LSU Celebrates 85 Distinguished Communicators during May 2026 Commencement
April 24, 2026
Eighty-five graduates crossing the stage during May Commencement will do so wearing something most of their peers won't: the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal. Spanning nine colleges across campus, this exceptional cohort represents the best of what Geaux Communicate looks like in practice—writers, speakers, and visual thinkers who have spent their undergraduate careers proving that communication isn't just a soft skill. It's the essential skill that enables graduates to demonstrate their ability to stay practical and relevant within a changing world.
To earn this distinction, graduates complete a rigorous multi-year program: excelling in at least four Communication-Intensive (C-I) courses across written, spoken, visual, and technological modes; building a public portfolio that showcases their discipline-specific communication competencies; cultivating 1-on-1 mentorships with faculty advisors; and demonstrating leadership through experiences beyond the classroom.
The Distinguished Communicator Medal is a permanent commendation on each graduate's official transcript—a credential that will set them apart from the competition, whether they're pursuing jobs, graduate school, promotions, or whatever comes next. Additionally, these students earn the LSU Communicator Certificate and receive digital badges tied to both recognitions. A recent American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) study found that 81% of employers say a candidate's possession of a microcredential, such as a digital badge, positively influences their hiring decisions—one more way these graduates are leaving LSU ahead of the curve.
LSU is one of the only universities in the country recognizing students who excel in communicating within their discipline—and the Distinguished Communicator Medal remains a first-of-its-kind honor in higher education. It is sponsored by LSU Communication across the Curriculum (CxC), which has worked alongside faculty within the disciplines since 2005 to advance students' communication skills.
CxC will celebrate this cohort with a medal ceremony during Commencement week and will spotlight each graduate's story on cxc.lsu.edu and social media.
Undergraduate Colleges
Support for the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal Program is generously provided by Shell, the Office of Academic Affairs, and private donors.
Are you interested in supporting future LSU Distinguished Communicators? Want to make a gift in honor of a graduating Distinguished Communicator? Visit givelsu.org and search for the CxC Development Fund under Designation.
College of Agriculture
Carolina Alvarado, Nutrition & Food Sciences (Dietetics)
Hometown: Geismar, La.
Faculty Advisor: Erin McKinley
Carolina Alvarado is the kind of person who can turn a complex nutrition concept into a visual presentation so clear it practically explains itself—and then go home to unwind by meticulously placing tiny dots onto a canvas through Dotz art. That same precision and patience define her approach to everything. As a dietitian assistant at the LSU Student Health Center, she discovered that communication directly shapes patient care, building confidence in clinical settings and confirming that she'd chosen the right path. Balancing two jobs, leadership roles in two student organizations, and a 3.9 GPA required the discipline she's known for, but Carolina is equally driven by empathy and reflection. “Ultimately, I hope to work in a private practice,” she shares, “guiding clients through personalized, empathetic nutrition care and helping them experience the transformative power of nourishment.” Her portfolio showcases that consistency, from a detailed nutrition education project on diabetes management to professional materials she's refined across semesters. Come fall, she'll pursue her master's coursework alongside a dietetic internship, working toward becoming a Registered Dietitian ready to bring clear, compassionate communication to clinical and community settings.
India Bethley, Nutrition & Food Sciences (Dietetics)
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Erin McKinley
India Bethley began her LSU career as the recipient of the A.P. Tureaud Scholarship, never imagining she'd spend her senior year walking the halls of A.P. Tureaud Hall every single day. "I feel like God was preparing me for a journey I never saw coming," she says, "and what a beautiful journey it has been." A trained vocalist and performer who also works as an EMT and serves as National Vice President of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), India channels that same discipline and dedication into fighting food insecurity. As a Les Voyageur ambassador for the College of Agriculture, she became a spokesperson for the entire student body, sharpening her communication skills while representing everything LSU's College of Agriculture has to offer. Her most meaningful work came through volunteering with HOPE Ministries, where she fed community members and taught nutrition education alongside instructor and mentor Judy Myhand. This fall, India heads to the University of South Florida to pursue her Master of Public Health with a Dietetic Concentration.
Abbygail Davis, Animal Sciences (Animal Production)
Minors: Agricultural Business, Youth Development & Extension
Hometown: Pearl River, La.
Faculty Advisor: Ashleigh Muth-Spurlock
Abbygail Davis grew up in Pearl River, Louisiana, playing the violin and helping her family take care of livestock—a combination that taught her discipline, confidence, and how to perform under pressure. Now she's the 2025–2026 St. Tammany Farm Bureau Queen, president of the LSU Agriculture Student Association, and the College of Agriculture's 2025 Outstanding Student Leader of the Year. Her favorite internship at the LSU AgCenter combined her two passions: mentoring young people and working alongside livestock specialists, watching students grow in confidence the same way she once did through 4-H and FFA. "Communication has been at the center of everything I've done," Abbygail says. "My goal has always been to communicate agriculture in a way that connects, informs, and inspires." She'll stay at LSU for her master's in Agricultural Business and Economics, with her sights set on agricultural policy work and, ultimately, becoming Louisiana's Commissioner of Agriculture.
Lauren Eckert, Natural Resource Ecology & Management (Conservation Biology)
Hometown: Keller, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Jacqueline Satter
According to her research advisor, Lauren Eckert is "fantastic at killing beetles for science"—and has the résumé to prove it. A Conservation Biology major with a focus on disease ecology and invasive species, Lauren spent four years of her childhood in Okinawa, Japan, before finding her home at LSU. She's interned at the Dallas Zoo, studied abroad in the Czech Republic, and volunteered with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. As Vice President of Les Voyageurs, the College of Agriculture's student ambassador organization, she's honed her ability to spark conversations with prospective students, and unexpectedly, with curious strangers on planes and in coffee shops. "Before coming to LSU, I would not have been the person to confidently start or lead these conversations," she says. Her hidden superpower? Being a good sister to a sibling 13 years her junior, which taught her to lead with patience and empathy. Lauren is currently pursuing graduate programs in conservation, behavioral, and disease ecology studies.
Bryce McCutchan, Environmental Management Systems (Policy Analysis)
Minors: Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Honors
Hometown: Abita Springs, La.
Faculty Advisor: Maud Walsh
Bryce McCutchan has visited 30 states and photographed landscapes across more than a dozen national parks—Yellowstone, Acadia, the Rocky Mountains, and Grand Teton. Those trips didn't just become a hobby; they shaped a career path. Watching dramatic landscapes and asking who protects them eventually led him to environmental and energy law. At LSU, he's built toward that goal from multiple directions. As a Les Voyageur student ambassador for the College of Agriculture, he recruited prospective students at admissions events — learning to read rooms full of nervous applicants and even more nervous parents. For two years, he's led Supplemental Instruction sessions with the Center for Academic Success, supporting early STEM students through foundational coursework. His advisor says he "wove together his classwork and his extracurricular experiences to prepare for his chosen career in environmental law." When he's not on a trail or in a session, he runs, hikes, and bakes healthy cookies. This fall, Bryce begins law school at LSU's Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Raegan West, Natural Resource Ecology & Management (Wildlife Ecology)
Hometown: Florence, Miss.
Faculty Advisor: Luke Laborde
Raegan West would love to tell you about the time she went electrofishing for invasive carp. That summer in Dr. Mike Kaller's fish lab became one of her favorite field experiences—dissecting specimens, grinding tissue samples for isotope analysis, and learning to back a boat trailer in reverse. It was the kind of hands-on research that confirmed her path in wildlife ecology. Since then, Raegan has worked in three different LSU labs, banded ducks with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, and chased white-tailed deer across South Texas with a helicopter crew and cowboys during a capture trip with the East Foundation. As a Les Voyageurs ambassador, she's welcomed prospective students to LSU with the same enthusiasm she brings to the field. In her spare time, she leads Bible studies and builds community with the same intentionality she brings to her research—a reminder that for Raegan, connection is never incidental. Now she's heading home to Mississippi, ready to put her boots back in the mud doing conservation and wildlife habitat management work. The field has shaped her—and she's just getting started.
Madison (Maddie) Woodson, Environmental Management Systems (Policy Analysis)
Minor: Sociology
Hometown: New Caney, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Maud Walsh
Before Maddie Woodson ever set foot on campus, she was already falling for the environment—spending weekends at Jesse Jones Park and Nature Preserve in Humble, Texas, learning to read soil types and gaining a passion for sustainability. That spark became a calling when her HNRS 2000 course led her to research Cancer Alley and the environmental injustices facing communities whose voices go unheard. She's been chasing that thread ever since. At LSU, Maddie built a record defined by range and determination: passing both Physics and Organic Chemistry on the first try, earning Latin Honors and the College Honors Capstone distinction, and serving as a campus tour guide whose communication skills extended well beyond the spoken word—into writing, presenting, and even the visual marketing of her law school applications. Her advisor describes her as someone who has "clearly demonstrated both her research skills and her ability to synthesize and communicate scientific information in a variety of modes." A first-generation college student, Maddie paired her Environmental Management Systems major with a Sociology minor to build the interdisciplinary foundation she believes environmental law demands. When she's not baking chocolate chip banana bread or reading the Empirium Trilogy by Mike's Habitat, she's preparing for what's next. This fall, Madison heads to law school with a focus on environmental justice and public health—ready to give those silenced communities a voice.
Madison Wray, Natural Resource Ecology & Management (Wildlife Ecology)
Minors: Fisheries, Oceanography & Coastal Sciences
Hometown: Woodstock, Maryland
Faculty Advisor: Jeff Plumlee
For eleven years, Madison Wray trained her body to move in perfect synchrony with a partner on the ballroom floor. These days, her partners are bull sharks—and she's just as comfortable. During her summer 2025 internship with the Fish Ecology & Ecodynamics Lab, she spent her days on boats in Louisiana marshes handling live organisms and confirming what she'd suspected: she'd chosen exactly the right path. She'd been building toward it for a while. A year and a half of lab work, a self-led research project presented at three conferences—including a national one, where she took home best undergraduate poster—and three minors completed alongside her degree. She's made the Dean's List every semester and wraps up this spring with her College Honors thesis, two years in the making. Her advisor calls her "curious, bold, and tenacious," someone who "does not shy away from challenges." She also needlepoints, does yoga, and can identify most species by their scientific name on sight—a hidden superpower that feels entirely on brand. Next up: a master's degree and eventually a PhD in marine biology and ecology, continuing her research on the ocean she loves.
College of Art & Design
Ana Cuadros Vargas Rosado, Architecture
Minors: Architectural History, Interior Design
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Faculty Advisor: Fabio Capra Ribeiro
Ana Cuadros Vargas Rosado is a black belt in karate, speaks three languages, and paints in her spare time—but her most striking work happens at the intersection of craft and culture. Her design projects weave traditional techniques into contemporary spaces: a Rainbow Ottoman featuring handcrafted Peruvian-inspired patterns, knitted textile explorations for architectural applications, and research on sustainable materials that connect to both environment and cultural identity. That research earned her a presentation at an international conference, an achievement she counts among her proudest. Through Adelante, Ana mentored children navigating English as a second language, drawing on her own experience as a non-native English speaker. "I really enjoyed helping kids whose first language is not English because I went through the same thing," she says. She'll begin her career at a firm before eventually pursuing a master's degree abroad, continuing to chase design that honors heritage while building something new.
