San Jose, Calif.—Another banner year for the athletics department in the classroom has a department record 146 student-athletes, cheer squad members and student workers recognized as either a President's Scholar or Dean's Scholar at San José State University.
The 59th annual Honors Convocation recognizing the academic excellence of the student body is scheduled for Friday, April 23 at 4 p.m. Click here for the virtual celebration honoring the 2,764 undergraduate students who have achieved the distinction of President's Scholars. After the virtual ceremony, visit the Recognition webpage to view the names of honorees and their personal slides.
To earn a President's Scholar designation, a student must earn a 4.00 grade-point average in one of the two semesters (Spring 2020 & Fall 2020) before the Honors Convocation. A Dean's Scholar is a San José State student with a 3.65 or higher grade-point average in a semester during the same academic calendar.
A record number 45 student-athletes from 15 sports are designated as a President's Scholar. It is the third-consecutive year that the department saw an improvement in the number of honorees.
"We are so incredibly proud of our student-athletes for earning the distinguished honors of President's Scholar and Dean's Scholar. It has been an unbelievably challenging year for them as they balanced academic, athletics, employment, and everyday life commitments in the middle of a pandemic. They embark on a rigorous journey when becoming a student-athlete, and once again they have demonstrated Spartan academic success at the highest level. It gives us great pride knowing that earning a college degree will be one of their biggest accomplishments. We would also like to commend the important work of our Student-Athlete Success Services team, faculty, peer tutors, peer mentors, parents/guardians, and to the student-athletes themselves for prioritizing academics. Success is best celebrated when we can also recognize others who may have helped us along the way," said Eileen Daley, deputy director of internal operations.
Four Spartans are President's Scholars for the third time – Kai Bohannon, cross country/track & field; Gabby Heng, swimming & diving; Andrew Jenkins, football; and Shelby Mullendore, swimming & diving.
"For the third straight year, we have a record number of student-athletes that earned President's Scholar and Dean's Scholar academic honors. Not only did we see a 34 percent increase of honorees from last year, but a remarkable 65 percent increase from two years ago," said Director of Athletics Marie Tuite.
"It should also be noted our student-athletes were able to accomplish these remarkable achievements despite an immense challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. This result is a testament to not only the student-athletes themselves, but also to the incredible commitment by our faculty, coaching staffs and our academic support staff, led by Julie Stansberry, Interim Associate Director for Student-Athlete Success Services. The word student-athlete is one word...it's hyphenated and we take both parts of the word seriously, with success in the classroom being our highest priority. Stating I am 'proud' of their efforts and results is an understatement....this accomplishment is a point of pride for everyone involved with this Athletics program."
All 22 sports are represented among the 146 honorees, including six teams who have double-digit honorees - football with 15 honorees, women's swimming and diving with 14 honorees, women's water polo with 13 honorees and men's water polo, softball and cheerleading each with 12 honorees. Swimming and diving and women's water polo each had six President's Scholars, while softball had five President's Scholars.
