Members of the Claremont McKenna College community gathered together on May 2 to celebrate the outstanding seniors who made significant contributions to the campus culture while performing at a top academic level.
The Class of 2024’s highest awards—The H.N. and Francis C. Berger Prizes for Outstanding Seniors—recognized Oluwatimilehin (Timi) Balogun and Caroline Bullock. Awarded each year to two outstanding seniors in the graduating class, the prizes were established by Fran and Nor Berger, with criteria that include: academic achievement, leadership, contributions to the College and the student body, and personal integrity.
Balogun, who majored in Economics with a Finance Sequence, was honored for his “lasting contributions as a student leader,” including his service as a resident assistant (Student Apartments), senior class cabinet, an executive board member of the Black Student Association, and a member of the College Programming Board.
In addition, he contributed to Claremont’s local community, as a member of SOURCE, the student-run nonprofit consulting organization. Described as exemplifying “integrity and community building,” Balogun will pursue investment banking as a natural resources analyst with Goldman Sachs after graduation.
Bullock, who majored in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE) with a Leadership Studies Sequence, also contributed to campus life in numerous ways. She served as a resident assistant (Boswell Hall), a senator and executive board member of ASCMC, and as the captain and MVP of the 2024 national champion Claremont Foxes women’s rugby team.
Described as “a changemaker” who “identifies areas of need and then works collaboratively with others to effectuate impact,” Bullock was selected as a Handley Leadership Fellow in the Women in Leadership Development Program and contributed as a research assistant with the Center for Writing and Public Discourse. Active in politics, Bullock founded the Montana Transparency Project in 2023, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes government transparency and participatory democracy.
2024 Student Awards
- William H. Alamshah Award for Student Leadership
- Kaitlyn Hohl
- Zane Yamamoto
- The Alumni Association Citizenship Award
- Cristi Cruz
- Michael Gadinis
- The Alumni Association Outstanding Athlete Award
- Natalie Bitetti
- Frank Applebaum
- The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Award for Outstanding Senior
- Oluwatimilehin "Timi" Balogun
- Caroline Bullock
- The William Dickinson Athletic Award
- Laura Zimmer
- The O’Keefe Award
- Crown Hall: Resident Assistants Aichatou Diaw and William Galbreath - “The 23-24 Crown community is an exemplar of what it means to be a part of the residential community here at CMC.“
- The Brian Walkenbach Award for Outstanding Resident Assistant
- Hyun Wuk "David" Lee-Beckett Hall, for “helping to create a tradition of engagement and involvement in Beckett that will hopefully last long beyond his time here on campus.”
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT AWARDS
- Robert Day School of Economics and Finance Award for the Outstanding Major: Kamila Melikova
- Robert Day School of Economics and Finance Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Rachana Muvvala
- Robert Day School of Economics and Finance Award for the Outstanding Major (Accounting): Will Turner
- Robert Day School of Economics and Finance Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Accounting): Eric Sanchez
- Robert Day School of Economics and Finance Award for the Outstanding Major (Financial Economics): John Horan
- Robert Day School of Economics and Finance Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Financial Economics): Kamila Melikova
- Environment, Economics, and Politics Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Jennifer Cuahutencos
- Environment, Economics, and Politics Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Olivia Cairns
- Government Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Michael Gadinis
- Government Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Nathaniel Worley
- History Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Derik Suria
- History Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Spencer Taylor
- International Relations Award for the Outstanding Major: Jose Chiquito
- International Relations Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Riley Green
- Keck Science Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Cooper Melody McKenna
- Keck Science Department Award for the Outstanding Major (Science Management): Kaitlyn Hohl
- Keck Science Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Biological Science): Annabelle Duflock
- Keck Science Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Neuroscience): Alexis Lee
- Keck Science Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Physical Science): Brian Lee
- Keck Science Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Science Management): Umit Suri
- Literature Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Yu Ying Chen
- Literature Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Basil Lloyd-Moffett
- Mathematical Science Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Brian Yong-Ho Lee
- Mathematical Science Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Oleksandr Horban
- Military Science Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Rebecca Lee
- Military Science Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Halle Rudman
- Modern Languages & Literatures Department Award for the Outstanding Major (French): Sophia Sklar
- Modern Languages & Literatures Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (French): Sophia Sklar
- Modern Languages & Literatures Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis (Spanish): Sam Goldfein
- Philosophy Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Zachary Davis
- Philosophy Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Rukmini Banerjee
- Psychological Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Carly Kirsch
- Psychological Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: Yuhan Kong
- Public Policy Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Caruna Gillespie
- Public Policy Department Award for the Outstanding Senior Thesis: William Ellsworth
- Religious Studies Department Award for the Outstanding Major: Precious Olajobi
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
- J. Cleveland McKenna Researcher Award
- Nikhil Agarwal
- Liann Bielicki
- The Philip Roland Award for Excellence in Public Affairs: Ben Smith
- The Philip Roland Prize for Best Thesis in Public Administration and Public Policy: Michael Gadinis
- The John R. and Bonnie Snortum Award for Distinctive Character: Williams Ellsworth
- Best Thesis in Gender Studies: Georgia McGovern
- The Keck Center Outstanding Senior Thesis - Comparative Politics: Joice Garcia
- The Keck Center Outstanding Senior Thesis - Gender and International Relations: Sonja Woolley
- The Keck Center Outstanding Senior Thesis - International Security: Eliza Friend
- The Keck Center Outstanding Senior Thesis - Comparative Political Economy: Sumanje Chigwenembe
- The Keck Center Prize for Outstanding Fieldwork in a Senior Thesis: Laura Somoza Velez
- Mgrublian Center for Human Rights Best Thesis - Human Rights: Laura Somoza Velez
- Mgrublian Center for Human Rights Best Overall Student - Human Rights, Genocide, and Holocaust Studies Sequence: Riley Green
- Randall Lewis Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Best Thesis in Business, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship: Jacob O'Connell