Waqar Jatoi, Architecture
Minor: Architectural History
Hometown: Shreveport, La.
Faculty Advisor: Gary Gilbert
Waqar Jatoi is the kind of person who stays calm when everyone else is panicking—a superpower he's tested repeatedly while presenting to the entire LSU School of Architecture. Born and raised in Toronto, he brought a global perspective to Baton Rouge, where he pursued a degree in Architecture with a minor in Art History. His portfolio reflects that range: from designing a pediatric rehabilitation center to creating set designs inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis to studying abroad in Paris. When the Asian Students Art Organization launched in summer 2025, Waqar joined the PR team, channeling his eye for composition into the graphics and videos that helped the fledgling club find its footing. He's also been interning at db Architecture of Acadiana, where he quickly became a team lead and the first employee in their Baton Rouge satellite office. This fall, Waqar heads to a firm in Chicago or Texas to begin his career as an architectural designer—honors hood in hand.
Clay Moody, Architecture
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Soo Jeong Jo
In the studio, Clay Moody is the quiet one—methodical, focused, working through how a building might solve a neighborhood's problems before he thinks about what it looks like. Outside it, he's the one making people laugh. The contrast, he'll tell you, surprises most people who know him only from work. That belief in architecture as a human endeavor runs through everything he's built at LSU. His junior year brought real-world stakes: a position at ArchitectniX pulled him into client meetings, site visits, and schematic development, deepening his understanding of the profession in ways the studio couldn't. The body of work he's assembled—projects ranging from a Baton Rouge community center to speculative designs addressing housing accessibility—reflects his core conviction that design should serve people first. He's also pursuing LEED and WELL certifications, building credentials to match his ambitions. His advisor puts it plainly: Clay's recognition comes from "his exceptional communication skills, his openness to new challenges without fearing failure, and his relentless passion for growth as a competitive professional." When he steps away from the drafting table, he picks up a guitar, reaches for a sketchbook, or finds something to sculpt. Next up: an architecture firm in New Orleans, Houston, or Jackson, licensure, and eventually a master's degree—the long foundation, carefully laid.
Eric Wang, Architecture
Minor: Architectural History
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Sergio Padilla
Eric Wang can solve a Rubik's cube in under ten seconds—the kind of spatial thinking that translates surprisingly well to architecture. As a 2025 NOMA Future Faces Fellow and Treasurer of LSU's chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, Eric has dedicated himself to uplifting minority voices in the field while racking up accolades alongside his peers: in 2024, he traveled to Baltimore for the NOMA Conference, where his chapter won National Student Chapter of the Year. His design work reflects a commitment to sustainability and community, including a collaborative competition entry for a net-zero school addition in East Los Angeles featuring rainwater collection systems and a solar facade designed to foster environmental stewardship in students. His advisor says, “Eric sets an inspiring tone wherever he goes. His mix of drive, curiosity, and enthusiasm makes him a standout in any setting.” A summer internship with Ayers Saint Gross in Washington, D.C., confirmed his interest in healthcare and higher education projects—and introduced him to the architecture community beyond Louisiana. When he's not sketching or biking (he has biked the 80 miles from Baton Rouge to New Orleans twice), Eric is planning his path toward licensure and LEED AP credentials at a firm where he can design spaces that bring people together.
Sophia (Sophie) Webber, Landscape Architecture
Minor: Communication Studies
Hometown: Vidalia, La.
Faculty Advisor: Gary Gilbert
Sophia Webber redesigned the courtyard plants at Oxbow Rum Distillery—and walked away with a bartending job. Now, behind the bar at Baton Rouge's second-ranked tourist destination, she connects with visitors from around the world—a skill she traces directly to her time at LSU. It's the kind of unexpected turn that makes sense once you know Sophie: a student with fierce, singular focus whose advisor says she is always “on her game.” Sophie is equally at home drafting site plans, throwing ceramics, or hiking a 35-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail with her studio friends. As she finishes her time at LSU, she's focused on building a career defined by creative range and genuine connection. Her internship with CLH Design P.A. in Raleigh sharpened her technical skills, while her leadership as Vice President of LSU's Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects gave her a platform to plan events and mentor peers. Sophie is pursuing entry-level landscape design positions in New Orleans, Portland, or Chicago, with plans to earn her professional license within three years.
College of Engineering
Aseel Ahmed, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Qi Cai
Aseel Ahmed can draw, speak two languages, and has conquered her fear of public presentations—but what she really wants to do is help people walk. A biological engineering graduate with research experience at both Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Wilson Labs at LSU, Aseel has built her undergraduate career at the intersection of engineering and medicine, driven by a fascination with prosthetics and orthotics. She loved the time she spent as a VIPS tutor working with kids, an experience she called her favorite internship. That care comes through in everything she does, from mentoring younger students to tackling the presentations that used to stress her out but have since become second nature. When she's not in the lab or the classroom, she's reading or sketching, her artistic eye informing her approach to design problems. This fall, Aseel heads to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston to begin the Prosthetics and Orthotics program, Class of 2028, where she'll turn her passion for engineering mobility and advancing care into a career.
Ibrahim Alam, Computer Science (Software Engineering)
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Faculty Advisor: James Ghawaly Jr.
Ibrahim Alam once saved a friend from tumbling off a Colorado mountainside—and he brings that same steady hand to everything he builds. As a Computer Science major with a Mathematics minor, Ibrahim has spent his LSU years turning classroom projects into campus infrastructure. What started as a semester assignment became MikeGPT, an AI assistant now serving over 35,000 students and faculty. "Knowing that students and faculty rely on something I helped build made the work deeply rewarding," he says. At LSU’s Intersectional AI and Security Lab (AISx), he co-designed PECAN, a programming language identification model achieving 99.5% accuracy across 319 languages. About his Distinguished Researcher designation, Ibrahim says, “research has shifted from something I participated in to something I deeply value. It reflects growth from student to contributor, and that evolution is what I am most proud of.” As a Teaching Assistant for CSC 4700, he discovered that explaining complex AI systems to students with varying backgrounds sharpened his own understanding—technical mastery, he learned, means little without the ability to communicate it. In addition to being a Stamps Scholar, Tau Beta Pi member, and Tiger Twelve honoree, Ibrahim also maintains the LSU Water Brigades website, keeping 100+ students connected to clean water initiatives worldwide. He'll pursue graduate study in computer science, focused on building AI that's both technically rigorous and socially responsible.
Erin Barker, Industrial Engineering
Hometown: Franklin Square, New York
Faculty Advisor: Isa Nahmens
When Erin Barker watched the KA-02 rocket launch from Cape Canaveral during her internship at United Launch Alliance, she wasn't just a spectator—she was an intern earning her Level 1 High Power Rocketry Certification that same summer. Erin takes winning very seriously, whether she’s playing board games, competing in intramural sports, or working for two years to earn the Astronaut Scholar designation through the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation in 2025. Her research with Dr. Laura Ikuma on improving indoor air quality for children with asthma pushed her communication skills in unexpected directions, requiring her to connect with families in their homes rather than engineers in a lab. "Effective communication is incredibly valuable for engineers when conveying highly technical topics," she says—and she's built a track record proving it. This fall, Erin plans to visit as many national parks as possible while she heads to Fort Worth to begin Lockheed Martin's Operations Leadership Development Program as an F-35 Quality Engineer.
Julia Barkley, Industrial Engineering
Hometown: Monroe, La.
Faculty Advisor: Gerald Knapp
Julia Barkley can keep temperamental orchids alive and can out-whistle just about anyone—skills that, she'd argue, require the same patience and precision she brings to industrial engineering. As part of LSU's inaugural Global Ambassador cohort, she traveled to Accra, Ghana, where she witnessed intercultural communication in action while learning from professionals across politics, economics, and technology. Her internship at Textron Aviation threw her into the deep end of multi-million-dollar global contracts, teaching her how private aerospace corporations operate at speed. Back on campus, she's shaped her communication skills as an Operations Group Commander and then Corps Commander in the Air Force ROTC, learning how to clarify expectations and the team’s mission while representing more than 300 cadets and midshipmen. "I believe Industrial Engineering is the best undergraduate major in the world," she says, and her work reflects that conviction: systems thinking applied not just to processes, but to people and problems across disciplines. Julia is currently a Fulbright semifinalist, hoping to head to the Republic of Georgia as an English Teaching Assistant.
Jacob Bernard, Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Robotics Engineering
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Corina Barbalata
Jacob Bernard is the kind of person teammates turn to when things get tense—a former high school quarterback who traded reading defenses for reading rooms as the go-to mediator. That commitment to empathy and compassion fueled his two-year tenure as President of the Society of Peer Mentors, where he led 222 mentors and poured himself into paying forward the guidance that helped him survive his own toughest semesters. As a first-generation college student, his path through mechanical engineering wasn't always smooth, but his family anchored him through every setback. "This degree means nearly as much to them as it does to me," Jacob says of his family, "and walking across the stage at graduation will be an incredibly emotional and joyful experience for all of us." Three summers interning with Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City and Minneapolis sharpened both his fire protection engineering skills and his ability to connect across teams. This fall, Jacob heads to Austin as a Fire Protection Associate with ACS Group, ready to build on everything he's learned about engineering, leadership, and showing up for others.
Royale (Roy) Bey, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Corina Barbalata
Royale Bey grew up homeschooled and arrived at LSU ready to lead. Three years as a Resident Assistant, president of the Elohim Academy Bible Study Club, Vice President of the Black Male Leadership Initiative, and a Regional Coordinator for Pearson, overseeing eight campus ambassadors: the record speaks for itself. He credits leading Bible study with teaching him the most about himself as a communicator, and his faith runs deep—he was baptized during his sophomore year, a moment he calls one of his proudest. His favorite internship came at Entergy Louisiana, where he supported the design of electrical service projects, evaluated field conditions for pole placement, and co-created a New Hire Guide that's still used in the company's onboarding system. His advisor noted his "genuine drive and determination to achieve great success"—which, after a self-described "TOUGH ride" through Mechanical Engineering, feels well earned. When he's not working out or playing basketball, Roy's in the kitchen cooking or teaching scripture. This fall, he returns to Entergy as a Field Engineer in Baton Rouge.
Caleb Bowers, Industrial Engineering
Minors: Business Administration, Technical Sales
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Roberto Champney
Caleb Bowers learned some of his best communication skills not in a classroom, but behind a register at Whole Foods and Target—connecting with strangers, reading situations quickly, and figuring out how to make people feel heard. That retail foundation proved surprisingly useful when he found himself presenting automation logic to non-technical staff at LSU's Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center, or pitching cost-saving solutions to Fortune 500 executives. During his internship with Solenis, Caleb led a project that saved Westlake Corporation five figures in annual chemical costs while meeting environmental compliance standards. The technical work mattered, but so did earning trust from decision-makers who needed complex findings translated into clear action. He also claimed first place in his inaugural Shell Case Competition. "Good communication is what transforms all of my good ideas into meaningful impact," Caleb says. This fall, he joins Solenis full-time as a Technical Sales professional, combining his Industrial Engineering degree with minors in Technical Sales and Business Administration to build solutions that bridge analytics and people.
