School of Medicine hosts 2026 Honors & Awards Convocation

Prior to its Spring 2026 commencement ceremony, the University of Missouri School of Medicine celebrated excellence, leadership and impact at its annual Honors & Awards Convocation. Inside Bryant Auditorium, students, faculty and alumni of the medical school were recognized for their outstanding achievements.

The full list of this year’s honorees is below. Congratulations to each recipient and to the Class of 2026!

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Military Promotion Ceremony

• Elisabeth Kirkendall-Day, Air Force Captain
• Lydiah Fridah Mpyisi, Army Captain

Excellence in Public Health Award

• Adam Orf

Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honors Society

General Scholarship

• Elizabeth Cremer
• Carson Gates

AOA Members

• Laith Almashharawi
• Elizabeth Cremer
• Alexis Detienne
• Timothy Dillinger
• Ransome Drexler
• Carson Gates
• Molly Gunter
• Travis Jackson
• Taylor Lavalle
• Anne Marker
• Katina Massad
• Kate McGough
• Nisha Naseer
• Kaylie Nichols
• Samuel Nofsinger
• Bailey Patrick
• Sean Pirrone
• Benjamin Rael
• Sabrina Ryan
• Justin Shanklin
• Connor Sierra
• Anna Vaclavek
• Kostandin Valle
• Zach Willard
• Kerem Yucebas

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine

Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation

• Faculty: Joel Shenker, MD
• Student: Maria del Mar Fletcher Ruiz

Arnold P. Gold Foundation

Gold Humanism Honor Society Members

• Brooklyn Campbell
• Lacey Capetti
• Terrell Christian, Jr.
• Destri Eichman
• Carson Gates
• Molly Gunter
• Mollie Henry
• Travis Jackson
• Danna Jenkins
• Margaret Kurop
• Kaylie Nichols
• Bailey Patrick
• Sean Pirrone
• Benjamin Rael
• Paola Rivera
• Maria del Mart Fletcher Ruiz
• Connor Sierra
• Michaela Thomson
• Konstandin Valle
• Kerem Yucebas

American Medical Women’s Association

Glasgow-Rubin Certificate of Commendation for Academic Achievement

• Elizabeth Cremer
• Alexis Detienne
• Taylor Lavalle
• Alexandra Marko
• Katina Massad
• Kaylie Nichols
• Bailey Patrick

Research Council Awards

Outstanding Medical Research Publication – Basic Science

• Sabrina Ryan

Outstanding Medical Research Publication – Clinical Science

• Carlye Goldenberg
• Kavita Krell

Outstanding Medical Research Publication – Translational Science

• Kerem Yucebas

Drs. Richard & Jean Holt Medical Ethics Essay Awards

• Lydiah Fridah Mpyisi – 1st Place
• Uzoamaka Mbionwu – 2nd Place
• Jaycee Mudd and Oak Wattanasirakul – 3rd Place (Tie)

Mizzou Law Veterans Clinic Recognition Award

• Shreya Anand
• Jaxsen Ball
• Eleanor Fontana
• Margaret Kurop
• Lydia Fridah Mpyisi
• Kerem Yucebas

Certificate of Service Medical Student Journal Editor Awards

• Lacey Capetti
• Himavarsha Kancharla
• Anne Marker
• Sabrina Ryan
• Michael Sherby

Committee on Curriculum Awards

Outstanding Pre-Clerkship Curriculum Innovation

• Dima Dandachi, MD
• Christian Rojas Moreno, MD

Outstanding Clerkship Curriculum Innovation

• Regina DePietro, MD

Outstanding Pre-Clerkship Faculty Educator

• Jordan Parker, MD

Outstanding Community-Based Faculty Preceptor

• Julie Burdin, MD

Outstanding Contributor to the Education Program

• Mohammad Alkhateeb, MD
• Carlo Barth, MD
• Audrey Gruse, MD
• Cody Roberts, MD
• Willie Shearon, MD
• Wacim Benyoucef
• Maya Greenquist
• Kate McGough
• Adam Orf
• Edward Van Matre
• Nicole Walker