Gallery: (4-22-2021) President's Scholars
President's Scholars (45)
| Riley Agerbeek | Women's Water Polo | Justice Studies |
| Megan Anderson | Women's Basketball | Public Health |
| Chelsey Andrada | Women's Gymnastics | Kinesiology |
| Kajsa Arwefjäll | Women's Golf | Accounting & Finance |
| Lior Ben David | Women's Water Polo | Info Systems & Technology |
| Cameron Blakely | Volleyball | Justice Studies |
| Kai Bohannon | Women's Cross Country | Mathematics |
| Suzy Brookshire | Softball | Sociology |
| Louisa Carlbom | Women's Golf | Mathematics |
| Alice Ciobanu | Swimming & Diving | Kinesiology |
| Cassidy Clark | Softball | Public Health |
| Jack Colette | Baseball | Communication Studies |
| Tamara Culibrk | Women's Tennis | Civil & Environmental Engineering |
| Elaina Davey | Women's Water Polo | Aviation |
| Jillian Figueroa | Softball | Justice Studies |
| Jadan Gonzalez | Women's Golf | School of Management |
| Shannon Haddad | Softball | Justice Studies |
| Cole Haft | Cheerleading | Radio/TV/Film |
| Gabby Heng | Swimming & Diving | Anthropology |
| Selena Hoang | Cheerleading | Psychology |
| Andrew Jenkins | Football | Political Science |
| Sophia Jones | Women's Basketball | Radio/TV/Film |
| Ethan Koch | Men's Water Polo | Political Science |
| Ryann Lucchesi | Women's Water Polo | Undeclared |
| Connor Macmillan | Men's Water Polo | General Engineering |
| Nick Marchione | Men's Water Polo | Anthropology |
| Lara Marco Mas | Women's Tennis | Nutritional Science/Applied Nutrition |
| Reagan Mathieson | Swimming & Diving | Biomedical Engineering |
| Jaiden McClellan | Women's Soccer | Political Science |
| Gwen Mikkelsen | Softball | Justice Studies/Criminology |
| Klara Milojkovic | Women's Tennis | Psychology |
| Shelby Mullendore | Swimming & Diving | Economics |
| Jacqueline Nisson | Swimming & Diving | Environmental Studies |
| Juliette Noyer | Women's Cross Country | Biomedical Engineering |
| John Reid | Men's Water Polo | Undeclared - Pre-Nursing |
| Jordan Rowell | Women's Soccer | Undeclared |
| Jenna Schwartz | Cheerleading | Psychology |
| Savannah Sendar | Women's Tennis | Business Administration/Finance |
| Sarah Smevog | Volleyball | Environmental Studies |
| Bailey Stubblefield | Women's Water Polo | Design |
| Negin Tehranian-Torghabeh | Swimming & Diving | Psychology |
| Madison Toomer | Women's Soccer | Kinesiology |
| Lili Urvari | Women's Water Polo | Communication Studies |
| Andy Wang | Men's Track & Field | Computer Science |
| Maddie White | Women's Golf | Communication Studies |
Dean's Scholars (101)
| Allyson Alden | Volleyball | Psychology |
| Abby Alvarez | Volleyball | Communicative Disorders & Sciences |
| Neil Arnett | Men's Water Polo | Applied Mathematics |
| Travis Benham | Football | Anthropology/Behavioral Science |
| Caitlin Bettenay | Beach Volleyball | Kinesiology |
| Zsofia Botka | Women's Water Polo | Kinesiology |
| Dalton Bowling | Baseball | Communication Studies |
| Ethan Briens | Men's Soccer | Sociology |
| Kara Burns | Women's Soccer | Child & Adolescent Development |
| R.J. Cesario | Men's Golf | Communication Studies |
| Daria Cocol | Swimming & Diving | Accounting & Finance |
| Andre Crump | Football | Business Administration/Management |
| Olga Descalzi Portell | Women's Water Polo | Mechanical Engineering |
| Harminder Dhaliwal | Men's basketball | Business Administration/General Business |
| Jalend Dinwiddie | Football | Computer Science |
| Ida Due | Swimming & Diving | Kinesiology |
| Makayla Englestad | Softball | Business Administration/Marketing |
| Morgan Eoff | Cheerleading | Business Administration/Entrepreneurship |
| Trevor Ernt | Baseball | Communication Studies |
| Yahav Fire | Men's Water Polo | Computer Science |
| Molly Florence | Cheerleading | Justice Studies/Criminology |
| Alani Fluker | Women's Basketball | Public Health |
| Natasha Forrand | Gymnastics | Physics |
| Hailey Fortner | Cheerleading | Undeclared-Pre-Nursing |
| Izzie Fraire | Swimming & Diving | Nutritional Science/Applied Nutrition |
| Mamie Keith Garard | Volleyball | Radio-Television-Film |