Taylor Champagne, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Des Allemands, La.
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Taylor Champagne did theatre growing up—a fact that surprises people now, given how reserved she seems. But that early stage presence never really left; it just found new outlets. As Vice President of Engineering Development Ambassadors, Taylor has spent three years leading K-12 outreach, translating complex science principles for elementary schoolers and discovering that explaining things simply to a room full of kids is its own kind of performance. "I feel less scared presenting to groups of people than I did several years ago," she says. Her leadership extends beyond outreach: she's a Chevron Leadership Academy and Halliburton Scholars Program alumna who balanced rigorous professional development with a demanding GPA. Three summers interning at Valero culminated in her favorite internship at Diamond Green Diesel, where she applied everything she'd learned to renewable energy work. After graduation, Taylor will join Valero's Port Arthur Refinery as an Associate Mechanical Reliability Engineer—but first, a trip to Italy with her family, the beginning of what she hopes will be a lifetime of travel.
Calley Chauvin, Biological Engineering
Minor: Robotics Engineering
Hometown: Luling, La.
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Calley Chauvin once had a painting displayed in the New Orleans Museum of Art. She also engineers microfluidic systems and studies breast cancer cells. The combination is less surprising once you understand that her secret superpower, she says, is her creativity. At Pennington Biomedical Research Center's Integrated Physiology and Molecular Medicine laboratory, Calley channeled that creativity into research: developing 3D co-culture systems to study endocrine resistance in ER+ breast cancer cells using a microfluidic droplet trapping array. In 2024, she took that work to Baltimore and presented it as an undergraduate poster at the Biomedical Engineering Society's Annual National Meeting. "I have always been a nervous public speaker," she says, "but I have really grown to enjoy technical poster presentations and to connect with those interested in research." Her advisor notes she's been "one of the best at utilizing LSU's resources and opportunities." Outside the lab, Calley cooks, shoots photography, collects vinyl, bowls, and plays what she describes as "an alarming amount" of solitaire. After graduation, she'll sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, with goals of working in biological engineering research and development and eventually pursuing a PhD focused on tissue engineering and microfluidic systems.
Jayleen Chavez, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Marybeth Lima
Picture Jayleen Chavez crouched at an elementary school, sketching playground ideas while a group of kids debate the merits of monkey bars versus tire swings. It might be an unexpected scene for a typical biological engineer, but for Jayleen, listening to those young voices was integral to designing a playground people actually want to use. That instinct for human-centered problem-solving runs through everything she does. At the LSU Center for River Studies, she conducts measurements of river flow and sediment samples to support hydraulic modeling research. Her internship at Halff, where she developed flood risk models and created FEMA-compliant education materials, convinced her to build a career in water resources. She also co-authored an educational book on flood mitigation and green infrastructure while working at the LaHouse Research and Education Center. Through Geaux Big, she's put her teamwork skills into community action. Come graduation, Jayleen will continue as a water resource engineer at Halff, designing sustainable water systems while working toward her PE license.
Halle Davis, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Jennings, La.
Faculty Advisor: Sunggook Park
Halle Davis is a mechanical engineering major who doesn't particularly love math. What draws her to the discipline is the tangible: hands-on problem-solving, two engineering internships in aerospace and oil and gas, and the satisfaction of building things—woodworking, sewing, and jigsaw puzzles fill her time outside the lab. She spent two years on the leadership board of the LSU chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, where she found that even a technical club demands constant communication. Presentations, announcements, event graphics: skills she hadn't expected to need in that context, but which gave her, she says, "an invaluable advantage." Volunteering with Volunteers in Public Schools connected her to the local community, while a solo study abroad trip to Thailand pushed her toward becoming, in her own words, "a more independent and globally minded person." She's graduating with a 3.6 GPA, College Honors, a minor in aerospace engineering, and the Louisiana Service and Leadership program distinction—and has presented her research at LSU Discover Day. Next up: the engineering workforce, her Engineer-in-Training certificate, and, eventually, her Professional Engineer licensure.
Hanna DeVillier, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Covington, La.
Faculty Advisor: Marybeth Lima
Hanna DeVillier spent her childhood aiming at targets—first with a bow, then with an air rifle—and she's carried that precision into everything from biological engineering research to maintaining a GPA above 3.0 across four demanding years. "Hanna is a quiet force to be reckoned with," her advisor says, and is someone who can "drop a hammer on getting things done" with a "pleasantly relentless persona." She's built experience in both research and quality engineering—skills she's already put to work in job settings where clear communication proved just as essential as technical knowledge. Her favorite LSU memory? Volunteering with Geaux Big, where service met community in a way that stuck with her. When she's not designing or problem-solving, you might find her dominating a badminton court or binge-watching a new series. This fall, Hanna heads into the workforce with plans to start her career and possibly pursue a master's degree down the line.
Colby Faust, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Denham Springs, La.
Faculty Advisor: Hunter Gilbert
Colby Faust learned to ride a bike at two, mastered a unicycle, and can solve a Rubik's Cube—but what really catches people off guard is when this mechanical engineering major starts pitching branding concepts and talking about graphic design. "Most people hear 'mechanical engineering' and assume I live in equations and spreadsheets," he says. "I kind of like that reaction." That blend of technical rigor and creative instinct carried him through four internships, from designing valve systems at Satsuma to improving offshore reliability at Chevron to driving automation at Nike. The Nike experience hit differently: a lifelong athlete who grew up seeing the swoosh as a symbol of competition and drive, Colby found himself contributing to real projects alongside a fiercely talented intern cohort. As someone drawn toward leadership positions, Colby values the opportunities his communication skills have given him for leading with clarity—aligning teammates, translating ideas into polished visuals, and stepping up when direction is needed. After graduation, he plans to pursue an MBA while working, building a career that blends problem-solving, strategy, and leadership into something he's genuinely proud of.
Payton Fournier, Chemical Engineering
Hometown: Mandeville, Louisiana
Faculty Advisor: George Cook
Payton Fournier is an introvert who loves public speaking—and that contradiction tells you everything about how she approaches life. A chemical engineering graduate with a Microsoft Excel Expert certification and a Sales Excellence Specialization, she's built a toolkit that bridges technical depth with people-centered communication. Her proudest moments at LSU weren't in the lab but at Magnolia Woods Elementary, where she tutored kids and discovered that each child's unique strengths shaped how they learned. "I pride myself on being a fair and respectful team member," she says, "and a big part of that is understanding how to express my opinions and ideas in a group setting in a constructive way." That philosophy carried her through engineering internships calculating emissions data for environmental compliance and through the LeadAbroad program, where cross-cultural teamwork sharpened her adaptability. She's now pursuing roles in process engineering or technical sales—positions where she can turn complex data into clear decisions and become the reliable, go-to engineer her future team can count on.
Marc Hebert, Computer Engineering and Music
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Ali Kazemian
Marc Hebert arrived at LSU with no engineering experience. He's leaving with three publications, a College Honors thesis he's still expanding through undergraduate research, and a PhD program in robotics ahead of him. Along the way, he interned at Intralox—working on a real project to improve automation and assembly processes in conveyor belt manufacturing—and contributed to published research on topics ranging from teleoperation in construction to 3D-printed planetary structures for Moon and Mars missions. His advisor describes him as "a highly capable engineer with exceptional potential" whose "strong background in mechatronics and robotics uniquely positions him to contribute to pioneering and impactful engineering efforts." The detail that surprises people: he's also pursuing a Music degree alongside Computer Engineering. Outside the lab, he plays guitar and piano and solves Rubik's cubes. His hidden superpower, he says, is his motivation and desire to continuously learn—which the publication record tends to confirm. After graduation, Marc heads to a PhD program in robotics, with his sights on companies like Boston Dynamics or 1X.
Marie Howe, Biological Engineering
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Cristina Sabliov
After catching eight coconuts in a single Zulu parade, Marie Howe might hold an unofficial Mardi Gras record—a skill she attributes to growing up in New Orleans and perfecting the art of the catch. But her hands are just as precise in the lab: she spent two years in Dr. Cristina Sabliov's nanoparticle laboratory and completed a summer fellowship at the Louisiana Cancer Research Center, where her work earned a feature interview on WGNO-TV. Her senior capstone project brought it all together: leading a team to build a Raman spectrometer pen designed to help surgeons identify cancerous tissue in real time. She attributes much of her success to her mentor Dr. Cristina Sabliov, who nominated her for the Albert P. Halluin Memorial Scholarship in nanotechnology. "To have her support and belief in me means the world to me," Marie says. Outside the lab, she's a 2026 Ms. Philippines of Louisiana candidate and an avid upcycler who crochets, embroiders, and sews her own designs. This fall, she'll pursue a master's in Biomedical Engineering at one of her four dream schools (all of which she’s been accepted to): Tulane, Boston University, the University of Miami, or the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Beau Johnson, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Ponchatoula, La.
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Beau's brain is a vault of random trivia, which probably comes in handy when you're one of five brothers trying to win an argument at family gatherings. A mechanical engineering graduate earning College Honors—a distinction no one in his major has claimed in over two years—he's spent his LSU career mastering the art of speaking to rooms where professors, seasoned engineers, and fellow students all need different things from the same presentation. His capstone project demanded exactly that: translating technical complexity for audiences with wildly different expertise levels. Through the LaACES ballooning program, he took on three distinct roles across multiple high-altitude projects, each one stretching his skills in new directions. When he's not engineering, he's bowling with LSU's club team or deep in a video game session. This fall, Beau heads just south of Atlanta to begin work as a Field Engineer.
Grace Ladner, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Faculty Advisor: Sumit Libi
Grace Ladner sings solos in the LSU Gospel Choir and engineers Raman spectroscopy systems. For her, the two have never been in conflict. Last summer, she interned at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center—conducting global outreach to biotech startups, analyzing patents, and working hands-on with PCR diagnostics. It was the kind of internship that asks you to think at multiple scales at once, and she was ready for it. Earlier in her undergraduate career, she designed a switch-adapted toy for children with disabilities—engineering with a direct human application—and her senior design project on Raman spectroscopy continues in that same direction. On campus, she mentors engineering students through the Society of Peer Mentors and tutors elementary students through VIPS. She studied abroad in Recanati, Italy, arriving with no Italian and navigating daily life in a community where English was rarely spoken. She left with a third language alongside Spanish and a clearer sense of what she is capable of when she has no choice but to figure it out. After graduation, Grace heads into biological engineering research and development.
Enson Li, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Enson Li can tackle complex Lego projects, speak Fuzhounese with his family, and explain cancer drug delivery systems to a room full of doctors—all with equal ease. As an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Qi Cai's lab, he's been developing an eye drop-based treatment for retinoblastoma, work that's led to presentations at the Louisiana Cancer Research Center's Annual Scientific Retreat and LSU Discover Day, as well as a potential publication. "One of the surprising places I leaned into my communication skills was in technical research," Enson says, "by being able to explain technical design and ideas to people of different majors and backgrounds." That skill proved just as valuable during his quality engineering internship at Solstice, where he navigated FDA regulatory systems for pharmaceutical inhaler propellants. When he's not in the lab or traveling for fun, he volunteers in Ochsner's Emergency Department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. After graduation, Enson plans to work in industry before pursuing medical school.
