2024 Graduate Highlights

The University of La Verne is preparing to celebrate the graduates of 2024 from the university’s five colleges during two commencement ceremonies held Saturday, May 25 on the historic La Verne campus. 

Here are some highlights of graduate achievements this academic year:

Kylie Cortez was selected to be this year’s undergraduate student speaker. The women’s soccer team player  and kinesiology major delivered her senior thesis presentation on Dynamic Balance in Athletes when Vestibular Therapy is Implemented . She plans to go into a graduate program in occupational therapy. 

Congratulations to Arie Pollock, a psychology doctorate student who  received the Christina Maslach-Philip Zimbardo Research Award in social psychology at the 2024 Western Psychological Association conference. 

Ayla Ahmad, an athletic training graduate student, was awarded the Bill Chambers Scholarship by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). She had the opportunity to meet NATA Hall of Fame member Bill Chambers whom the scholarship is named after at the Far West Athletic Trainer’s Association (FWATA) meeting in April.  

Kinesiology students Hayley Hsieh and Maria Moreno-Vargas were honored with the 2024 CHCW Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Inquiry for their senior research thesis on A Study into the Effects of Sled Towing on Sprint Velocity in Collegiate Softball Players.

Christy Sanchez (physics and TIII research scholar) has been accepted in the Master’s Program in Optics at the University of Oregon.

Daniel Oliva (physics and TIII research scholar) has been accepted in the Master’s Program in Electrical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, as part of the University of La Verne – Washington University Dual Degree Program.

Naakoshi Imhotep (legal studies) has been selected as a 2024 Spirit of La Verne Honoree.

Gabriel Palacios Paz (physics) received the 2024 Spirit of La Verne Award.

Nadeen Mohammad (biology) received the 2024 Spirit of La Verne Award.

Samira Felix (journalism), Campus Times news editor and La Verne Magazine editor-in-chief, was accepted to USC Annenberg School of Journalism master’s program.

Jack Janes (journalism), Campus Times sports editor, was accepted to the specialized sports journalism master’s program at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

Shoutout your graduate on social media and tag @ulaverne so we can reshare and help celebrate our graduates and their achievements too!