Meet the 2025 College of Arts and Humanities Students of Distinction
It is our pleasure to announce this year’s Dean’s Medal nominees and present our most accomplished and dedicated undergraduate and graduate students.
Read MoreTag: Students of Distinction
2024 Arts in Motion: Meet the Students
Arts in Motion will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Fresno State Concert Hall. During the event, one undergraduate and one graduate student of distinction will be presented as Dean’s Medalist.
Read MoreStudents inspire during commencement season
We are excited to acknowledge the achievements of our College’s most accomplished students. From the creative artists to the humanists, every scholarship winner and Student of Distinction reflects the experimentation, compassion, and curiosity that Fresno State fosters.
Read More2023 Arts in Motion recognizes the college’s top students
We are excited to acknowledge the achievements of our College’s most accomplished students. From the creative artists to the humanists, every scholarship winner and Student of Distinction reflects the experimentation, compassion, and curiosity that Fresno State fosters.
Read MoreDean’s Medalist: Caleb Charles
“From a young age, I have recognized the injustices found in society towards people of color, and this has provided the fuel for my ambition.” ~ Caleb Charles
Read MoreDean’s Medalist: Harrison Martin
“[I]t’s my lifelong goal to continue showing the joys of interconnected humanities to more future young minds in Fresno.” ~ Harrison Martin
Read MoreStandard Bearer: Teya Juarez
“Theatre has always captivated me in the way it holds up a mirror to society and tells the stories of the people within it.” ~ Teya Juarez
Read MoreStandard Bearer: John Spankowski
“No childhood experience left a more positive impression on me than my time in primary and secondary music classes. Music touches people in ways that no other subject does. It exercises our aesthetic being and explores inexpressible human emotions.” ~ John Spankowski
Read MoreGraduate Honorable Mention: Jer Xiong
“For someone like me to be here, there was a lot of luck involved, my own hard work and persistence, timely opportunities, but most of all, the support from family and community. Their care and acknowledgement drive me.” ~Jer Xiong
Read MoreGraduate Honorable Mention: Victoria Cisneros
“[M]y plans for the future include pursuing a career in marketing that is guided by a critical perspective and humanistic values.” ~ Victoria Cisneros
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Jeffrey LaRose
“I aim to… inspire my students to achieve their impossible, and embrace the opportunities to mentor new teachers who are beginning their journey.” ~ Jeffrey Larose
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Raquel Romero
“As a graduate student I realized that I wanted to explore how immigration is represented in Mexican literature and for my thesis project I presented an analysis that focuses on the relationship between migration and identity.” ~ Raquel Romero
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Meesha Ghedia
“I faced many different obstacles. One of the biggest ones was culture shock and getting used to a new country.” ~ Meesha Ghedia
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Noor Sabharwal
“To ensure I succeeded in my academics and professional career, I went all-in with my schooling and community work and made the most of my fluency in four languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu.” ~ Noor Sabharwal
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Jeanette Yeboah-Amoako
“After just one day of volunteering in a dual language classroom at [an] elementary school, an interest in teaching that up until then had been latent, suddenly woke up and exclaimed, ‘rise and shine!'” ~ Jeanette Yeboah-Amoako
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Dymond Lowe
“I will first apply this degree as the foundation for seeking a master’s degree in speech language pathology where I will assist individuals who have undergone traumatic speech hindering experiences.” ~ Dymond Lowe
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Claudia Amador
“I’ve made a future goal to inspire and encourage each of my students to engage, learn, and enjoy the education that they will be receiving in my classroom.” ~ Claudia Amador
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Robert Ortega, Jr.
“This is the part of my parent’s dream that I never imagined. I am forever gracious that this is even a tangible reality.” ~ Robert Ortega
Read MoreStudent of Distinction: Sadie Gleason
“[S]torytelling is so wonderful because it takes us on a journey with characters and places that are completely made up, yet by the end leaves us with a better understanding of the world and ourselves.” ~ Sadie Gleason
Read MoreTop 2020 College of Arts and Humanities students honored in virtual Arts in Motion
Our College of Arts and Humanities students represent everything that gives us hope for a bright future.