Gerard (Jared) Lorio, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Todd Monroe
"I genuinely enjoy doing hard things—especially the ones others tend to avoid,” Jared says. “I like pushing myself where the bar is high." A Goldwater Scholar and Amgen Scholar, he's spent his undergraduate years in the Monroe Microfluidics Laboratory developing engineered systems that improve how therapies are evaluated, work that sits at the intersection of biological engineering and medicine. The Amgen Scholars Program proved especially formative, immersing him in high-level research and pushing him to think more independently as a scientist. Jared's communication skills match his technical ones: presenting his research to his entire freshman Honors College class taught him to translate complex scientific ideas for broad audiences, a skill he'll need as a physician-scientist. When he's not in the lab, he resets through workouts and reading—both, he notes, challenge him in different ways. This fall, Jared begins a gap year focused on independent research before pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. and a career bridging the lab bench and the patient’s bedside.
Sydney MacDonald, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Kapolei, Hawai'i
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Sydney MacDonald is the kind of person who will crush you in Super Smash Bros and then invite you to her book club. Originally from Hawai'i—a fact that still surprises people when they learn she chose Louisiana for college—Sydney found her home in LSU's College of Engineering after switching from biology to biological engineering her junior year, drawn by the tight-knit community. She didn't just join that community; she built part of it, co-founding the Book Club @ LSU and serving as its president, a role where she discovered her communication skills flourishing in unexpected ways. Through the Society of Peer Mentors, she's volunteered at STEM outreach events, sharing her enthusiasm for engineering with the next generation. When she's not reading, working out, or gaming, she's feeding her love of travel—she's explored everywhere from Hot Springs, Arkansas to her home beaches in Makapu'u, with Japan and China on her bucket list. This spring, Sydney begins her career as a wastewater engineer, bringing her island-rooted curiosity to environmental challenges on the mainland.
Rishabh Malani, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Prairieville, La.
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Rishabh Malani grows night-blooming cereus, makes kulfi from his grandfather's recipe, and plays the clarinet — with the tabla and piano currently in progress. Mechanical engineering, it turns out, is where all of that precision and patience found a professional home. At BASF, Rishabh spent his internship navigating conversations with personnel across an entire chemical plant to gather data for his project. "It showed me how important clear and professional communication is in an industrial setting," he says. That same instinct extended into his outreach work: with the Engineering Diversity Affairs program, he visited Westdale Heights Academic Magnet to run STEAM demonstrations for students, and through Geaux Engineering, he welcomed incoming freshmen and guided them through hands-on water filtration projects. After graduation, Rishabh is pursuing full-time opportunities in mechanical engineering while also applying to graduate programs in biomedical or nuclear engineering at LSU.
Milain Marcel, Biological Engineering
Minors: Business Administration, Robotics Engineering
Hometown: Prairieville, La.
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Milain Marcel's goals for the year are to read 50 books and squat 405 pounds. She's a biological engineering major with minors in robotics and business administration, a passed Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, and over two years coaching high school powerlifters—so the ambition tracks. The throughline in her time at LSU has been finding ways to connect with people across different contexts. As a Supplemental Instructor, she worked through complex technical problems alongside students, learning to communicate both verbally and technically in the process. As emcee for the First Lego League LSU Qualifier, she ran the event from the front, engaged with student teams, and brought robotics and community into the same room. She's also earned the Engaged Citizen distinction, motivated by classes and service hours that kept her actively involved beyond campus. LSU's College of Engineering featured her on National Women in STEM Day—a moment she's proud of as an example for other women in the field. Her advisor notes she's "made an impact on LSU Engineering in many ways" through student organization involvement, SI, and research. After graduation, Milain is exploring engineering analytics and project management roles, with an MBA potentially on the horizon.
Evan McConnell, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Benton, La.
Faculty Advisor: Marybeth Lima
Evan McConnell can wiggle her eyebrows individually—a skill she insists has no practical application in biological engineering, though she hasn't stopped trying to find one. Adopted from China and raised in Louisiana, Evan has built a college career defined by curiosity and quiet leadership. As marketing chair of Tau Beta Pi and an active member of the Society of Women Engineers and Society of Peer Mentors, she's found her voice in unexpected places, including her on-campus job, where she discovered just how much her communication skills mattered. One of her proudest moments came leading a Girl Scout workshop to help local troops earn their STEM badges, cultivating the next generation of engineers one badge at a time. She's also graduating with Upper Division Honors, a distinction she earned through years of additional coursework and projects. "I am glad to be graduating with a distinction that demonstrates the hard work I have put in over the past 4 years," she says. When she's not crocheting, cooking, or gaming on her PC, Evan cheers loudly at Tiger Stadium—a convert to LSU athletics fandom. She's heading into the medical device industry, where she hopes to improve patient care while funding her aspirations to travel the world.
Emily Nguyen, Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Business Administration
Hometown: Gretna, La.
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Emily Nguyen spent her teen years in the kitchen of Nine Roses Restaurant, which her parents opened after they immigrated from Vietnam to New Orleans in the early 1980s. She's been working there since age 13—learning to stay calm during dinner rushes, juggle responsibilities under pressure, and connect with her Vietnamese heritage through food. Her time in the restaurant industry prepared her surprisingly well to handle the pressure in a totally different arena: designing and building a 30-pound combat robot for her engineering capstone project. She stepped into an unexpected leadership role on her Senior Design team, coordinating meetings, organizing presentations, and keeping everyone aligned through setbacks and redesigns. "Seeing something we designed from the ground up actually function in a real competition setting is what makes this project so rewarding," she says. Beyond the robot arena, Emily volunteered with Engineering Development Ambassadors, introducing K–12 students to STEM concepts she was learning in her own coursework—a natural extension of the service ethic she attributes to developing through her years at an all-girls Catholic high school. Her internship with Entergy bridged classroom theory and professional practice, building confidence she'll carry forward. This summer, Emily will join Entergy full-time in New Orleans as a Transmission Line Design Engineer.
Moises Osorio Ruiz, Environmental Engineering
Hometown: Monagrillo, Chitré, Panama
Faculty Advisor: Samuel Snow
Moises Osorio Ruiz arrived at LSU from Panama—the first in his family to pursue a degree outside their home country—with limited English and a goal to become a researcher. He can now dance salsa and merengue, speak English fluently, and present nanomaterials research at national conferences. He's been busy. In three years of undergraduate research, Moises has worked across water desalination, photocatalysis, and microbial disinfection, moving between Dr. Kofi Christie's lab, Dr. Samuel Snow's lab, and collaborative work with Dr. Stéphaniè Roualdes. He's presented at two national conferences, including his first on water splitting and hydrogen production using photoanode materials, and is currently working on his first manuscript for publication. "Research is not only about performing experiments or discovering new things," he says, "but also about how to communicate your findings to the rest of the world." On weekends he plays soccer, sits down for poker with friends, and reads—science and philosophy, depending on the mood. This fall, Moises heads to the University of Oregon to pursue a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering.
Tucker Poret, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Tucker Poret is a professional singer—which might explain why, when machinery drowned out voices during a visit to a chemical plant, his instinct was to find another way to get the message across. He pulled out a pen and pocket notebook and sketched a diagram on the spot. That kind of thinking carried him through nearly two years of co-op and internship experience. As an executive board member of LSU's American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics chapter, he spearheaded the revival of high-powered rocketry on campus—watching ten rockets launch and land (somewhat) safely remains the highlight of his time at LSU. As a CxC undergraduate peer communication coach, he helped students find their footing, and his work with the Society of Peer Mentors forged lasting friendships within his major. An aerospace engineering minor reflects a curiosity that extends well beyond the classroom; in his free time, he's been learning Spanish. After a much-needed mental reset hiking the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, Tucker heads to ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge as a static equipment engineer, and he proudly shares, “I will move into an apartment with a dishwasher.”
Ashlee Robinson, Industrial Engineering
Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
Faculty Advisor: Isa Nahmens
Ashlee Robinson has a knack for ending up in rooms she wasn't expecting to enter—side quests, as she calls them, that somehow bring her face-to-face with influential people most students only read about. It's a networking superpower she's honed through leading the LSU Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, where she helped rebuild the chapter after COVID gutted campus organizations. Watching students land internships, forge industry connections, and find community again has been one of her most rewarding experiences at LSU. Her internship with Enterprise Products Partners left such an impression that she cried on her last day. Beyond engineering, she's built a photography portfolio that spans senior portraits to fashion shoots, blending her technical precision with creative vision. Ashlee is proud to have earned Latin honors while juggling leadership roles, internships, and enough concerts and festivals to keep life interesting. After graduation, Ashlee plans to travel for a while before settling in Houston, where she'll join Castleton Commodities International as an Associate.
Abigail Savoy, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Branch, La.
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Abigail Savoy creates artistic flower arrangements for fun, and she reads people the way most engineers read schematics. As a biological engineering major and former LSU Softball infielder, she became an unlikely translator during her undergraduate research, bridging the gap between engineering professionals and athletic trainers who didn't always speak the same language. "I often found myself translating between the two," she says, drawing on years of experience in both worlds to benefit everyone at the table. Her weeks at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital as a Child Life Volunteer let her embrace play alongside pediatric patients, sparking an unexpected interest in a corner of medicine she hadn't considered before. Balancing a rigorous engineering degree with Division I athletics was, by her own account, the hardest thing she's ever done—and the experience that taught her just how much she's capable of. After a gap year, Abigail heads to medical school in Fall 2027, ready to thrive in the high-pressure, fast-paced moments where decisions matter most.
Grishma Shrestha, Computer Science (Software Engineering) and Mathematics
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Nash Mahmoud
Grishma Shrestha is the rare software engineer who codes in light mode—no dark theme, no exceptions, no apologies. She's also a published researcher: her work appears in ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, an A*-ranked journal, an achievement she shares with co-author Shristi Shrestha and advisor Nash Mahmoud. A first-generation college student earning degrees in Mathematics and Software Engineering, Grishma built her career through three summers at Chevron, where her second internship in Houston proved transformative—not just for the technical skills she gained, but for the networking that taught her to see recruiters as people rather than gatekeepers. Grishma has lately built a love of literature–devoured 28 audiobooks between October and January (Matt Haig is a favorite), and she's played violin for fourteen years, picking up solos for Nepali celebrations throughout college. This summer, she heads to Houston to join Chevron full-time as a software engineer.