Outstanding Resident Teaching Award

• Theodore Katz, MD

David & Kathy Morton Outstanding Faculty Educator Awards

• Asma Malik, MD
• Michael Ulen, MD

Jane Hickman Teaching Award

• Kari Martin, MD

Department Awards

Dermatology: Award for Academic Excellence

• Kostandin Valle
• Travis Jackson

Emergency Medicine: ACEP Medical Student Professional & Leadership Award

• Anna Vaclevek

Emergency Medicine: SAEM Medical Student Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award

• Sarah Mcleod

Family & Community Medicine: Geriatrics Scholars Program

• Destri Eichman
• Jessalyn Hultz
• Lea Khoukaz
• Kobe Kisling
• Taylor Lavalle
• Anne Marker
• Kate McGough
• Makenze Meents
• Sydney Miles
• Kaylie Nichols
• Hutner Puckett
• Connor Stevenson
• Zachary Willard

Family & Community Medicine: Geriatric Medicine Award

• Kate McGough

Family & Community Medicine: Palliative Medicine Award

• Sydney Miles

Family & Community Medicine: Albert D. Cross, MD, Endowment Fund

• Dylan Hood

Family & Community Medicine: John T. Crowe, MD, Family Practice Scholarship

• Drew Kasten

Family & Community Medicine: Ruby T. McVean Family Medicine Scholarship

• Maggie Hellman
• Danna Jenkins
• Anis Buttar-Miller
• Adam Orf

Family & Community Medicine: Vernon E. Wilson, MD, Memorial Scholarship in Family Medicine

• Morgan Kluge
• Bethany Thompson-Gordon

Family & Community Medicine: The Family Health Foundation of Missouri Scholarship

• Adam Orf

Medicine: Joseph J. Muscato, MD, and Mary S. Muscato, MD, Student Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine

• Adam Orf

Medicine: Missouri Chapter of the American College of Physicians Outstanding Clerkship Performance

• Bwaar Omer

Medicine: American College of Physicians Book Award

• Faculty – Dima Dandachi, MD
• Student – Kate McGough

Medicine: American College of Physicians Outstanding Physical Diagnosis Award

• Nicole Walker

Medicine: Outstanding Performance in Internal Medicine

• Jessalyn Hultz
• Rhema Seal

Medicine: Jack Bragg Outstanding Medical Student in Gastroenterology

• Laith Almashharawi

Medicine: David Klachko Endocrinology Award

• Ethan Weiss

Medicine: Thomas W. Burns Diabetes Award for Outstanding Performance in Diabetes Rotation

• Adam Orf

Neurology: James Dexter Award

• Yijin Huang

Neurology: Christy Welliver Multiple Sclerosis Scholarship

• Tanvi Yadlapalli

Neurology: American Academy of Neurology Student Prize of Excellence

• Kobe Kisling

Neurology: Pradeep Sahota, MD, Aspiring Leadership Award

• Anne Chumbow

Neurosurgery: Samuel P.W. Black Prize for Excellence in Neurosurgery

• Hunter Brooks
• Marcus Jackson

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health: Outstanding Student in Obstetrics & Gynecology

• Katina Massad

Ophthalmology: John Aure Buesseler Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology

• Justin Shanklin

Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery: Outstanding Excellence in Medical Student Education

• Carson Gates

Pathology and Anatomical Sciences: S.E. Kerr Memorial Scholarship Award

• Patricia Lupu

Pediatrics: Sunil Batchu Memorial Award in Pediatrics

• Sydney Miles

Pediatrics: Robert L. Jackson Award in Pediatrics

• Carlye Goldenberg

Pediatrics: Johanson Fund

• Ria Shahapeti

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: Howard A. Rusk Memorial Scholarship Award

• Zachary Williard

Psychiatry: Edward Baumhardt Scholarship Award for the Outstanding Paper Related to Psychiatry

• Yak Nak

Psychiatry: James M. A. Weiss Award for Excellence in Psychiatry

• Joel Bilyeu

Radiology: David M. Witten Award for Outstanding Student in Radiology

• Mohanned Aqrabawi

Springfield Clinical Campus: Tom & Mary Ashley Student Award for Excellence in Surgery

