Graduation Awards - College of Medicine and Life Sciences

Graduation Awards – Class of 2025

Please join us in recognizing these outstanding students, faculty, residents and staff who receive awards ahead of graduation. The Class of 2025 Graduation Awards will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 3 p.m. in Collier Building, Room 1000A/B.

Graduate Student Awards

Doctor of Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Nicholas Henkel
Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Benjamin French
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Medical Physics Program Outstanding Student: Danielle Daiger
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Physician Assistant Program Outstanding Student: Charlene Glisson
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Transplantation and Donation Sciences Program Outstanding Student: Amuche Oji
Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Pathology Assistant Program Outstanding Student: Sophia Wedel
Emergency Medical Services Outstanding Student: Ethan Weinrich

Medical Student Awards

The Glidden L. Brooks Award

The Glidden L. Brooks Award, named in honor of the first president of the former Medical College of Ohio, is presented annually to that graduating medical student who is distinguishable by superiority in all phases of the curriculum.

Mackenzie Elrod
Lauren Fang

Grace Hamilton
Rida Naqvi

Deepanshu Singh

Dean’s Award

The Dean's Award is awarded to that graduating medical student who, in the eyes of fellow students, shows the greatest promise as a practitioner of medicine.

Arpita Rhea Saha

Sam Schaeffer, M.D. Award: Jun Kyoung
Office of Student Affairs Award for Excellence in Career Advising: Kristen Rockwell
Lucien E. Morris, M.D., Anesthesiology Award: Margo Bush
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award: Janie Liang
Outstanding Student in Emergency Medicine Award: Gabriel Moss
Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, M.D. Award: Hannah Roberts
Harry E. Mayhew, M.D. Department of Family Medicine Award: Jennifer Russell
Toledo/Lucas County Academy of Family Physicians Award: Adam Hiltz
Inclusion and Opportunity Award: Kyla Johnson
American College of Physicians of Ohio Chapter Outstanding Medical Student of the Year: Michael Stuckert
George D. Ludwig, M.D. Prize in Internal Medicine: Lauren Peltier
Patrick J. Mulrow, M.D. Award in Internal Medicine: Alexander Didier and Rawnag El Sheikh Idris
Excellence in Infectious Diseases: Isa Malik
Excellence in Immunity: Ashley Wagenhauser
Mark Rayport M.D., Ph.D. Award in Neurological Surgery: Andrew Waack
American Academy of Neurology Medical Student Prize for Excellence in Neurology: Nicholas Henkel
Outstanding Students in Neurology Award: Alisa Gega
Outstanding Student in Obstetrics and Gynecology Award: Queena Yakun Zhao
Outstanding Orthopaedic Student Award: Brett Hoffman
Pathology Award for Most Outstanding Student: Mackenzie Elrod
Marian M. Rejent, M.D. Award in Pediatrics: Ashley Wagenhauser
Eleanore Coghlin. M.D. Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation Medicine: Ryan Jones
Psychiatry Excellence Award: Jack Mariani
Dr. Theodore P. and Evelyn H. Chengelis Award in Psychiatry: Julia Dillard
Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Association Medical Student Award: Grace Zachar
2025 United States Public Health Service Excellence Award: Sydney Hatch
Outstanding Student in Radiology Award: Bryce Flickinger
Marion C. Anderson, M.D. Award for Excellence in Surgery: Grant McDaniel
Toledo Surgical Society Medical Center Student Recognition Award: Aaron Grau
Edward F. Ockuly, M.D. Student Award in Urology: Natalie Mainland
Reginald Baugh, M.D. Prize: Kyla Johnson

Humanism in Medicine Award

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Awards presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation are bestowed on one graduating medical student and one faculty member who embody outstanding humanistic traits in the delivery of care to patients and their families and in their interactions with students, faculty, and staff. The recipients are selected by the graduating class.

Jun Kyoung

Medical Student

Danae Hamouda, M.D.

Faculty Member

Distinction in Research Awards

The College of Medicine and Life Sciences has an annual Distinction in Research Award for students in the M.D. program. Research conducted by M.D. students is very often a major driving force of a lab’s success, and in turn makes a significant contribution to the success of research at the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. The COMLS Medical Student Research Committee has been instrumental in assuring quality research opportunities for students in the M.D. program. Students who are awarded the status of Distinction of Research will have that listed on their diploma and receive a certificate.

Vaishnavi Aradhyula
Sarit Dhar
Alexander Didier
Sishir Doddi
Aaron Grau

Brett Hoffman
Nickelas Huffman
Jun Kyoung
Grant McDaniel
Devon Patel

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society

The Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society was founded in Chicago in 1902 by medical students to formulate higher ideals of scholastic achievement and to foster the scientific and philosophical features of the medical profession. The Delta of Ohio chapter at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences was installed in 1974. Election to membership is extended to junior and senior medical students whose academic excellence places them in the upper sixth of their class and who show promise of leadership in medicine. Induction in the junior year is extended to the top 8% of the class.

Warren Back
Martina Blazevic
Margo Bush
Connor Campbell
Sarit Dhar
Alexander Didier
Julia Dillard
Mackenzie Elrod
Lauren Fang
Aaron Grau
Grace Hamilton

Marwa Hassan
Nicholas Henkel
Brett Hoffman
Saira Khan
Lauren Peltier
Michael Rice
Ian Risser
Zachary Schreckenberger
Gagandeep Singh
Deepanshu Singh
Addison Sparks

Taylor Spurgeon-Hess
Madison Stolly
Madison Vargo
Alexander Vogel
Andrew Waack
Ashley Wagenhauser
Erika Wilt
Queena Yakun Zhao

Gold Humanism Honor Society

The Gold Humanism Honor Society is a national honor society initiated in 2001 by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation to recognize individuals who have demonstrated exemplary attitudes and behaviors characteristic of the most humanistic physicians, including integrity, excellence, compassion, altruism, respect, empathy and service. The University of Toledo chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society was founded in 2005. The members are selected by peer nomination and endorsed by the College of Medicine and Life Sciences Senior Leadership Team.

Vaishnavi Aradhyula
Marina Atallah
Chelsie Baylor
Nicholas Bean
Dharmindra Dulal
Kaylee Fredrickson
Nathan Gembreska
Jerrin George
Nicholas Henkel

Adam Hiltz
Jun Kyoung
Jack Mariani
Alicia Nahhas
Yvonne Ogrodzinski
Lauren Peltier
Lauren Rager
Arpita Rhea Saha
Zachary Schreckenberger

Kathryn Schubauer
Elizabeth Shimoura
Alyssa Siano
Addison Sparks
Madison Stolly
Ashima Thusu
Ashley Wagenhauser
Grace Zachar

Teaching Awards

Please join us in recognizing these outstanding faculty members who receive awards ahead of graduation:

Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Awards

The Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Awards for teaching excellence are named in honor of Dr. Tidrick, a surgeon and outstanding educator on the faculty of the former Medical College of Ohio from 1969 until his death in June 1983, at the age of 73. Faculty, both basic scientists and clinicians, are selected for the honor each year by members of the graduating class of medical students.