Ridington and Argonaut awards presented at Commencement

English major Rebecca H Halaney and Physics major Kaitlyn Marie Bowser were honored with The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award for writing the best senior papers. Five undergraduates were tied for the highest cumulative GPA and were recipients of the Argonaut Award: Jessia Marie Avila, Kaitlyn Marie Bowser, Kaitlyn Nicole Holstein, Jonah Warman Ruskin, and Cara E Woolston.

2022 Argonaut Award Winners — **The Argonaut Award** for the highest cumulative GPA during their entire completed courses of study was given to five undergraduates: Kaitlyn Marie Bowser, Jessia Marie Avila, Kaitlyn Nicole Holstein, Jonah Warman Ruskin, and Cara E Woolston.

The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award and the Argonaut Award for the highest cumulative undergraduate GPA were presented May 21 during McDaniel College’s 152nd Commencement.

The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award

The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award for the best senior paper was awarded to two students. Rebecca H Halaney of Austin, Texas, and Kaitlyn Marie Bowser of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, were honored with The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award for the best senior papers.

Kaitlyn Marie Bowser graduates summa cum laude and a College Scholar with departmental honors in Physics. Her paper titled “Creating and Characterizing Photonic Crystals” earned the top writing award.

According to Physics professor Apollo Mian, “Bowser’s project was to create photonic crystals (PhC) and characterize their quality using reflection spectroscopy. In the past, my colleagues at the University College London (UCL) graciously provided PhCs for us to study here at McDaniel College. Her successful growth of several high-quality PhCs opens up a new chapter in our collaboration with UCL.”

During the Senior Investiture and Honors Convocation on Friday, May 20, Bowser received The Maria Leonard Senior Book Award and The Eloise B. and Lowell S. Ensor Award for Graduate or Professional Study. She will be pursuing a master’s degree in Physics with a specialization in Optics at the University of Oregon this fall through their Graduate Internship Program and then a career in the photonics industry.

Kaitlyn Marie Bowser - Ridington — Kaitlyn Marie Bowser of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, was awarded the Argonaut Award for achieving the highest cumulative grade-point average and one of two Edith Farr Ridington Awards for best senior paper.

Rebecca H Halaney, who graduates magna cum laude and a College Scholar with departmental honors in English, earned the top writing award for her honors paper titled “Words of Mass Destruction: ‘The Turner Diaries’ and the Rhetoric of Terrorist Fiction,” which was presented at the Maryland Collegiate Honors Conference.

Halaney has served as co-editor-in-chief of the college’s Contrast literary magazine and as a Writing Center tutor. In addition to the Honors Program, she has also been a member of the Honor and Conduct Board.

She participated in undergraduate research with the English department for the Westminster Detective Library. Additionally, Halaney has worked as a student ambassador in Admissions and interned in the Office of Communications and Marketing.

In addition to The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award, she earned The Makosky Award for Excellence in English at the Senior Investiture and Honors Convocation on Friday, May 20.

Becca Halaney - Ridington — Rebecca H Halaney of Austin, Texas, received an Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award for her senior paper.

The Argonaut Award

The Argonaut Award for the highest cumulative GPA during their entire completed courses of study was given to five undergraduates: Jessia Marie Avila, Kaitlyn Marie Bowser, Kaitlyn Nicole Holstein, Jonah Warman Ruskin, and Cara E Woolston.

Jessia Maria Avila of Waldorf, Maryland, graduates summa cum laude and a College Scholar with departmental honors in Political Science and a second major in Marketing. Avila is a Dorsey Scholar and a Global Fellow and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. She was awarded The Mary Ward Lewis Prize as the outstanding female member of the graduating class and The Maria Leonard Senior Book Award.

Kaitlyn Marie Bowser of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, graduates summa cum laude and a College Scholar with departmental honors in Physics. She received The Maria Leonard Senior Book Award and The Eloise B. and Lowell S. Ensor Award for Graduate or Professional Study in addition to The Edith Farr Ridington Writing Award.

Kaitlyn Nicole Holstein of Mount Airy, Maryland, graduates summa cum laude as a Social Work major. She was given the Dr. Mary Ellen Elwell ’50 Distinguished Social Work Award.

Jonah Warman Ruskin of Kensington, Maryland, graduates summa cum laude with departmental honors in Chemistry. He was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa as a junior.

Cara E Woolston of Baltimore, Maryland, graduates summa cum laude with departmental honors in English and a second major in Spanish. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. She is also the recipient of the Maria Leonard Senior Book Award and the Frank and Margaret Malone Award for Excellence in a Foreign Language.