Madeline Smith, Biological Engineering
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: The Woodlands, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Sumit Libi
Madeline Smith can sleep for 24 hours straight, a superpower she's tested more than once. But when she's awake, she's relentlessly productive. She has spent her LSU years building connections that matter, such as volunteering weekly with Volunteers in Public Schools, where she watched her young reading buddy transform from hesitant to confident. Her proudest achievement is her senior design project, which crystallized not just her engineering skills but her future direction. "It showed me exactly what I want to study in graduate school," she says. Outside the lab, she's a drummer who prioritizes weightlifting and clean eating with the same discipline she brings to her coursework. Madeline will pursue an online master's in Electrical Engineering while launching her career at a biotech company; proof that sleeping in and showing up aren't mutually exclusive.
Madeline (Maddy) St. Peter, Environmental Engineering
Hometown: Ocean Springs, Miss.
Faculty Advisor: William Moe
Maddy St. Peter can turn almost anything into a system—even her morning routine. It's a superpower she didn't always have, but one she's honed through years of navigating environmental engineering coursework and hands-on research in Dr. Pardue's lab. There, she applied classroom theory to real laboratory challenges while building relationships with graduate students and faculty that shaped her trajectory. "I came to LSU as someone who avoided putting myself forward unless I absolutely had to," Maddy says. "Over the past few years, I've challenged myself to speak up, take leadership roles, and engage more openly with others." Her quiet confidence emerged in team-based lab courses, where she found herself naturally guiding discussions and helping teammates work through uncertainty. As Social Chair for the Engineering Development Ambassadors, she's led interactive water filtration demonstrations that bring environmental engineering to life for others. She's wrapping up her final semester competing at New Mexico State University's WERC Environmental Design Contest—a capstone experience she calls the culmination of five years of learning. After graduation, she plans to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and pursue a career focused on sustainable infrastructure or water-related projects.
Raedan Stephens, Biological Engineering and Computer Science
Hometown: Covington, La.
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
From age 15 to 20, Raedan co-owned a wooden watch company—a detail that hints at the entrepreneurial streak now driving his work as CEO of Smartective, an AI startup focused on documentation and compliance solutions. He's earned dual degrees in Biological Engineering and Computer Science, a feat that required what he calls "A-level grades across two engineering degrees" and positions him as a contender for the University Medal. Research labs were an unexpected proving ground for flexing his communication skills; working with labmates on shared projects demanded the kind of consistent, clear dialogue that keeps complex work on track. Outside the lab, he's volunteered at the Companion Animal Alliance and channeled his love of woodworking, reading, and running into a life that balances activity with creativity. He also retains an impressive mental archive of random useless facts—a superpower he's happy to deploy at parties. Raedan will continue building Smartective alongside LSU faculty and alumni, shaping the future of AI-powered workflows one conversation at a time.
Rachel Stone, Industrial Engineering
Hometown: Metairie, La.
Faculty Advisor: Mahathir Mohammad Bappy
Rachel Stone takes shelter dogs on “little dates” around the LSU Lakes and to her sorority house to meet new people. That same commitment to connection shows up in her work: coordinating 130 delivery routes for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank as part of her Honors Thesis, organizing a book drive that donated 250 books to CASA, and planning everything from bounce houses to regional conference funding through the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers and LSU Student Government. Her senior capstone project transformed how the food bank manages agency requests, replacing physical binders with a searchable database that saves employees hours of sorting time. She's completed two internships in new states, including one where she systemized piping & instrumentation diagrams to meet OSHA safety standards—an experience that inspired independent research connecting her technical work to federal regulations. This September, Rachel heads to Houston to join ExxonMobil as a Contracts Lead in Transportation and Logistics Procurement.
Laura Toro Cuervo, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Laura Toro Cuervo speaks four languages and can play the piano blindfolded, but what she's most proud of is the dental crown remover she and her senior design team engineered from scratch. An international student from Colombia, Laura came to LSU determined to build a path toward healthcare, and she's done exactly that. She volunteered in the NICU and PICU at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital, where her fluency in Spanish allowed her to translate for families during some of their hardest moments. "Graduating as an engineer makes me super proud of the individual I've become," she says. Beyond the hospital, she served as worship director at her church for over a decade, leading musicians and learning to read a room in ways that sharpened her emotional intelligence long before engineering courses demanded it. Laura is weighing her options: a return to LSU for computer science, optometry school, or medical school—all paths that lead back to her dream of lending a helping hand in healthcare.
Cheyenne White, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Ponchatoula, La.
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Cheyenne White wants to make sure everyone is seen; she commits to talking with everyone as she goes about her day, from the person making her sandwich behind the deli counter to the building janitors she encounters around campus. The self-described extrovert who'd rather stay in than go out has a theory about connection: the world is smaller than people think, and those tiny moments—helping a stranger fix their collar in the bathroom mirror, bumping into someone with the same initials at Panera, helping a friend of a friend—are the ones that matter. Cheyenne most values the years she's spent working with Engineering Development Ambassadors, bringing STEM outreach to food pantries, animal shelters, and underfunded schools—work she describes as emotionally exhausting but essential. "I understand what it's like to not have a good role model growing up, someone in your corner," she says, “and while it can be exhausting, knowing I did something to make someone’s day better helps me sleep at night.” Her internship with ITT-Goulds Pumps took her to Seneca Falls, New York, where she says that seeing the birthplace of women’s rights “will stay in my heart a way I can't describe.” After graduation, Cheyenne joins Kiewit as a Field Engineer, with dreams of one day returning to LSU as a professor.
Gabriel Wilson, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Westampton, N.J.
Faculty Advisor: Eamonn Walker
Gabriel Wilson never expected to enter a speech competition, let alone win one. But earning first place at the 2024 Tiger Speech Competition is just one example of how he's consistently surprised himself as a communicator at LSU. It also isn’t the only time he’s reached excellence. As President of the National Society of Black Engineers, Gabriel led his chapter to Gold distinction, a recognition he calls "a symbol of all the hard work we put in this year to provide quality programming for our members." His engineering journey has taken him from maintenance intern to drilling and completions work with HESS in Houston, where he learned the oil and gas industry from the inside out, including time aboard a drillship. He's also a storyteller at heart who loves writing fiction and listening to music with what he describes as "really good hearing." Come August, Gabriel heads back to Houston to begin work at a chemical manufacturing company.
Gabriella (Gabby) Youssef, Civil Engineering
Hometown: Hingham, Mass.
Faculty Advisor: Suresh Moorthy
Gabby Youssef moved 1,600 miles from her small Massachusetts hometown to Baton Rouge in 2021, knowing no one—and she hasn't looked back. She's the kind of person who rallies others, whether that means motivating teammates on an engineering project or swapping sourdough starter tips in the kitchen. Her proudest achievement came in December 2025, when she passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam while still a full-time student, tackling material from courses she hadn't even taken yet. That determination extends beyond the classroom: Gabby found her most meaningful experience volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, building alongside fellow LSU students for a cause she believes in. She's made it a point to reach out to professors and peers, building relationships that have shaped her path toward structural engineering. Come graduation, Gabby heads back to the Northeast to begin her career in civil-structural engineering—sourdough loaves and all.
Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College
In addition to graduating from their senior colleges, the following LSU Distinguished Communicator Medalists are also graduating with Honors distinctions. Click on the student's name to navigate to their bio under their senior college.
Ibrahim Alam, Computer Science (Software Engineering)
Faculty Advisor: James Ghawaly Jr.
Hannah Alm-Gibson, Biochemistry and Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience)
Faculty Advisor: Janet McDonald
Mihir Babbar, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Frank Neubrander
Lillie Ballanco, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: David Vinyard
Briana Barnum, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Fan Zhang
Leah Bartholomew, Microbiology
Faculty Advisor: Igor Schneider
Virginia (Jena) Bordelon, Kinesiology (Human Movement Science)
Faculty Advisor: Senlin Chen
Anne Brasseaux, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: David Vinyard
Ana Cuadros Vargas Rosado, Architecture
Faculty Advisor: Fabio Capra Ribeiro
Halle Davis, Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Sunggook Park
Olivia (Liv) Forsman, Biochemistry
Faculty Advisor: Adam Bohnert
Isabel Hau, Biochemistry
Faculty Advisor: Zhi-Yuan Chen
Marc Hebert, Music and Computer Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Ali Kazemian
Tai Hua, Chemistry
Faculty Advisor: Kenneth Lopata
Waqar Jatoi, Architecture
Faculty Advisor: Gary Gilbert
Beau Johnson, Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Abry Layrisson, Mass Communication (Political Communication)
Faculty Advisor: Sadie Wilks
Jules LeJeune, Mass Communication (Digital Advertising)
Faculty Advisor: Becky Sadler
Enson Li, Biological Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Iresa Lincoln, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Danielle Thomas
Gerard (Jared) Lorio, Biological Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Todd Monroe
Milain Marcel, Biological Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Evan McConnell, Biological Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Marybeth Lima
Bryce McCutchan, Environmental Management Systems (Policy Analysis)
Faculty Advisor: Maud Walsh
Estelle Mensman, Communication Disorders and Interdisciplinary Studies (Individualized Studies)
Faculty Advisor: Eileen Haebig
Veronica Nguyen, Psychology and Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Heather Lucas
Tucker Poret, Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Katherine Pettrey
Faith Rispone, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Hollie Hale Donze
Noelle Rountree, Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: David Vinyard
Grishma Shrestha, Computer Science (Software Engineering) and Mathematics
Faculty Advisor: Nash Mahmoud
Hailey Sisung, Mathematics (Secondary Education)
Faculty Advisor: Zane Whittington
Madeline Smith, Biological Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Sumit Libi
Raedan Stephens, Biological Engineering and Computer Science
Faculty Advisor: Nick Totaro
Rachel Stone, Industrial Engineering
Faculty Advisor: Mahathir Mohammad Bappy
Emma Tsai, Biochemistry
Faculty Advisor: Ahmed Abdelmoneim
Hang Vu, Biochemistry
Faculty Advisor: Alexandra Noel
Eric Wang, Architecture
Faculty Advisor: Sergio Padilla
Raegan West, Natural Resource Ecology & Management (Wildlife Ecology)
Faculty Advisor: Lucien Laborde
Abigail Williams, International Studies (Global Diplomacy)
Faculty Advisor: Scott Madere
Madison (Maddie) Woodson, Environmental Management Systems (Policy Analysis)
Faculty Advisor: Maud Walsh
Madison Wray, Natural Resource Ecology & Management (Wildlife Ecology)
Faculty Advisor: Jeff Plumlee
Crysania (Rei) Zimmerman, English (Literature) and Liberal Arts (Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies)
Faculty Advisor: Lisa Hebert
College of Human Sciences & Education
Virginia (Jena) Bordelon, Kinesiology (Human Movement Science)
Minor: Biological Sciences
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Senlin Chen
Jena Bordelon worked in an ice cream shop for four years and still loves ice cream. She’s also a yacht rock enthusiast and an avid runner who completed her first half-marathon in December. She applies that same discipline to her coursework, leading to earning Sophomore Honors Distinction and graduating with a total of 32 hours of Honors courses—20 of which she earned in her Sophomore year. As a first-generation college student, she’s forged her own path through college, one that has taken her from the Louisiana State Capitol–where she presented her research through Louisiana Undergraduate Research Association (LaURA)–and the streets of Paris. Her summer in Paris included a project researching Vietnamese cultural presence—a project that required her to communicate across languages she didn't speak through visual, written, and technological means. Her clinical experience runs deep: she interned as an athletic trainer at a high school through Ochsner and now works as a Medical Assistant in orthopedics, building the hands-on skills she'll need for her next chapter. Come May, Jena applies to Physician Assistant school with plans to specialize in Orthopedic Surgery.
