‘To Honor and Uplift’
Student Awards convocation brings the Colby community together in support of student achievement
Every year at the Colby Student Awards convocation, excitement electrifies the air. Students hustle to find a chair next to friends. Professors fill their assigned seats, alphabetized by department, anthropology next to art, geology next to German.
As the dean of the College approaches the microphone, everyone settles in.
“We’re here to take a moment to recognize the incredible work our students are doing, in the classroom, across campus, and beyond,” said Gustavo Burkett. “It’s a great opportunity for us to celebrate curiosity, leadership, innovation, creativity, and the impact that individuals can make on our community.”
Colby pride was visible at the 17th annual Colby Student Awards, held May 6. Fondness and respect between students and professors were on full display. It was all evident in how student recipients held themselves, the sincerity of professors’ smiles when they handed students their awards, and the depth of the applause.
Burkett was right when he said the ceremony was a moment “to honor and uplift” individuals being recognized for their achievements.
A breadth of achievement
More than 30 of Colby’s academic departments presented awards to over 100 students, recognizing them for academic excellence, outstanding GPAs, citizenship, engagement, creative risk, and much more.
Provost and Dean of Faculty Margaret McFadden announced each award and its winner, paying close attention to pronunciation. It is always a thrill to hear her announce an award from the Italian Department, the Premio Elio Pagliarani per lo studio della Lingua e Letteratura Italiana. Her delivery sounds perfect, and afterward, she pauses to acknowledge those who applaud her efforts, a playful grin on her face.
Among the awards are those that honor alumni, such as the English Department’s Hilda M. Fife Literary Prize. Created by Fife, Class of 1926, it is given to “a student of literature, of any language,” and this year it went to Anya Babb-Brott ’25, an English major concentrating in literature and the environment. Other awards honor national figures, such as the Sonia Sotomayor Award for Citizenship and Service from the Spanish Department. This year, Isabella Hogan ’25, a Spanish and English double major, received the award.
Some awards acknowledge student contributions at the Colby College Museum of Art, the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, and the Farnham Writers’ Center. These awards demonstrate the breadth of student involvement and impact outside the classroom.
While applause accompanied every student who came forward to receive an award, the Phi Beta Kappa inductees received the most applause. As students elected to America’s most prestigious and oldest academic honor society rose one by one, the applause built and sustained itself.
National award winners who were recognized included Ella Carlson ’25, a Watson Fellowship winner; Alexander Lyon ’26, winner of a Goldwater Scholarship; Bishal Khadka ’26J, who won a Davis Projects for Peace Award; and Critical Language Scholarship winners Sareni Manriquez ’25, Catherine Tan ’26, and Cynthia Li ’26.
Senior class awards
The energy built as the program neared its conclusion, when the winners of the three senior class awards were announced. Senior class presidents Lily Moy ’25 and Saathviki Diviti ’25 announced that Associate Professor of History Sarah Duff had won the 33rd Charles Bassett Teaching Award. Duff will present the traditional “Last Lecture” to the senior class on May 20.
The Colby Service Award went to Charles Dorr, lead custodian specialist. Dorr received a round of applause second only to the Phi Beta Kappa scholars.
President David A. Greene announced the student speaker, whom the senior class chooses to deliver the student address at commencement.
He revealed the student’s identity slowly and indirectly.
“She is a studio art major with a concentration in painting and minors in both Japanese and chemistry. She has conducted research in computational chemistry with applications to art restoration. Her oil paintings will be on display at this year’s Senior Exhibition. She’s had work published in scientific journals and the visual arts,” he said as a way of introduction.
As he continued, many seniors knew who he was talking about. Cheers began erupting.
“It is my pleasure,” he finally said, “to announce that the 2025 class speaker is Michelle Bechtel.”
Bechtel, from Upper Saddle River, N.J., is also a sexual violence prevention leader, co-president of the Chemistry Club, a COOT leader, an EMT on the Colby Emergency Response Team, and co-captain of the Mock Trial Team who recently earned a regional all-attorney award. She will offer her thoughts and reflections to students, faculty, and guests at commencement on May 25, 2025.
Greene also revealed Bechtel’s plans for after she graduates.
“In the most quintessential liberal arts move ever, she is pursuing a post-baccalaureate program in studio art in rural Ireland while applying to medical school,” he said.
“You’ve got to love that.”
A complete list of award winners and their respective awards can be found here.
