels in being available, helpful, clear, and supportive and whose commitment to mentoring students should be recognized by the CSH as well as the university community. Model educators truly challenge and prepare students inside and outside of the classroom and lab for a future in the fields of science and health.
2025 Recipient - Dr. Okunola Jeyifous, Neuroscience
Student of the Year Awards
The faculty from each CSH academic department with an undergraduate program selects its student of the year. The chairperson and faculty from each respective department determine its own nomination and selection process.
2025 Recipients
Riley Rosenfield, Biological Sciences Erika Gerol, Mathematical Sciences
Rachel Cordero, Chemistry and Biochemistry Eva Min, Neuroscience
Sydney Bosley, Environmental Science and Studies Misha Romanov, Physics and Astrophysics
Sara Johnson, Health Sciences Elise Betkowski, Psychology
Dean's Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement
The CSH recognizes undergraduate seniors who are graduating with an exceptional cumulative DePaul GPA, and who have been able to consistently maintain it during their time at the university.
In DePaul University's 2025 Graduating Class, 156 CSH graduating seniors earned at least a 3.75 cumulative GPA by the start of spring quarter. Students were awarded an honors cord and certificate of achievement signed by the Dean of the College of Science and Health – Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes.
Note: Faculty/staff submitting nominations for the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award or the Outstanding Community Service Award and students submitting nominations for the Faculty Mentor of the Year Award should contact the CSH Office of Advising and Student Services via email at CSHAdvising@depaul.edu. For general questions about other Honors Celebration awards or the banquet itself, please email CSHEvents@depaul.edu.