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Hannah Alm-Gibson, Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience) and Biochemistry
Hometown: Pearland, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Janet McDonald
Hannah Alm-Gibson likes to think long-term, like planting trees around The Five that she plans to visit as an alumna “to come back in twenty years and see the fruits of my labor” (she also likes a pun). She spent two years developing and conducting her own original psychology research for her College Honors thesis in cognitive neuroscience, fueled by countless cups of coffee and a genuine love for the work. At Raising Cane's, where she managed a restaurant for a year and a half, she discovered how much her communication skills had grown through daily professional emails, employee conflict resolution, and customer service challenges. What she's most proud of, though, isn't on any résumé: it's the community of friends she's cultivated in Baton Rouge, relationships she says have made her feel "loved, supported, and understood" in ways she'd never experienced before. After a gap year of travel and internships, Hannah will head to law school with plans to become an environmental justice lawyer, fighting for equity and accountability in climate mitigation efforts.
Estelle Mensman, Communication Disorders and Interdisciplinary Studies (Individualized Studies)
Minor: Psychology, Sociology, Honors
Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Faculty Advisor: Eileen Haebig
Estelle Mensman runs a special needs ministry in Baton Rouge—a fact that surprises people until they spend five minutes with her and realize her entire approach to life centers on patient, adaptable communication rooted in genuine care. That philosophy threads through everything she's done at LSU, from her research on speech-language pathology topics like childhood apraxia and augmentative communication devices to her internship with the Emerge Foundation, where she saw firsthand how nonprofit infrastructure supports meaningful clinical work. As a member of the LSU Beyond Leadership Cohort, she learned to lead without needing a title—a skill she's already put to use coordinating her ministry and mentoring others. "Communication is not just interpersonal but also critical in academic and analytical settings," she says, a lesson research taught her as she translated complex theories into clear presentations. When she needs to recharge, you'll find her at a local coffee shop with a good book or at her sewing machine, creating something with her hands. This fall, Estelle heads to graduate school to pursue a Master's in Speech-Language Pathology, where she'll continue helping others find their voices.
Veronica Nguyen, Psychology and Biological Sciences
Minor: Honors
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Heather Lucas
Veronica Nguyen is the living embodiment of bionic woman—her spine is part titanium, and she commits her skillsets and intellect to the public good. Growing up as the eldest daughter of Vietnamese immigrant parents in New Orleans, Veronica spent time accompanying her brother Andrew to appointments where he was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. Watching her parents navigate that alongside everything else shaped how she moves through the world—grabbing opportunities, she says, because she can. That instinct led her to dual degrees in Biology and Psychology with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience, research in Dr. Haam's neurobiology lab, and the realization that if the community she was looking for didn't exist, she'd build it herself. Synapse LSU, which she founded in May 2024, brings in researchers, physicians, and professors to speak, and has become the environment she'd been searching for. Apparently others were, too, since the organization has grown to 230 registered members in two years. She also serves in Student Government and has done peer mentoring—and when she's not doing any of that, she's on a pickleball court or, by her own admission, procrastinating. This fall, Veronica heads to LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine.
Jayden Perry, Psychology and Communication Disorders
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Whitney Sutherland
Jayden Perry can recite Beyoncé's entire discography on command and once performed a Pidgin Signed English interpretation of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" for a class project, bridging her love of music with her growing passion for Deaf culture. She discovered her calling for audiology through coursework that moved her from textbook learning to hands-on hearing screenings and research on whether AI voices might one day fool the human ear. As a Resident Assistant, she honed her skills in ways no classroom could replicate, mediating conflicts between residents and connecting peers to mental health resources. She's also earned induction into Psi Chi, the international psychology honor society—a distinction she's particularly proud of for the professional community it opens. This fall, after a gap year gaining clinical experience, Jayden plans to apply to graduate school to pursue audiology and continue advocating for the deaf and hard of hearing population.
A'shawna Smith, Sociology (Criminology) and Communication Studies
Hometown: Gainesville, Fla.
Faculty Advisor: Lisa Hebert
"A'shawna lights up a room," her advisor says—something her friends at karaoke nights could confirm. She also spent three years as a Resident Assistant making sure new students felt at home. The work she's most proud of started with an internship. After interning at the State Attorney's Office in Gainesville and with Victim Services in Baton Rouge, A'shawna noticed that many people had no idea how the legal system worked or what rights they had. So she built something: Injustice Reform at LSU, an organization she founded and leads as president, focused on helping students understand the criminal justice system and take action for change. She's also Vice President of Innocence at LSU and Secretary of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity — and somehow fit dual degrees in Sociology with a Criminology concentration and Communication Studies around all of it, never taking a summer off. Through Injustice Reform, she's organized "Say Their Names" events, painted murals, and cleaned parks. Her hidden talent is sewing. After graduation, she heads to law school.
Abigail Williams, International Studies (Global Diplomacy)
Minor: Geography, Political Science
Hometown: Lake Charles, La.
Faculty Advisor: Scott Madere
"There has never been a challenge that I put in front of Abigail that she did not overcome," her advisor says. "Her goodness is her greatness." That tracks for someone who was told in high school she wouldn't get into LSU—and who completed her senior capstone a year early, as a junior. Abbie Williams grew up on the Louisiana coast, where natural disasters were a fact of life. That background shaped her path: an International Relations major with minors in political science and geography, and a growing focus on the physical processes that put people at risk. Under Dr. Scott Madere's mentorship, she presented her capstone research at LSU Discover Day 2025. She's now working with Dr. Jill Trepanier on an LSU ASPIRE project studying the climatological drivers of Gulf Coast insurance losses—work headed to the Association of American Geographers (AAG) conference in San Francisco and LSU Discovery Day 2026. Last summer, CRC Group sponsored her to spend six weeks in London working with Lloyd's of London syndicates, with a weekend in Rome and a hike in Iceland along the way. She types 130 words per minute, fishes, and has been learning traditional Lebanese recipes from her roommate's mom. After graduation, Abbie plans to work in risk management in Dallas or New Orleans, immigrate to the UK by 30, and eventually earn a PhD in geoscience.
Erykah Williams, Sociology
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Dasny Hunt
Erykah Williams describes herself as naturally shy—which makes her three years working as a Registered Behavior Technician, coaching families through crisis moments and presenting data at IEP meetings, all the more notable. She's learned, she says, that "effective communication is not about being the loudest person in the room, but about being thoughtful, prepared, and intentional." That philosophy runs through everything she does. In school and clinical settings, she's worked with learners from kindergarteners to teenagers, creating visual supports, tracking behavioral data, and helping students find better ways to communicate their needs. She's done all of it while carrying a full-time course load in Sociology, landing on the Dean's List, and volunteering as an after-school tutor for students from low-income households. Her advisor describes her as someone who "does not give up in the face of challenges" and "approaches her work with professionalism and genuine passion." Outside work and school, Erykah does ballet, creates digital content and visual designs, journals, and is learning Spanish. After graduation, she plans to pursue graduate study in healthcare administration or leadership—aiming for a role where advocacy and communication can create change at an organizational scale.
Crysania (Rei) Zimmerman, English (Literature) and Liberal Arts (Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies)
Minor: Communication Studies
Hometown: McAllen, Texas
Faculty Advisor: Lisa Hebert
Rei Zimmerman completed not one but two capstone projects, one for each of her degrees, and still found time to learn quilting so they can stitch their LSU t-shirts into something lasting. On their path through English Literature and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies they have presented at academic conferences, studied abroad, and built a research focus on queer and feminist literature alongside botanical imagery and symbolism. But it's their work at the LSU Reveille since 2022 that Rei credits as their most formative experience, one that led directly to a position at The Advocate in 2025, where they have been able to put their skills to work in a professional newsroom. Perhaps most surprising to Rei is how deeply their communication training has shaped their personal life, helping them articulate boundaries and connect more clearly with friends and family. After graduation, Rei plans to pursue a master's and PhD with the goal of becoming a university professor—bringing the same rigor they've applied in the classroom up to the front.
Manship School of Mass Communication
Abry Layrisson, Mass Communication (Political Communication)
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Ponchatoula, La.
Faculty Advisor: Sadie Wilks
Abry Layrisson radiates the kind of warmth that makes people feel instantly at ease—a superpower she wields deliberately, whether she's cracking jokes or navigating tense Student Government meetings. As LSU's Student Body Vice President, she discovered that her most important communication work happened not at podiums but in behind-the-scenes conversations where she balanced competing perspectives and advocated for students. "Communication isn't just about delivering a message," she says. "It's about building understanding, even when conversations are challenging." Her campaign for Student Government vice president pushed her to grow as a leader, and the win affirmed something she'd hoped was true: that her collaborative, service-centered approach resonates with others. That position wasn’t the only goal Abry has met during her LSU journey, one she completed with honors while managing ADHD and dyslexia—challenges she's learned to work with rather than against. After graduation, Abry heads to graduate school while working for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, continuing the community-focused work that's defined her time at LSU.
Jules LeJeune, Mass Communication (Digital Advertising)
Minors: English (Creative Writing), Honors
Hometown: Lake Charles, La.
Faculty Advisor: Becky Sadler
Jules LeJeune's hidden talent is getting in costume and playing characters. She can also do the worm. That sense of playfulness feels appropriate for someone her advisor describes as "always curious about new, innovative ways of doing things better." At MESH Integrated Advertising Agency, she worked as a content creator intern, translating brand concepts into visual campaigns. Her communication coaching training surprised her by improving something she hadn't expected: her ability to connect with new people in everyday social interactions. Outside work, she writes, draws, and does improv—and she's proud of how broadly she got involved across campus, professionally and creatively. After graduation, Jules is headed toward a creative role in media or entertainment.
Ana Cristina Salazar Idiarte, Mass Communication (Public Relations)
Minor: Art and Design
Hometown: Ecuador
Faculty Advisor: Sadie Wilks
Ana Cristina’s superpower is her ability to strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. What might surprise you is how calm she stays when things get chaotic, a steadiness that served her well as she rose to Director of ImPRint, LSU's student-run PR firm. What started as a position she expected to be quiet turned into three years of hands-on campaigns, client work, and learning to apply classroom skills on the fly. Her bilingual fluency in Spanish and English, rooted in her Ecuadorian heritage, has become a bridge for connecting across cultures in a field built on human connection. Cristina pairs her Public Relations degree with an Art and Design minor, channeling her love of graphic design and arts and crafts into creative problem-solving. After graduation, she plans to continue her studies and travel, chasing the next opportunity to connect her passions with new aspirations.
College of Music & Dramatic Arts
Marc Hebert, Music and Computer Engineering
Read Marc's profile under the College of Engineering.
