On March 28, the College of Arts and Humanities top students, their parents, faculty and staff gathered around their computers at 2 p.m. to watch the virtual Arts in Motion celebration of student excellence. Just two weeks earlier, students, faculty and staff were sent home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial virtual celebration was about 20 minutes long, but today we present a four-minute recap of the event.
Greyson Canterbury and Anthony Cody were selected as the undergraduate and graduate Dean’s Medalists. They were chosen out of a group of 16 exceptional “students of distinction” who were each given a Dean’s Council award for being named the top student in their department.
Before the COVID-19 closure, and ahead of the Arts in Motion event, most of these top students sat down for an interview. We now introduce, once again, the College of Arts and Humanities top students of 2020. We invite you to learn more about these recent alumni in the videos below.
2020 Dean’s Medalists
Douglas Anthony Cody | Creative Writing, M.F.A.
Anthony Cody is graduating in Spring 2020 with a Master of Fine Arts degree and a cumulative GPA of 4.0. After graduating, he hopes to continue to publish his works, to teach, and “create forward” through mentoring and workshops. His book of poetry, Borderland Apocrypha, won the 2018 Omnidawn Open Book Prize and appeared in print this year. More…
Greyson Donald Canterbury | Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, B.A.
Greyson Canterbury will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. After graduating, Greyson will serve as a volunteer for the Peace Corps in Sri Lanka for two years and then pursue his master’s degree and teaching credential. More…
Honorable Mention
Anabella Monzon Wilson | Art and Design, M.A.
Anabella Monzon Wilson is graduating with a Master of Arts degree (emphasis in Studio Art) in Spring 2020 and a cumulative GPA of 3.9. After graduating, Anabella intends to enter the Doctor of Education program here at Fresno State. More…
Standard Bearers
Daisy Underhill | Philosophy, B.A.
Daisy Underhill will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 3.76. After graduating, Daisy plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Philosophy with an emphasis in philosophy of science or biology. More…
Liliana Perez Rodriguez | English, B.A.
Liliana Perez will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. After graduating, Liliana plans to continue her education to pursue a Ph.D., and hopes to one day be the director of her own writing center. More…
Graduate Students of Distinction
Amanda Cockerham | Department of Communication, M.A.
Amanda Cockerham is graduating with a Master of Arts degree in Spring 2020 and a cumulative GPA of 3.87. After graduating, Amanda plans to earn a doctoral degree and further her research in diversity and educational equity. More…
Riley Thomas | Department of English, M.A.
Riley Thomas is graduating with a Master of Arts degree in Spring 2020 and a cumulative GPA of 3.91. After graduating, Riley plans to attend a doctoral program and pursue her dream of becoming a university professor in English. More…
Haley McKay Collins | Department of Linguistics, M.A.
Haley McKay Collins graduated in Fall 2019 with a Master of Arts degree and a cumulative GPA of 3.93. Haley is currently in her second M.A. degree program in Criminology, Law and Society at UC Irvine. She plans to apply for doctoral programs to continue her research interests in sociolinguistics and criminology. Haley intends to pursue a career in academia or federal law enforcement. More…
María Madrigal Piceno | Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, M.A.
Maria Madrigal Piceno is graduating in Spring 2020 with a Master of Arts degree and a cumulative GPA of 3.9. Maria plans to work in a community college for two years and then apply for doctoral programs. She hopes to become a professor of Latin American Literature. More…
Marc A. McGhee | Department of Music, M.A.
Marc McGhee is graduating in Spring 2020 with a Master of Arts degree and a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Marc is currently the Choral Director at Lemoore High School and plans to continue teaching for a few years before beginning a doctoral degree in Choral Conducting. He also plans to start a non-profit arts program in the Kings County area focusing on all aspects of music, theatre, and the fine arts. More…
Undergraduate Students of Distinction
Melissa Hernandez | Department of Art and Design, B.F.A.
Melissa Hernandez will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 3.91. Melissa’s future goals after graduation include creating her own commercial font, working on a design project for a car, and ultimately starting her own design company. More…
Hunter E. Sansom | Department of Communication, B.A.
Hunter Sansom will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Hunter’s goal after graduation is to pursue a doctoral degree and then a career in higher education teaching communication ideally within the CSU system. More…
Mary R. Johnson | Department of Linguistics, B.A.
Mary Johnson will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 3.93. Mary plans to continue her education with the goal of becoming a Linguistics professor and further her research in documenting and revitalizing Native American Languages. More…
Andrea Marin Contreras | Department of Media, Communications and Journalism, B.A.
Andrea Marin Contreras will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. After graduating, Andrea will work as a freelance journalist while continuing her education in the M.F.A. program in Creative Writing at Fresno State. More…
Samuel A. Montgomery | Department of Music, B.A.
Samuel Montgomery will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. After graduating, Samuel plans to pursue his Master of Music degree in Composition, while writing grants to fund music projects and groups in the community. More…
Sarah Holm | Department of Theatre and Dance, B.A.
Sarah Holm will graduate in Spring 2020 with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. After graduating, Sarah will pursue the Multiple Subjects Credential through Fresno State to prepare her to become an elementary school educator. More…
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 