| Ronniell Garcia | Football Student Asst. | Radio-Television-Film |
| Grace Garvey | Softball | Kinesiology |
| MacKenzie Garza | Swimming & Diving | English |
| Josh Gomez | Football | Justice Studies |
| Megan Green | Swimming & Diving | Communication Studies |
| Madison Grimes | Swimming & Diving | English |
| Cade Hall | Football | Business Administration/Management |
| Hannah Hall | Women's Soccer | Communication Studies |
| Robert Hamchuk | Baseball | Communication Studies |
| Jamaar Hardy | Football | Psychology |
| Natasha Harris | Women's Soccer | Communication Studies |
| Hannah Henry | Women's Water Polo | Justice Studies |
| Niels Hofmeijer | Men's Water Polo | Mechanical Engineering |
| Brae Ivey | Men's Basketball | Communication Studies |
| Alexus Jackson | Women's Soccer | Biological Sciences |
| Milan Jackson | Cheerleading | Radio-Television-Film |
| Tre Jenkins | Football | Justice Studies |
| Taylor Justus | Baseball | Kinesiology |
| Madison Kirsch | Gymnastics | Kinesiology |
| Mark Kis | Men's Water Polo | Business Administration/Entrepreneurship |
| Nysiah LeGardye | Women's Track & Field | Psychology |
| Kiley Lingenfelter | Beach Volleyball | Communication Studies |
| Max Lockridge | Equipment Room | Psychology |
| Spencer Long | Baseball | Sociology |
| Giacomo Lovatelli | Men's Water Polo | Psychology |
| Janessa Lozano | Softball | Justice Studies |
| Malia Luna | Softball | Chemical Engineering |
| Anna Maria Luther | Women's Water Polo | Kinesiology |
| Antonia Malate | Women's Golf | Communication Studies |
| Jered Mariani | Men's Soccer | Business Administration/Finance |
| Antonia Marquez | Gymnastics | Business Administration/Management |
| Alii Matau | Football | Child & Adolescent Development |
| Makenna Mathieson | Swimming & Diving | Psychology |
| Jada Mazury | Gymnastics | Business Administration/Marketing |
| Julieta Mendiola | Gymnastics | Liberal Studies |
| Matt Mercurio | Football | Humanities |
| Evelin Meza | Women's Cross Country | Political Science |
| Willy Miranda | Men's Soccer | Spanish |
| Eduardo Miranda | Men's Soccer | Spanish |
| Madyson Montoya | Cheerleading | Journalism |
| Harry Nixon | Men's Water Polo | Biological Sciences |
| Sam Olson | Football | Environmental Studies |
| Carli Orcutt | Women's Gymnastics | Public Health |
| Jordyn Parr | Women's Golf | Business Administration/Management |
| Rebecca Petoe | Swimming & Diving | Chemistry |
| Jacey Phipps | Softball | Liberal Studies |
| Justin Pickering | Men's Water Polo | Communication Studies |
| Omar Pina | Men's Cross Country | Kinesiology |
| Marko Radanovic | Men's Water Polo | Psychology |
| Phoebe Rapoza | Women's Soccer | Kinesiology |
| Devon Rapp | Cheerleading | Psychology |
| Hailey Robledo | Cheerleading | Sociology/Social Interaction |
| Daniela Salazar-Salas | Women's Track & Field | Kinesiology |
| Jennifer Sandoval | Women's Cross Country | Psychology |
| Michael Savin | Men's Golf | Business Administration/Marketing |
| Parker Sisk | Men's Golf | Business Administration/Finance |
| Darian Siu | Cheerleading | Nutritional Science/Dietetics |
| Alexa Solomon | Gymnastics | Nutritional Science/Applied Nutrition |
| Sophia Spivack | Women's Water Polo | Business Administration/General Business |
| Kelsea Steele | Cheerleading | Public Health |
| Danielle Suh | Women's Golf | Kinesiology |
| Tyanna Supreme | Women's Water Polo | Biological Sciences |
| David Sweeney | Men's Soccer | Psychology |
| Beaux Tagaloa | Football | Communication Studies |
| Romero Teu | Football | Psychology |
| Ryann Thomison | Volleyball | Nutritional Science/Applied Nutrition |
| Aubrey Tibbils | Football Student Asst. | Advertising |
| Taylor Tiger | Softball | Design Studies |
| Jocylyn Vidal | Softball | Business Administration/Finance |
| Clarissa Wandinger | Women's Water Polo | Business Administration/General Business |
| John Weiss | Football | Communication Studies |
| Malik Welch | Football | Communication Studies |
| Meredith Williams | Football Student Asst. | Art/Photography |
| Jonathan Wiltfang | Baseball | Communication Studies |
| Finlay Wood | Men's Soccer | Communication Studies |