College of Science
Hannah Alm-Gibson, Biochemistry and Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience)
Read Hannah's profile under the College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
Mihir Babbar, Biological Sciences
Minor: Psychology, Honors
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Faculty Advisor: Frank Neubrander
Mihir Babbar founded LSU's Red Cross Club and grew it from zero to 250 members—an achievement that earned him local media coverage and recognition as both Red Cross Volunteer of the Year and recipient of the Spirit of the Red Cross Award. The club's signature initiative, Sound the Alarm, installs free smoke alarms in at-risk neighborhoods in Baton Rouge and educates families on fire safety and emergency preparedness. His advisor puts it simply: "From clinical care to campus leadership, Mihir goes above and beyond." As Youth and Young Adult Coordinator for the American Red Cross, he led disaster relief across Southeast Louisiana — finding different ways to communicate the same message to people in crisis until the resources available to them were clear. That same work led to his selection for the LSU College of Science SCI LEAD Council and a spot on LSU's Homecoming Court. His undergraduate research investigates the causal factors behind serious emotional and behavioral problems in children. He's lived in four different states. He plays four instruments, including violin. He also runs, goes to the gym, and go-karts. Medical school comes next.
Lillie Ballanco, Biological Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Hometown: Sunset, La.
Faculty Advisor: David Vinyard
Lillie Ballanco can taste the difference between tap and filtered water, and she can name the brand without ever seeing the label. She brings that same precision to her research, where she's worked on the purification and crystallization of rice lipoxygenase-1. But it's her competitive streak that surprises people most: board games, video games, sports—she's all in, regardless of skill level. Through MEDLIFE at LSU where she served as a club officer, Lillie traveled to Peru to help underserved communities access free healthcare: an experience that solidified her path toward medicine. "I did not realize when deciding to come to LSU just how much communication would play a role in my time as an undergraduate," she says. Her time spent working hard to raise her ACT score to the level she needed to join the Honors College paid off, and she’s now graduating with College Honors. When she's not in the lab or volunteering, she's baking for friends and family. Come fall, Lillie heads to dental school, with plans to specialize and eventually open her own practice.
Briana Barnum, Biological Sciences
Minor: Music
Hometown: Natchitoches, La.
Faculty Advisor: Fan Zhang
Briana Barnum has a twin sister, sings in a gospel choir, and cites her relationship with her faith as her greatest superpower. She's the kind of person who moves seamlessly between lab work and worship, between K-pop playlists and Richard Smallwood hymns. One of her proudest moments came not in a classroom but at Tara High School, where she volunteered with Humanities Amped and discovered she could use her Spanish coursework to connect with English Language Learner students—creating a space where she encouraged them to achieve big dreams. She earned College Honors from the Ogden Honors College, completing 32 hours of honors coursework and a senior capstone research project, all while landing on the Dean's and President's lists every single semester. Through the LSU Gospel Choir, she found a community of singers and a place to worship in song. This summer, Briana heads to a research internship before enrolling in a master's program—one more step on her path to medical school.
Leah Bartholomew, Microbiology
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Mandeville, La.
Faculty Advisor: Igor Schneider
Leah Bartholomew has strong feelings about the superiority of certain aquatic animals; she prefers the Senegalese bichir to the axolotl but she loves them both so much that they are the subject of her Honors College thesis. In fact, Leah calls her thesis "a scientific portrait of the model animals I have loved so much." Her communication skills have fed directly into leadership: organizing volunteers at Black Tie Auctions fundraisers across the South, taking charge in laboratory courses, and returning three consecutive years to Baton Rouge General Hospital's Raise the Barn events. When she's not in the lab, she's sewing or preparing for her prospective medical career by watching The Pitt with friends and family. She's most excited to be hooded by her advisor at Honors Graduation—the first recognition she’ll receive of her success at LSU. This summer, Leah dives into work as a phlebotomist and a server, and will also begin an internship at the St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office, with LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine on the horizon for August 2027.
Anne Brasseaux, Biological Sciences
Minors: Honors, Psychology, Spanish
Hometown: New Haven, Conn.
Faculty Advisor: David Vinyard
Anne Brasseaux can mount brain sections a fraction of the thickness of a fingernail onto slides like nobody's business, and has the moves for Cirque du Soleil, taking aerial silks classes for no credit, just fun. Both those skills demonstrate how Anne built a college career defined by precision and purpose. Her Honors thesis work taught her that detailed protocol writing for complex lab machinery isn't just bureaucratic—it's saved her more than once when she forgot an operational step. Beyond the lab, she found her most meaningful experience at the Open Health Care Clinic, where she witnessed medicine's many dimensions while serving patients who can't afford insurance. "It was an honor to be a part of that," she says. An avid Cajun and Creole dancer who plays five instruments and has a pact to visit as many National Parks as possible, Anne plans to take two gap years before medical school, continuing work at the Baton Rouge Orthopedic Clinic and the Baton Rouge Regional Eye Bank while pursuing health literacy research. Her ultimate goal: becoming an orthopedic spine surgeon.
Madison Cain, Chemistry (Secondary Education)
Minor: Coach Education
Hometown: Geismar, La.
Faculty Advisor: Zane Whittington
Madison Cain is the friend you call when your closet needs color-coded labels or your road trip needs an hour-by-hour itinerary. This self-proclaimed "super organized stickler for crafting a plan" has worked with kids ranging from a few months old to high school seniors, but her teacher residency at LSU became the experience that shaped her most, preparing her to run her own classroom with confidence. Her advisor says, “Madison connects with others authentically. Her classroom, whether in a school setting or a dancers’ workshop, reflects her commitment to use her communication skills to connect with others.” In an unexpected twist, her on-campus job with Campus Life proved to be a communication bootcamp: she helped students from all backgrounds grow their organizations through free speech alley table sits, Tigerlink advertising, and monthly meetings. Through it all, she maintained a GPA she's genuinely proud of as a chemistry major—no small feat. Come fall, Madison will be teaching high school chemistry in Louisiana, staying close to the family and friends she treasures while finally making time to travel more.
Eleanor (Ellie) Carroll, Biological Sciences
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Johnna Roose
Ellie Carroll went to Costa Rica on a medical campaign and came back knowing exactly what she wanted to do. The hands-on patient care she found there—and continued as a Personal Care Aide back in Baton Rouge—is what's pulling her toward medical school. At LSU, she balanced multiple jobs, sorority commitments, and volunteer work at the campus animal shelter across four years, graduating on time with her Biological Sciences and Psychology coursework behind her. She's a self-proclaimed neat freak who goes on walks to decompress and once helped her roommate produce and upload a YouTube video, putting communication skills to use somewhere she hadn't expected. After a gap year, Ellie heads to LSUHSC in New Orleans for medical school.
Dicko Diallo, Chemistry
Minor: French
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Johnna Roose
Dicko Diallo speaks four languages. Growing up in Senegal and visiting countries across multiple continents before arriving at LSU as a first-generation college student gave her a head start on that—and on knowing how to move through unfamiliar environments. At the LSU Vet School, she's spent over a year in Dr. Rebecca Christofferson's lab researching dengue virus transmission—hatching Aedes aegypti eggs, maintaining Vero cells, running qPCR and plaque assays, and co-authoring a paper along the way. Her advisor describes the work as requiring genuine "patience and persistence," which the mosquito wrangling confirms. She's also researched water quality and marine species at LUMCON along the Houma navigation canal into Terrebonne Bay, and completed a separate project on diatoms. Outside the lab, she volunteered at Baton Rouge General—navigating patient interactions across language and background—and worked with the President's Student Ambassadors, meeting students from across the country. She plays soccer. After graduation, she plans to work as a laboratory technician before pursuing her master's degree.
Olivia (Liv) Forsman, Biochemistry
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Adam Bohnert
Olivia paints, embroiders, and crochets her way through academic stress. Somewhere between crochet hooks and surgical hooks, Liv Forsman found her calling. She's spent her undergraduate years toggling between creative outlets—painting, embroidery, a new puppy named Ziggy—and the rigorous demands of maintaining a 4.0 while working in an emergency department. Her proudest academic work came in Dr. Adam Bohnert's lab, where she studied the biosynthetic qualities of peroxisomes in *C. elegans* and their implications for cellular regeneration. But ask Liv what she's most proud of, and she'll point to her time as an SI leader, helping other students navigate the transition to college life. Her Swedish heritage—her father immigrated from Sweden—has shaped her worldview, giving her a global perspective she carries into patient care. After graduation, she's taking a gap year at Ochsner Emergency Department before heading to medical school to pursue neurosurgery.
Isabel Hau, Biochemistry
Minor: Chemistry
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Zhi-Yuan Chen
Isabel Hau has spent the past three and a half years in Dr. Chen's lab researching host-pathogen interactions in maize and soybean, with a forthcoming publication on zygosity and an ongoing senior thesis to show for it. Her advisor calls her "an exceptional student." The lab isn't the only place she's been. She's coached a pre-competitive youth soccer program at Baton Rouge Soccer Club since 2021, and has shadowed physicians across ophthalmology, plastic surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology at Baton Rouge General, Eye Medical Center, and Open Health Clinic—adding a dermatology internship with Lafayette Dermatology in August 2025. Volunteering at McKinley Elementary brought something different: "Interacting with students and being able to teach them new concepts brought me purpose as I saw their excitement and progress," she says. She sews, makes cards, bakes, plays piano, and is teaching herself guitar. She also falls asleep during every movie she's ever watched — but wake her from a nap and she'll be up within fifteen minutes. After graduation, she's planning to travel before pursuing medical school.
Tai Hua, Chemistry
Hometown: ZhongShan, China
Faculty Advisor: Kenneth Lopata
Tai Hua can name—and sing—more classic country songs than most people would expect. But surprises are kind of his thing: he's also a cook who recreates traditional dishes from cultures around the world, an avid fisherman, and a researcher who landed a first-author publication in The Journal of Physical Chemistry A as an undergraduate. His work in the Lopata Lab focuses on computational and theoretical chemistry, where his research earned him the American Chemical Society Undergraduate Award in Physical Chemistry. At LSU Discover Day, Tai found himself drawing on every communication mode he'd practiced—writing abstracts, presenting to faculty, fielding questions—and discovered he genuinely enjoyed translating complex science for broader audiences. Tai is proud to be recognized as both a Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher and Distinguished Communicator, saying, “together, they reflect the balance I have worked hard to build between conducting rigorous research and sharing scientific knowledge with others." Super Science Saturday became another favorite: he loved sparking curiosity about chemistry in community members of all ages. Tai heads to graduate school this fall to pursue both computational and experimental chemistry, with his sights set on a national laboratory or academic career where he can advance research while mentoring the next generation of scientists.
John Lee IV, Biological Sciences
Minor: Music
Hometown: Arvada, Colo.
Faculty Advisor: Prosanta Chakrabarty
John Lee has broken three bones and plans to pursue a career in orthopedics–apparently he liked the X-ray room so much he decided to work there. A Colorado native who earned Eagle Scout before college, John built his undergraduate years around service and leadership. As logistics coordinator for the SCI Lead Council, he orchestrated events while fostering community among his peers in the College of Science. He also served as a Supplemental Instruction Leader and volunteered with Hospice of Baton Rouge, where he connected with elderly patients in ways he says "you couldn't find elsewhere." John loves to be outdoors, particularly in the Rocky Mountains, where he finds peace through prayer. He also loves music, and has played the trombone since he was 12 years old–you may have spotted him in the LSU Tiger Band! After graduation, John heads home to Colorado to work as an Orthopedic Technician before pursuing medical school and an Orthopedic Surgery residency—a path driven by his belief that helping people move without pain is among the most meaningful work there is.