Read MoreAnthony Cody and Greyson Canterbury named Dean’s Medalist in virtual Arts in Motion
Our College of Arts and Humanities students represent everything that gives us hope for a bright future.
Read MoreTop 2020 College of Arts and Humanities students honored in virtual Arts in Motion
We all would have all gathered in the Concert Hall at 2 p.m. today to acknowledge the students who have received scholarships this year, thanks to the generosity of our donors, as well as the Students of Distinction selected by each department, two of whom are awarded the Undergraduate and Graduate Dean’s Medals. These students are all so precious because they strive to do their best in every facet of life, and their devotion to excellence and service will surely enhance our Valley and country in the future.
Read MoreGraduate Dean’s Medalist | Anthony Cody, Department of English, MFA Creative Writing Program
“I am an anomaly. And because I am an anomaly, I will continue to create forward, give to poetry, make poems, explore the experimental, nurture spaces for communities on the margins, and foster the truths and anomalies in others through mentoring, workshops, and universities.”
Read MoreUndergraduate Dean’s Medalist | Greyson Canterbury, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
“I learned that diversity is something to be celebrated and that a large part of my identity is the path that I choose. I am Chinese and White, and I have chosen to embrace Spanish.”
Read MoreHonorable Mention| Anabella Monzon Wilson, Department of Art and Design, M.A.
“To witness her art is to bring history back to life, and to realize that our past has never left us, for it continues to inform and move the present in ways that are unimaginable to us.” – Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval
Read MoreStandard Bearer | Daisy Underhill, Department of Philosophy
“Each discipline tried to get human behavior someway. [With] biology, I though genes would give me the answer; [with] philosophy: ideology.”
Read MoreStandard Bearer | Liliana Perez Rodriguez, Department of English
“I felt situated between two worlds, two worlds that I could not entirely identify with; yet, two worlds that I considered home. Over time, I started to see this double consciousness as an advantage rather than a setback, as my bilingual and bicultural experiences have granted me a critical lens through which to look at the world.”
Read MoreAmanda Cockerham, Department of Communication, M.A. Student of Distinction
“I’m grateful to my family for providing me with unconditional support and moral courage, and I am indebted to my outstanding graduate professors for encouraging me intellectually and personally through my journey.”
Read MoreAndrea Marin Contreras, Department of Media, Communications and Journalism Student of Distinction
“Without experiencing pain and poverty when my family immigrated to the United States, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish everything that I have done so far. The incredible support system I have—my teachers and family—motivates me to keep striving.”
Read MoreMarc McGhee, Department of Music, M.A. Student of Distinction
“Music is a large part of my life, and I hope to pass the love of music and art to others, no matter their age or experiences.”
Read MoreSamuel A. Montgomery, Department of Music Student of Distinction
“Expression through music has always been important to me. Expression through art is just part of who I am.”
Read More2019 MA Student of Distinction Trevor Driscoll heads to MIT
he applied to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was accepted to both programs — two of the top schools for Linguistics in the world according to Top Universities.
Read MoreTop College of Arts and Humanities students honored at 2019 Arts in Motion
Congratulations to graduate Mason Lamb and undergraduate Primavera Leal Martinez for earning the College of Arts and Humanities Dean’s Medal award!
Read MoreMason Lamb, Dean’s Medalist
When asked what accomplishment he is most proud of, Mason Lamb didn’t look his many music premieres — including his orchestral concert overture which was played by FOOSA at the Walt Disney Concert Hall — instead, he looked to his daughter.
Read MorePrimavera Leal Martinez, Dean’s Medalist
In her pursuit of excellence, Primavera Leal Martinez has raised the bar of what is possible in an academic environment. As an English major, Martinez has authored eight articles, and presented at eight conferences.
Read MoreCome celebrate ‘Arts in Motion’ with us!
The community is invited to celebrate the College of Arts and Humanities’ top students with an afternoon of performances and recognition on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 2 p.m. in the Fresno State Concert Hall. The event will be followed by a reception in the Phebe Conley Gallery.
