Announcing the Spring 2022 LSU Distinguished Communicators

During the May 2022 commencement exercises, 70 graduates across eight colleges are expected to receive the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal.

Recipients of this honor are outstanding writers and speakers, with a strong command of visual literacy and technological communication. They have earned high GPAs in their communication-intensive courses throughout their baccalaureate years, sought 1-1 mentorships with faculty and have built websites that display their communication competencies and professional talents, both in and beyond the classroom. LSU Distinguished Communicators also graduate with the LSU Communicator Certificate, launched in fall 2018.

To celebrate the accomplishments of these exceptional students, Communication across the Curriculum, or CxC, will be hosting a medal ceremony honoring Distinguished Communicators, as well as celebrating them through a series of digital posts on social media and cxc.lsu.edu. The ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 19, from 10–11 a.m. at the LSU Business Education Complex Auditorium.

This distinction is the first of its kind in the nation and is sponsored by LSU Communication across the Curriculum, a nationally-recognized program for its excellence in enhancing learning experiences and improving students’ communication skills across all disciplines. As of May 2022, LSU has awarded 817 graduates with the Distinguished Communicator Medal.

The following students are this spring’s recipients:

College of Agriculture
Alexa Bates, Environmental Management Systems
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Maud Walsh

Currie Dudley, Nutrition & Food Sciences (Dietetics)
Hometown: Prairiville, La.
Advisor: Erin McKinley

William Gaspard, Agricultural & Extension Education
Hometown: Moreauville, La.
Advisor: Annabelle Stokes

Brooklyn Hampton, Plant & Soil Systems
Hometown: Natcitoches, La.
Advisor: Lauren Lazaro

Alexia LaGrone, Natural Resource Ecology & Management*
Hometown: Belle Chasse, La.
Advisor: Amy Fannin

Cassie Miller, Nutrition & Food Sciences
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Erin McKinley

Taylor Perrodin, Agricultural Business*
Hometown: Crowley, La.
Advisor: Maud Walsh

College of Art & Design

Nicholas (Nick) Bertucci, Architecture*
Hometown: Bentonville, Ark.
Advisor: Kristen Kelsch

Lucy Bui, Architecture
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Kristen Kelsch

Reilly Burke, Interior Design
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Marsha Cuddeback

JaNiece Campbell, Studio Art (Digital Art) and Computer Science
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Hye Yeon Nam

Morgan Curtis, Interior Design
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Advisor: Matthew Dunn

Mary (Michaela) Dunkerley-Offor, Interior Design
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Advisor: Matthew Dunn

Catherine Fuller, Interior Design
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Matthew Dunn

Kelly Garrett, Architecture
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Kristen Kelsch

Michael Howell, Interior Design
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Julie Elliott

Bryce Humbrecht, Architecture
Hometown: Lacombe, La.
Advisor: Tara Street

Benito Juarez Jr., Architecture
Hometown: Houma, La.
Advisor: Traci Birch

Kenah Kepper, Interior Design
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Phillip Tebbutt

Hayden Lake, Architecture
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Advisor: Kristen Kelsch

Justin Malcore, Landscape Architecture
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Haley Blakeman

Nathan McConnell, Architecture
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Paul Holmquist

Nghi (Zoey) Pham, Interior Design
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Advisor: Tracy Burns

Taylor Saxena, Architecture
Hometown: Round Rock, Texas
Advisor: Kristen Kelsch

Samantha Siliezar, Architecture
Hometown: Metairie, La.
Advisor: William Hunter

Chad Wilkins, Landscape Architecture
Hometown: Madisonville, La.
Advisor: Haley Blakeman

E. J. Ourso College of Business

Francesca Manfucci, Management*
Hometown: Cagli, Italy
Advisor: Sandra Pride Shaw

Elizabeth (Grace) Stewart, Finance*
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Advisor: Drew Lamonica Arms

George Stokes, Marketing (Professional Sales)
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Advisor: Aaron Gleiberman

College of Engineering

Olivia Armond, Construction Management
Hometown: Covington, La.
Advisor: Stephanie Heumann

Sydney Bradley, Chemical Engineering
Hometown: Magnolia, Miss.
Advisor: Mike Benton

JaNiece Campbell, Computer Science and Studio Art (Digital Art)
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Hye Yeon Nam

Jack Clement, Mechanical Engineering*
Hometown: Lake Charles, La.
Advisor: Corina Barbalata