Iresa Lincoln, Biological Sciences
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.
Faculty Advisor: Danielle Thomas
Iresa Lincoln can do the worm, color-code a schedule down to the minute, and explain soccer drills to kindergartners using hand-drawn visuals—all with equal enthusiasm. She's spent five semesters coaching youth soccer in Baton Rouge, where many of her athletes' families spoke primarily Spanish. The experience pushed her to communicate across languages and age groups, translating complex ideas into something a six-year-old could run with. That same adaptability shows up in her research: as an undergraduate assistant in LSU's Human Development & Daily Life Lab, Iresa studies motor development in autistic children and is completing an honors thesis on movement patterns during feeding activities. "It reminded me that I am capable of doing hard things," she says of earning college honors through years of rigorous coursework. She's also volunteered with Humanities Amped, tutoring English language learners at a local high school. After graduation, Iresa plans to travel and spend time with family before starting medical school in the fall.
Veronica Nguyen, Biological Sciences and Psychology
Read Veronica's profile under the College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
Faith Rispone, Biological Sciences
Minor: Honors, Psychology
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Hollie Hale-Donze
Faith Rispone is the kind of person you go to when you don't know how to help someone. Her friends call her the "world's biggest empath," and Faith has spent her college years turning that deep feeling into tangible action. At LSU Basketball Concessions, she discovered that even volunteer work demands holistic communication. At the Miracle League, she built friendships as a buddy during inclusive baseball games with LSU's Inclusive Student Connection. Through the College of Science's Sci Lead Council, she honed her leadership alongside her dual degrees in Biological Sciences and Psychology. "I grew up being shy and not really ever saying much of anything," she says, "so pursuing this medal gives me tangible evidence of the hard work I've put into learning how to communicate effectively." When she's not on a run or trying a new restaurant with her fiancé—her high school sweetheart—Faith is preparing for medical school, where she'll pursue a dual MD/MPH degree on her path to becoming an infectious diseases physician.
Caleb Robinson, Physics
Hometown: Gonzales, La.
Faculty Advisor: Natalie Hinkel
Despite the fact that Caleb Robinson is currently finishing his second bachelor's degree, he still has an unfulfilled secret ambition of performing in a musical—a dream he says even his closest friends aren’t aware of. After earning a B.A. in Global Studies in 2022, he felt an overwhelming pull toward physics and engineering and started as an undergraduate all over again. For eight years, he's balanced full-time coursework with a part-time job as a server, which he credits as invaluable practice for public speaking. That practice paid off: he was invited twice to deliver talks on neutron stars to the Baton Rouge community through Astronomy on Tap and the BR Astronomical Society. And that isn’t the only way he’s communicating–Caleb is also teaching himself the Cajun French his ancestors were forced to abandon. He also earned the Physics & Astronomy Department Service Award for his recruiting work and served as a peer mentor for incoming science students. A naval history buff, Caleb is building a 1:350 scale replica of the USS Kidd and plans to commission into the Navy as a nuclear officer, working to power the aircraft carriers at the heart of the fleet–after he marries “the girl of his dreams” and honeymoons across the Mediterranean in October.
Noelle Rountree, Biological Sciences (Secondary Education)
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Lacombe, La.
Faculty Advisor: David Vinyard
Noelle Rountree has sixteen years of classical ballet training and has played nearly every Pokémon installment—currently fitting in Resident Evil 4 Remake between shifts. Both feel true to someone who has spent her undergraduate years moving between extremes: from Dr. Teruyama's lab researching sexual dimorphic oxytocin receptors in mice, to the St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office assisting autopsies, to scrubbing into aortic bypasses and thyroidectomies as a Patient Care Assistant at Baton Rouge General, where she's logged 750+ hours and trained new hires. She grew up as a "no sabo kid"—Spanish fragmented by generational distance—and picked up a Spanish minor that reconnected her to family and took her to study medical Spanish at La Universidad de Alcalá in Spain. She's completing her senior thesis in Dr. Teruyama's lab for Upper Division Honors Distinction, a process she describes as the most challenging of her college career. Last year, she organized charity ballet classes at a local studio—emailing nonprofits, coordinating logistics, and designing all promotional materials herself—donating the proceeds to a Louisiana charity. After graduation, Noelle plans a gap year of clinical work, family time, and travel before medical school.
Sarah Saxon, Biological Sciences (Secondary Education)
Minor: Business Administration
Hometown: Arnold, Md.
Faculty Advisor: Zane Whittington
Sarah Saxon spent half of high school in a culinary program before realizing she'd rather work on teeth than plate entrées — a pivot that led her to LSU, a Biological Sciences major with a concentration in education and a minor in business administration, and eventually to dental assisting and beyond. Her hidden superpower, she says, is “multitasking to the nth degree,” which tracks for someone who captains LSU's Women's Ultimate Frisbee team, has traveled to Lima, Peru and San José, Costa Rica on mobile medical service learning trips, completed a teaching residency in a sixth-grade classroom, and helped revive LSU's MedLife club, where she now speaks at interest meetings to recruit future trip participants. Her advisor describes her as someone who "truly inspires those around her" and "commits herself to service to her community." The teaching residency left her with a philosophy she carries everywhere: making learning fun makes it stick, regardless of who you're teaching. Outside school, she paints, bakes, crochets, and plays D&D. This July, Sarah begins her DDS at LSUHSC Dental School in New Orleans, with plans to pursue the Navy Dental Corps Health Professions Scholarship Program and eventually serve aboard a ship.
Aaron Scott, Physics (Astronomy)
Minor: Mathematics
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, MD
Faculty Advisor: Mathew Chamberlain
At 40 hours in the cockpit and counting, Aaron Scott earned his private pilot's license while simultaneously pursuing a degree in physics—a combination of precision and altitude that suits someone whose ultimate destination is NASA's astronaut program. His path to the stars runs through service first: as an Air Force ROTC cadet, he served in the color guard at LSU's 2024 LSU Salutes game, standing on the field with the flag during the national anthem with 100,000 fans roaring around him. A semester-long teaching internship let him guide high schoolers through physics experiments and college decisions, sharpening his ability to meet learners where they are. Even his job at a local golf course became an unexpected communication training ground, where he discovered that teaching new coworkers and helping customers demanded the same clarity he'd need in a cockpit or classroom. When he's not running double-digit miles to clear his head, Aaron breeds tropical fish and attends conventions to geek out over rare species. This spring, he commissions into the U.S. Air Force as a nuclear physicist and heads to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to begin a master's in nuclear reactor engineering—one calculated step closer to the astronaut corps.
Grishma Shrestha, Mathematics and Computer Science (Software Engineering)
Read Grishma's profile under the College of Engineering.
Hailey Sisung, Mathematics (Secondary Education)
Minor: Theatre
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Faculty Advisor: Zane Whittington
Hailey Sisung can recite the entire pilot episode of *Once Upon a Time* from memory—a skill that, admittedly, hasn't come up in her classroom yet, but one that speaks to her dedication once she commits to something. That commitment shows up everywhere: nine years of competitive cheerleading, a 4.2 GPA, and countless hours preparing for the Praxis exam to earn her Louisiana Teaching Certificate. Her student teaching experience at a Baton Rouge high school confirmed what she'd long suspected—that building relationships with students while helping them navigate mathematics is exactly where she belongs. "Getting to be in a high school classroom teaching math every day was an invaluable experience that affirmed my desire to teach," she says. Beyond the classroom, Hailey has leaned into deep reflection as a practice, using it to strengthen relationships and take actionable steps forward. Come fall, she'll be teaching high school math in Louisiana, with plans to eventually pursue a master's degree in secondary education.
Emma Tsai, Biochemistry
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Faculty Advisor: Ahmed Abdelmoneim
Since her freshman year, Emma Tsai has been in the Abdelmoneim Lab studying how microplastic leachates affect zebrafish development—work that led to a first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal, presentations at the Society of Toxicology annual meeting and ABRCMS 2025, and a $3,000 LSU Project Grant. Her Honors Capstone investigates the genetics behind lead poisoning in early development. Last summer, she was selected for Northwestern University's competitive SROP program, where she researched the genetic relationship between suicide and schizophrenia in the Heart-GeN Lab. Her advisor describes her as someone who "consistently takes full ownership of her work and approaches every project with independence, rigor, and accountability." She's also the Outstanding Sophomore Award recipient from the LSU College of Science, VP of Communication for LSU Research Ambassadors, a Med Buddies mentor in Alpha Epsilon Delta, and a peer tutor in general chemistry—where she discovered that drawing molecular diagrams on whiteboards often lands better than words alone. She loves to bake, doesn't particularly like desserts, and makes a first pancake that always comes out the best. This fall, Emma begins medical school.
Hang Vu, Biochemistry
Minor: Sociology
Hometown: Slidell, La.
Faculty Advisor: Alexandra Noel
Hang Vu spent months during COVID perfecting her macaron recipe, making sure they rose, had feet, and had smooth tops—the kind of patience that also serves her well in the Noël Lab, where she's been conducting research since her freshman year. That research earned her a spot at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, where presenting to students and scholars across disciplines broadened her sense of how science connects to real-world problems. Her internship with the Louisiana Center for Health Equity took that further: she researched maternal and infant health disparities in Louisiana, served as a camp counselor at the Youth Peace Olympics and LYFE Line Teen Summit leading workshops on budgeting and healthy relationships, and mentored college students in advocacy through the Health Crusaders program. Outside school and work, she sews, crochets, does diamond painting, bakes, and plays guitar and piano. Hang heads to medical school this fall.
NgocMai Maria Vu, Biological Sciences
Hometown: Slidell, La.
Faculty Advisor: Hollie Hale-Donze
NgocMai Vu describes herself as someone who used to be very quiet. At LSU, she became a peer mentor, a research ambassador, and the person in Dr. Christofferson's lab who realized, mid-experiment, that research was her calling. That lab—in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the LSU Vet School—is where she's spent the past year studying how Batai and Bunyamwera viruses grow in insect cells at different temperatures, working with cell culture, viral infection, and RT-qPCR under biosafety conditions. As VP of Events for LSU Research Ambassadors, she organized campus panels connecting students with faculty researchers. Through Student Support Services, she mentored first-generation students as a peer mentor and hosted science skills workshops as an Academic Family Leader for the College of Science. She also volunteered as a reading and math buddy through VIPS, and worked as a peer mentor with LSU's Integrative Community Studies program, supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. A first-generation American and college student, NgocMai says graduating with her degree in Biological Sciences represents years of hard work—for herself and her family. After graduation, she heads to a PhD program to study infectious diseases and bacterial pathogenesis, hoping to translate lab discoveries into better prevention and treatment strategies for patients.