Read MoreLorie Hanoian, Student of Distinction
As a child visiting the Los Angles art museums, Lorie Hanoian fell in love with art. That love led her to attend an apparel design program at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill before getting her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and later a B.A. in Studio Art at Fresno State. Hanoian is currently working to complete her Master of Arts in Art History.
Read MoreBlanca Y. Davila D., Student of Distinction
When Blanca Y. Davila D. was just three years old, her family moved from Mexico to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. With field work being a part of her family’s daily life, her parents pushed her, and she pushed herself, to succeed in her educational pursuits. “Blanca sees herself as a […]
Read MoreTheresa Lopes, Student of Distinction
For Theresa Lopes, music is a powerful medium which brings people together and improves lives. She has been especially interested in how music can enrich the lives of the handicapped. In her Honors Project through the College of Arts and Humanities Honors Program, Lopes has explored and investigated “The Current Status of Music in Special […]
Read MoreAlyssa Espinola, Student of Distinction
With a passion for helping the underserved and a propensity towards compassion and understanding, Alyssa Espinola has found a human connection with the students in the Valley. As a Graduate Teaching Associate at Fresno State, she has focused on becoming a communication instructor in an institution that serves underprivileged individuals in order to help foster […]
Read MoreVictoria Cisneros, Student of Distinction
A graduate of Selma High School, Victoria Cisneros says she found her home and a place of belonging in the Communication Department. During her time at Fresno State, she has utilized her writing skills as a political reporter for the Collegian and a Communication Assitant for the Alumni Association.
Read MoreMegan Evans, Student of Distinction
Megan Evans, who will complete her M.A. in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Writing studies has engaged in advanced scholarship through coining the term “rogue feminism” as a way of naming a rhetorical phenomenon she observed in social media platforms.
Read MoreKrystal Cantu, Student of Distinction
In the Fall of 2018, a serious car accident fractured Krystal Cantu’s spine in three places — challenging her determination to continue her education. In her perseverance, she has continued to thrive in her education — earning further respect from the English department faculty and colleagues.
Read MoreNolan Trupp, Student of Distinction
With a childhood ambition of becoming a teacher, Nolan Trupp knew he wanted to change people’s lives, but didn’t quite know what he wanted to teach until he took an American Sign Language class at Fresno State. He fell in love with the language and the culture knew he had found his way to change the world.
Read MoreTrevor Driscoll, Student of Distinction
In high school, Trevor Driscoll found the study of foreign language fascinating. While pursuing his English as a foreign language degree at Chico State he took a few linguistic courses which invigorated a passion for the structure of language. After transferring to Fresno State he received his B.A. in Linguistics with an emphasis in teaching ESL and is now regarded as the top student his the master’s program.
Read MoreTessa Barretto, Student of Distinction
Tessa Barretto finds elegance and peace in the French language. For her, everything sounds beautiful — even the ugliest of words.
Read MoreGeorge Garnica, Student of Distinction
By the time George Garnica arrives at Fresno State for class every day, he has already worked a full morning shift at KSEE 24 television. About 22 years ago, his hard work in a Fresno County summer program at Telemundo paid off with a full-time job offer. Unfortunately, that meant he had to stop his education to focus on his work — which he says always bothered him.
Read MoreJordan Duran, Student of Distinction
For Jordan Duran, philosophy is not just an academic pursuit, it’s a way of life.
Read MoreLia Christine Dewey, Student of Distinction
For Theatre Arts student Lia Christine Dewey, the accolades keep coming as her final semester at Fresno State nears completion.
Read MoreArts and Humanities student excels in France while completing his degree
~ By Nancy Barragan, student writer for the College of Arts and Humanities Though he will return to the United States to participate in Fresno State’s 107th Commencement ceremony on May 19, Leslie Hille has been studying abroad for the past year and a half through the CSU International Program at the Université Paris Nanterre in […]
Read MoreThis month in the Arts and Humanities — an April review
We look back on another eventful month in the College of Arts and Humanities. Here are the top five stories from the month of April.
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The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 