Colby Community Celebrates Student Excellence
Student Awards ceremony recognizes students for academic achievements, citizenship, creative risk, and more
Colby pride was on full display May 5 at the 18th annual Colby Student Awards, which recognized students for outstanding academic achievement, leadership, creativity, and community impact.
The big tent on the Colby Green was abuzz with anticipation and excitement, with the upbeat sounds of a jazz duo providing lively accompaniment as students, faculty, and staff found their seats for what has become a favorite springtime event.
“I’m humbled and inspired every year by the incredible things that our students accomplish every single day,” said Dean of the College Gustavo Burkett. “Today, we have the privilege of being able to recognize those achievements publicly in front of our community.”
The celebratory mood permeated the event.
“It feels really great to be here, both because it signals the end of the academic year and because there’s a lot to celebrate and look forward to,” said Matthew Cumbie, assistant professor of performance, theater, and dance.
“I think it’s also exciting to have this opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of our students and the folks that we’re in community with,” he said, referring to the faculty and staff also winning awards. “I’m thrilled to take a moment to pause and have this time to be together and to recognize all that’s happened.”
Recognizing academics, teaching, and service
Thirty-one academic departments honored more than 100 students with named awards honoring their curiosity, innovation, and scholarship that have enriched the Colby community. Other departments also presented awards, including Athletics, Colby Libraries, the Farnham Writers’ Center, and the Colby College Museum of Art.
Provost Denise Bruesewitz announced each award, inviting students to receive their awards from faculty members representing each department. Handshakes and hugs accompanied the exchanges, highlighting the mutual respect and affection students and faculty share.
Equally heartfelt were the applause, whistles, and shoutouts from the audience as students came forward.
Several students received awards from different departments, which is not unusual given the significant number of Colby students who major in two disciplines. Pedro Alves Silva Dos Santos ’26 was among those students, receiving both the Marston Morse Prize in Mathematics and the Senior Prize in Physics and Astronomy. Sophie Shanae Gould Dulabaum ’26 received the Mollie Seltzer Yett Award from the Music Department and the Alan Samuel Coit Biology Prize.
Both Alves and Gould Dulabaum are also Phi Beta Kappa inductees. In total, 78 students, including 12 juniors, were elected to America’s most prestigious and oldest academic honor society.
Barbara Moore, the Charles Terrell Dean of Students, acknowledged national award winners, including Ines Benjelloun ’26, who won the Watson Fellowship; Daniel Juzych ’26, named a Rhodes Scholar; Jacob Tjaden ’26, recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship; Kiyo White ’26, winner of a Fulbright ETA Award to Taiwan; Ryan Moore ’27, a Davis Projects for Peace winner; and Lachlan Klaes ’28, who won a Rainbow Scholarship.
Senior class presidents Declan Dineen ’26 and Ashley Kwon ’26 announced that Professor of Philosophy Dan Cohen ’75 won the 34th Charles Bassett Teaching Award. Cohen will present the traditional “Last Lecture” to the senior class on May 19.
Students voted to present the Colby Service Award to Gustavo Burkett, dean of the College, who, after just three years on Mayflower Hill, has become a beloved member of the community.
The senior class speaker
President David A. Greene announced the senior class speaker, Kathryn “Lainie” Stone ’26, a Posse Scholar and Pulver Science Scholar from Houston. Chosen by the senior class, she will address the Class of 2026 at its commencement on May 24.
An earth science major, Stone completed two independent research projects on meteorites, developed an earth science curriculum for fourth- and fifth-grade Alaska Native students, and gave back to the community as a teaching assistant and learning assistant for earth science courses over five semesters. She also served on the Student Government Association as a senator and fostered collaborative dialogue on important campus issues.
“One of the things she’s most proud of in her career is curating and organizing the TEDx Colby College, where she helps amplify the stories and voices of the Colby community to a global audience,” said Greene. “Through these stories, she’s always been inspired by her peers, faculty, and friends who have challenged her to grow and made her immensely proud to be a part of the Colby community.”
When Stone came forward to shake the president’s hand and acknowledge the honor, her classmates rose to their feet, their applause thunderous.
“This is such an honor, and I am so grateful for my incredible peers who nominated and voted for me,” Stone wrote on her LinkedIn page. “I am forever amazed and inspired by everyone at Colby, and am so proud of the graduating class!”
Hail, Colby, Hail
Bookending the event’s musical prelude was the singing of the alma mater, “Hail, Colby, Hail,” by members of the Colby Eight a cappella group.
“It’s been four years, so we should all know the words by now,” said the group’s leader. Instead of singing along, the crowd sat quietly and listened as the rich tenor and baritone voices filled the tent.
“It’s such a lovely gathering to see our seniors and others getting all these awards. It makes everything worthwhile,” said Nikky Singh, Crawford Family Professor of Religion.
“It’s a very meaningful and enriching moment,” she said. “It makes my heart warm.”
A complete list of award winners and their respective awards is available here.
