B.S. in Psychology
Buffalo Grove, Ill.

Presentation Remarks:

Jenna, the scope of your impact at Denison is so broad that you received compelling nominations for the President’s Medal from the Department of Psychology for your scientific accomplishments and from the Department of Dance for your artistic accomplishments. You have towered as a student of neuroscience, both inside the lab and in carrying that commitment to the surrounding community by promoting the public understanding of neuroscience. Your refined lab skills and superb science writing resulted in your co-authorship with Professor Nestor Matthews of an article appearing last year in the influential journal Vision Research, and you were the driving force behind and co-author of three additional peer-reviewed abstracts presented at the annual conference of the Vision Sciences Society. All of these accomplishments climaxed just two weeks ago when you learned that you had been awarded the highly coveted National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship.

You also have been one of the leading NERDS in the College — a prominent member of the highly active Denison group, Neuroscience Education and Research. You played a key role in organizing three successive Brain Bees at Denison, and you championed the initiative “NERDS Without Borders” that has made neuroscience education accessible to the public in central Ohio. Your meticulous neuroscience recordings may be heard on iTunes’ “Brain Facts,” which became #1 on the “Top Downloads” charts in 2009, to be displaced only by President Obama’s inaugural address! In the arts arena you came to Denison well-trained in the technique of ballet, and one of your dance professors comments that the fact that you landed “three successful auditions speaks volumes about your technical abilities and your capacity to deliver under pressure.” Beyond these pursuits, you have been violinist in the Denison Orchestra and an energetic leader in Hope for Autism, just some of the activities that led to your receiving the Distinguished Leadership Award.

Jenna, congratulations on your acceptances by some of the top graduate programs in the country. Your record is truly an inspiration to all students who aspire to achieve in a multiplicity of ways. We are grateful that you have graced us with that kind of example and look forward to hearing about your continued achievements in the future.

Student Achievements:

Phi Beta Kappa; Department of Psychology - Senior Fellow, Statistics Computer Lab Monitor; Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship; Paschal Carter Scholarship; Anderson Award; Anderson Summer Scholar Research Assistantship Directed Study - “Hemifield effects in vision”; Honors Program - Mentor; Mortar Board (National College Senior Honorary); Sigma Xi (The Scientific Research Society) - Grant - in - Aid of Research; Phi Society; Dean’s List; Brain Facts Recording; Articulate - Editorial Board; Nu Rho Psi (Neuroscience Honorary) President, Vice President; Neuroscience Education and Research at Denison (NERD) - Vice President, Treasurer; Psi Chi (Psychology Honorary) - Secretary; Office of Academic Support - Head Tutor, Tutor for Biology, Mathematics, Psychology; Denison Community Association (DCA) - Hope for Autism - Team Leader; Symphony Orchestra - Violinist; Dance Performances.