Thomas Coreil, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Advisor: Dorin Boldor

Sarah Glass, Chemical Engineering*
Hometown: Algonquin, Ill.
Advisor: Adam Melvin

Mariah Graham, Computer Science
Hometown: Tinley Park, Il.
Advisor: Nash Mahmoud

Alejandra Ham, Biological Engineering*
Hometown: Slidell, La.
Advisor: Elizabeth Martin

Ava Landry, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Geismar, La.
Advisor: Corina Barbalata

Megan Marsalone, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Advisor: Warren Waggenspack

Natalie Morvant, Industrial Engineering
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Advisor: Elizabeth Melvin

Angelica Nguyen, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Harvey, La.
Advisor: Nick Totaro

Leah Potylchansky, Chemical Engineering
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Advisor: James Dorman

Lindsey Settoon, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Prairieville, La.
Advisor: Marybeth Lima

Tejasri Sunchu, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Manteca, Calif.
Advisor: Nick Totaro

Emily Taylor, Civil Engineering*
Hometown: Vivian, La.
Advisor: Clint Willson

Benjamin Thomas, Biological Engineering and Mathematics*
Hometown: Crowley, La.
Advisor: Nick Totaro

Trevor Thrasher, Chemical Engineering*
Hometown: Fairhope, Ala.
Advisor: Adam Melvin

Carlie Turk, Environmental Engineering
Hometown: Prairieville, La.
Advisor: Vijaikrishnah Elango

Ashton Weber, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Advisor: Nick Totaro

Camille Wetekamm, Mechanical Engineering*
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Advisor: Corina Barbalata

Allison Zieschang, Biological Engineering*
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Advisor: Dorin Boldor

College of Human Sciences & Education

Alyssa James, Early Childhood Education
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Jennifer Baumgartner

Emily Kleefisch, Early Childhood Education
Hometown: Belle Chasse, La.
Advisor: Jennifer Baumgartner

Natalie Richard, Kinesiology
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Advisor: Meghan Jackson

Kathryn (KK) Welty, Child & Family Studies
Hometown: Metairie, La.
Advisor: Hannah Plauche

College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Brianna Beck, English (Literature) and Spanish
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Christina Rothenbeck

Calli Nguyen, Interdisciplinary Studies and Biological Sciences
Hometown: Harvey, La.
Advisor: Hollie Hale Donze

Caroline Raymond, English (Literature)
Hometown: Monroe, La.
Advisor: Brannon Costello

Emily Wood, Political Science and Mass Communication (Political Communication)
Hometown: Bossier City, La.
Advisor: Bob Mann

Monica Zmudzinski, Communication Disorders
Hometown: Orange, Calif.
Advisor: Janna Oetting

Manship School of Mass Communication

Marie George, Mass Communication (Public Relations)
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Advisor: Doug Draper

Gabrielle Gremillion, Mass Communication (Political Communication)
Hometown: Sunshine, La.
Advisor: Jennifer Macha Hebert

Kayla Hamilton, Mass Communication (Public Relations)
Hometown: Coconut Creek, Fla.
Advisor: Sadie Wilks

Maria Pham, Mass Communication (Broadcast Journalism)*
Hometown: New Iberia, La.
Advisor: Cindy Carter

Emily Wood, Mass Communication (Political Communication) and Political Science
Hometown: Bossier City, La.
Advisor: Bob Mann

College of Science

Joseph Aguda III, Biological Sciences
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Advisor: Khoa Nguyen

Sanaa Alam, Biological Sciences*
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Advisor: Alyssa Johnson

Hannah Blackmon, Biochemistry*
Hometown: Bentonville, Ark.
Advisor: Johnna Roose

Jordyn Courville, Biochemistry
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Grover Waldrop

Grayce Mores, Microbiology*
Hometown: Harvey, La.
Advisor: David Donze

Calli Nguyen, Biological Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies
Hometown: Harvey, La.
Advisor: Hollie Hale Donze

Karina Ramirez Rodriguez, Chemistry (Environmental Chemistry)
Hometown: Gonzales, La.
Advisor: Chris Barrett

Benjamin Thomas, Mathematics and Biological Engineering*
Hometown: Crowley, La.
Advisor: Nick Totaro

Kim Tran, Biological Sciences*
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Khoa Nguyen

*Ogden Honors College students are designated with an asterisk.