As the 2025-26 school year draws to a close, Marymount University is proud to recognize the Saints who have made outstanding contributions to the University community through their dedication to service, excellence and education.
Marymount Graduation Special Recognitions
The following students received awards and commendations during the 2026 Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies, held at DAR Constitution Hall on May 17. They were selected by classmates and faculty based on their achievements and service inside and outside the classroom.
The Mother Butler Gold Medal – presented by faculty to a student who embodies Marymount’s ideals of “faith, service and ethics” – was awarded to communications major Mia Clevano. A first-generation student from Colorado, Clevano made her mark on Marymount as a scholar, student-athlete and leader. Her internships with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington and the Rumi Forum reflected her dedication to faith and service. In 2025, she was awarded the Capital Speakers Club Scholarship for excellence in academics.
The recipient of the Bishop Ireton Award – given by the senior class to the student who has had the greatest positive impact on their peers – was sociology major Maryam Hendi. Hendi held several leadership roles during her time at Marymount including serving as an orientation leader, President of the Marymount Muslim Students Association and as the Head Resident Assistant during her junior and senior years. Through her leadership, Hendi helped create a welcoming campus environment for her peers and incoming students.
Lastly, information technology student Maha Noor was selected as the Sister Majella Berg Service Award recipient. Named in honor of former Marymount President Sister Majella Berg, this award is given by faculty to a student who has shown exceptional dedication to serving others and the local community. As President of Marymount’s Cyber Saints Club, a branch of the national Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) organization, Noor was instrumental in organizing the inaugural Cyber Saints WiCyS Conference at Marymount’s Ballston Center. The event attracted over 100 students from across institutions in the DMV. Her dedication to helping students across majors and universities develop their personal and professional skills within the evolving cybersecurity space earned her one of the University’s highest honors.
Student-Athlete Awards
Marymount Athletics celebrated the accomplishments of its student-athletes during the 2026 SAINTSPY’s, recognizing students for outstanding leadership, service and academic performance.
- The Team Community Service Award was presented to the Women’s Lacrosse team, with over 1,000 combined community service hours performed during the academic year
- The Individual Community Service Award was presented to Tinleigh Rusher, a member of the Women’s Golf team, who logged over 80 individual hours of community service during the academic year.
- The Male Leadership Award, given to the male student-athlete that demonstrated leadership skills throughout the year and served as a positive ambassador for Marymount Athletics, was presented to Quincy Via, a member of the Baseball team and President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The Female Leadership Award was presented to Leila Lajdel, a member of the Women’s Soccer team.
- The Male and Female Iron Saint Awards, given to the student-athletes who exemplified elite leadership and an unwavering work ethic, were presented to Jacob Brooks of the Men’s Lacrosse team and Emerson Aber of both the Women’s Volleyball team and the Women’s Track & Field team.
- The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee presented Samantha Richtol, a member of the Softball team, with the SAAC Representative of the Year Award for her dedication to SAAC and her unwavering support for all of Marymount’s athletic teams.
- The Award for Resilience, presented to a student-athlete who showed resilience in the face of a situation outside of athletics, was given to Renee Schmidt a member of the Women’s Tennis team and the first graduate of Marymount’s undergraduate Artificial Intelligence degree program.
- CJ Highsmith Jr., a member of the Men’s Basketball team, was named the Comeback Student-Athlete of the Year. He was selected by the sports medicine staff based on his determination to recover from an injury and make a positive impact on his team.
- Marymount Athletics named Maggie Gentry their Communication Student-Worker of the Year, highlighting her strong work ethic and dedication to game operations.
Faculty and Staff Awards
During the 2026 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony, the Robert A. Draghi Outstanding Faculty Award was presented to Dr. Alex Mbaziira, Associate Professor in the School of Technology and Innovation.
This award, named for Dr. Robert A. Draghi — a philosophy professor and former Dean of Marymount’s School of Arts and Sciences known for his kindness, collegiality and concern for students — is given by the graduating class to the faculty member who demonstrated the most care and support for their students.
Other faculty recognition included the Innovative Teaching Award presented by the College of Sciences and Humanities to Dr. Kimberly Hess, Instructor of Music and the Liturgical Music and Spiritual Life Events Coordinator, for her work establishing the Marymount Pep Band as a for-credit class.
Several faculty members also received promotions during the school year. Dr. Clara Hauth, Associate Professor of Education, was promoted to Full Professor. In addition, three professors were promoted to Associate Professor and granted tenure: Dr. Amy Allnutt, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, Dr. Julia Doto, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences and Dr. Judith Rogers-Fruiterman, Assistant Professor of Nursing.
The Marymount Faculty Council also elected Associate Professor of History Jace Stuckey as their new President and Alice Petillo, Associate Professor of Mathematics, as Secretary.
This year Marymount also celebrated three winners of the We Love Marymount initiative, which invited staff and faculty to submit bold ideas and practical solutions that enhance the student experience, strengthen Marymount’s financial future and build community pride.
The first winner was Dr. Louis Frisenda, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment, who proposed the creation of the “Saints at Work” micro-jobs marketplace to help students find part-time employment throughout the semester.
The second winner was Kristina Deemark, Director of Payroll and Budget, who suggested the expansion of the University’s OSV partnership through Workday automations.
The third winner was Dr. Allnutt, who proposed the creation of a “Saints Among Us” award to recognize faculty and staff who exemplify Marymount’s mission and values and who create a positive impact in the community through service, collaboration and excellence.
On May 21, staff across departments were recognized at the Saints Giving Back Staff Awards Ceremony, receiving awards for service, leadership and commitment to the student experience. The following staff members received recognition:
- Community Service & Outreach Award: Alexandra Dauchess (Content Writer Specialist, Office of Marketing and Communications)
- Going the Extra Mile: Sandra Manning (Senior Administrative Assistant, School of Humanities)
- Outstanding Leadership Award: Firas Shamdeen (Operations Manager, Print and Copy Services)
- Student Experience Commitment Award: Stephen Esposito (Senior Director of Student Engagement & Campus Life, Office of Student Living and Engagement)
- Teamwork & Collaboration Award: Marie Tartaro (Strategic Communications Specialist, Office of Marketing and Communications)
- Common Ground Values: Andrew Messer (Maintenance Mechanic, Campus Facilities)
The Staff Council also announced their executive board for the coming year with Esposito serving as Council President, Manning as Treasurer and Student Engagement Coordinator Orlando Walker as Vice President.
Marymount is incredibly proud of all its Saints for this year’s accomplishments. The dedication of students, faculty and staff filled the 2025-2026 academic year with countless successes, and the University eagerly awaits what’s to come in the upcoming year.