• Ransome Drexler

Springfield Clinical Campus: John T. Ashley, MD, Student Award for Excellence in Primary Care

• Taylor Lavalle

Acute Care Surgery: Merit Award for Excellence

• Brooklyn Campbell

General Surgery: Marion S. Deweese Award for Excellence in General Surgery

• Molly Gunter

Oncology Surgery: Excellence in Oncology Surgery

• Kaylie Nichols

Orthopaedic Surgery: Missouri Orthopaedic Institute Award for Excellence

• Amanda Faust

Plastic Surgery: Outstanding Student in Plastic Surgery

• Erika Shock

Urology: Ian M. Thompson Award for Excellence in Urology

• Lauren Seifferlein

Vascular Surgery: Donald Silver Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgery

• Samuel Nofsinger

Graduate Medical Education: Stephenson Helpful Elephant Award

• Erik Clutter, MD

Medical Student Affairs Council Awards

Most Outstanding Pre-Clinical Educator

• Kevin Flaherty, PhD

Most Outstanding Clinical Educator

• Krystal Foster, MD

Most Outstanding Springfield Clinical Campus Educator

• Opeyemi Ayeni, MD

Most Outstanding Resident

• Mehamed Abdi, MD

Most Outstanding Student Organization

• Family Medicine Interest Group and Psych Interest Group

Most Improved Student Organization

• Plastic Surgery Interest Group

Best New Student Organization

• Project Downtown CoMo

Student Leadership and Service Awards

• M4 – Sean Pirrone
• M3 – Clare Kercher
• M2 – Maya Greenquist
• M1 – Danielle Friz

Sandra J. McCurdy Dedicated Staff Award

• Jill Wiggins

Robert N. McCallum Student Advocacy Award

• Jill Wiggins

Paul C.J. Sun, MD, Distinguished Faculty Award

• Joel Shenker, MD, PhD

Medical Education Awards

Outstanding Student Ambassador Award

• Michaela Thomson

Circle of Excellence Award

• Faculty – Carmen Cirstea, MD
• Student – Amal Hamed

Outstanding M4 Tutor Award & Scholarship

• Bailey Patrick

Outstanding Clinical Advisor

• Jean Goodman, MD

Global Health Scholars

• Shreya Anand
• Jeffrey Bodeen
• Destri Eichman
• Lea Khoukaz
• Mattaline Killingsworth
• Margaret Kurop
• Brooke Marx
• Uzomaka Mbionwu
• Sydney Miles
• Joy Moffett
• Katherine Morrison
• Lydia Mpyisi
• Yak Nak
• Paola Sauer
• Rhema Seal

Rural Scholars Program Completion Award

• Shelby Anderberg
• Quin Blankenship
• Jeffrey Bodeen
• Amory Carter
• Haider Cheema
• Ashwin Garlapaty
• Maggie Hellmann
• Dylan Hood
• Jessalyn Hultz
• Dagen Jones
• Mattaline Killingsworth
• Kobe Kisling
• Jaycee Mudd
• Adam Orf
• Garren Powell
• Kristen Reese
• Amanda Schulte
• Erika Shock
• Ethan Weiss

Rural Scholars Scholarship Award

• Quin Blankenship
• Maggie Hellmann
• Dylan Hood
• Jessalyn Hultz
• Dagen Jones
• Jaycee Mudd
• Adam Orf
• Garren Powell
• Erika Shock
• Ethan Weiss

Rural Scholars Distinguished Community-Based Faculty Award

• Kendal Geno, MD

Rural Scholars Exemplary Student Award

• Ethan Weiss

Turtle on a Fencepost Award

• Audrey Abeyta

Medical Education Scholarships

Charles Stephen Brooks, MD, Medical Student Scholarship

• Maya Greenquist

Harvey F. Howitt Memorial Scholarship

• Clare Kercher

Claude K. Leeper, MD, Scholarship

• Angela Atkinson

Emily Ariel Bamberger Award for Compassion Scholarship

• Sean Vincent Pirrone

Medical Student Leadership Award

• Michael Thomson

Holt Award

• Sean Pirrone

Dean’s Award

• Carson Gates