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Student Honors and Awards

The John D. Bower Award

The John D. Bower Award is awarded to a graduating Bower School of Population Health student in recognition of their exceptional potential in the field of population health. This award includes a cash prize.

Recipients:

  • (2025) Mengna Zhang
  • (2024) Kisa K. Harris
  • (2023) Yan Gao

  • (2022) Leslie Musshafen

  • (2021) Bishoy Samuel

  • (2020) James Henegan


The Regions Research Award

The Regions Research Award is awarded to a Bower School of Population Health student who has demonstrated exceptional potential in population health research. This award includes a cash prize.

Recipients:

  • (2025) McKing Amedari and Taylor Ward Lefler
  • (2024) Inder Kaur and Lauren Pongetti
  • (2023) Sabrina Alam

  • (2022) Xiaoqian Jenna Zhu and Safia Mohiuddin

  • (2021) Courtney E. Sims-Gomillia and Phi Le


The Scholastic Award

The Scholastic Award is awarded to a graduating Bower School of Population Health student with the highest cumulative average. (Note: Previously supported by Trustmark National Bank.)

Recipients:

2025:

Changhong Wen, Dr. Omar Hasan, Dr. Rahat Noor, Salit Chakma, Dr. Shamima Somi, Dr. Tasnova Malek

2024:

Dr. Amaan Kajani, Emma McNeill, Dr. Inder Kaur, Dr. Jason Sachman, John Williams, Kelli Irby, Kisa Harris, Dr. Mohammad AlJabr, Dr. Utsav Nandi

2023

Brian David Christman, Elizabeth Dickson-Gavney, Dr. Safia Mohiuddin, Dr. Ludmila Nahar, and Hunter Cole Sylvester

2022

Xiaoshan Judy Gordy, David Lee, Jr., Leslie Musshafen, Kathryn Rodenmeyer, and Xiaoqian Jenna Zhu

2021

Tran Le, Karla Perrizo, Bishoy Samuel, Hamid Ullah, and Mengna Zhang

2020

James Henegan, Melissa R. Stephens, and Erika Webster


The SOPH Student Service Award

The SOPH Student Service Award is awarded to a Bower School of Population Health student who has demonstrated leadership in school and institutional committees, student organizations, and service activities. This award includes a cash prize.

Recipients:

  • (2025) Emma McNeill and Torrey Robinson
  • (2024) Quest Whalen
  • (2023) Mengna Zhang

  • (2022) Taylor Ward

  • (2021) Shamsed Mahmud


The Dean's Award for Academic Excellence

The Dean's Award for Academic Excellence recognizes Bower School of Population Health students with 4.0 cumulative averages.

Recipients:

2025:

Emma McNeill, Aryanna Yarbrough, Brian Christman, Changhong Wen, Christopher Clark, Dr. Mark Reddington, Hunter Sylvester, Kerri Sullivan Ivey, McKing Amedari, Md Mushfiqur Rahman, Quest L Whalen, Sabrina Alam, Dr. Sanzida Swarna, Tasnim Tabassum, Torrey Robinson, Tyus Wilson, Salit Chakma, Dr. Omar Hasan, Dr. Rahat Noor, Dr. Shamima Somi, Dr. Tasnova Malek

2024:

Dr. Alexa Lampkin, Dr. Amaan Kajani, Dr. Angela Filzen, Brian David Christman, Changhong Wen, Chris Moore, Dawn McClendon, Emma McNeill, Farhana Lima, Hunter Sylvester, Dr. Inder Kaur, Jackie Starrett, Dr. Jason Sachman, John M. Williams, Kelli Irby, Kendell Churchwell, Kerri Ivey, Latonya Thigpen, Lisa Stark, McKing Amerdari, Md Minhazul Abedin, Dr. Mark Reddington, Mengna Zhang, Dr. Mohammad AlJabr, Neil Maneck, Dr. Omar Hasan, Dr. Rahat Noor, Dr. Shamima Somi, Dr. Tasnova Malek, Dr. Utsav Nandi

2023

Sabrina Alam, Dr. Mohammad AlJabr, Dr. Iram Aman, Brian David Christman, Elizabeth Dickson-Gavney, Kelli Irby, Dr. Amaan Kajani, Dr. Inder Kaur, Dr. Alexa Lampkin, David Michael Lee, Jr., Emma Alise McNeill, Dr. Safia Mohiuddin, Chris Moore, Dr. Ludmila Nahar, Dr. Utsav Nandi, Dr. Rahat Noor, Jenny Ogden, Dr. Jason Sachman, Lisa Stark, Hunter Cole Sylvester, Taylor Jane Ward, Amy Wigglesworth, John M. Williams

2022

Sabrina Alam, Rebekah Andrew-Ayyasamy, Brian Christman, Mariah Cole, Lemichal Drake, Chinenye Iwuchukwu, David Lee, Jr., Tran Le, Courtney Sims-Gomillia, Xiaoshan Judy Gordy, Kisa Harris, Neil Maneck, Safia Mohiuddin, Ludmila Nahar, Kathryn Rodenmeyer, Hunter Sylvester, Breanna Wade, Taylor Ward, Quest Whalen, John M. Williams, and Mengna Zhang

2021

Aya Abdelaziz, Kendell Churchwell, Yan Gao, Kisa K. Harris, Tran Le, Xiaojian Le, Leslie A. Musshafen, Kendall Niles, Jenny Ogden, Kesha O'Reilly, Karla Perrizo, Bishoy Samuel, Rachel Tyrone, Hamid Ullah, and Mengna Zhang

2020

Melissa R. Stephens


Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society at UMMC recognizes undergraduate seniors or second-semester juniors with high standards of scholarship and character, graduate students in professional schools with distinguished records placing them among the ablest in their classes, and faculty members who have made significant contributions to their disciplines.

Initiates:

  • (2024-25) Dr. Rahat Noor
  • (2023-24) Quest Whalen and Sabrina Alam
  • (2022-23) Mariah Leigh Cole and John Williams

  • (2021-22) Kesha O'Reilly

  • (2020-21) Kisa Harris

  • (2019-20) Leslie Musshafen