Student Awards

The Physics Department at Kent State University recognizes outstanding scholastic achievement in physics by annually offering various awards to undergraduates.

Pearson Award in Physics:

This award (formerly the Addison-Wesley Award) is presented to the physics major who, during the year of the award, graduates with the highest scholastic average in physics. The award consists of a certificate and approximately $250 worth of books presented by Pearson.

John Wiley Award in Physics:

This award is presented to the student who, during the year of the award, achieves the most outstanding performance in the General University Physics sequence. This award consists of a certificate and approximately $250 worth of books presented by John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Year
Pearson Award
John Wiley Award
2020 Christian Ross Damian J. Kouvaris
Andrew J. Shepherd
2019 Jacob P. Boyd
Thomas E. Cook
Garrett J. DeMeyer
Mariano M. Salvatore
2018 Kelsey Bittinger
Julian Sobieski
Christian K. Ross
2017 Jonathan Boyd
John T. Kress
Andre Antoine
Jacob P. Boyd
2016 Andrey Dyshko
Elliot Golias
Corey Zickel
2015 Allan Leishman Jonathan Boyd
Elizabeth McMasters
2014 Thomas Buida Elliot Golias
2013 Chris Bohrer
Chad Frutig
Vincent Milluzzi
Thomas Buida
Tessandra Sage
2012 Kevin DiVincenzo
Fred Minkowski
Chad Frutig
2011 Kevin Musick Chris Bohrer
Jacob Sheahan

Center for Nuclear Research Award:

This award was created to recognize undergraduate physics majors who achieve outstanding performance in one of the upper-level modern physics courses related to nuclear or particle physics (Intro. Modern Physics, Quantum Mechanics, or Intro. Nuclear and Particle Physics). Students are eligible to win this award only once. The award consists of recognition and a monetary prize of $250. The following physics majors have been recent recipients of this award:

Year
CNR Award
2018 Christian K. Ross
Thomas E. Cook
2017 Jacob P. Boyd
Jacob A. Taylor
2016 Kelsey Bittinger
Corey Zickel
2015 Jonathan Boyd
Elizabeth McMasters
2014 Elliot Golias
Allan Leishman
2013 Thomas Buida
Jason Lundquist
2012 Scott Akers
Stuart McKaige
Vincent Milluzzi
2011 Ben Stickel

Physics Academic Achievement Award:

This award was created in AY 2016-2017 to recognize graduating physics majors who achieve academic excellence. The award consists of a certificate of recognition and a monetary prize of $50. The following physics majors have been recipients of this award:

Year
Academic Excellence Award
2020 Christian Ross
2019 Jacob P. Boyd
Thomas E. Cook
2018 Kelsey Bittinger
Julian Sobieski
Jacob A. Taylor
2017 Paul Billig
Jonathan Boyd
John T. Kress
Elizabeth McMasters
Michael Skowrons
Corey Zickel

Physics Leadership Award:

This award recognizes outstanding service to the Department of Physics as President of the KSU Chapter of the Society of Physics Students. The award consists of recognition and a monetary prize of $50. The following physics majors have been recent recipients of this award:

Year
Leadership Award
2020 Madison Wolf
2019 Jacob P. Boyd
2018 Andre Antoine
2017 Elizabeth McMasters
2016 David Scarpitti
2015 Allan Leishman
2014 Tessandra Sage
2013 Chad Frutig
2012 Ben Stickel
2011 Fred Minkowski

College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Student Leader Award:

The Physics Department also regularly nominates students for other awards. One such award is the College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Student Leader (DSL) Award. This award is sponsored by the Arts and Sciences Alumni Council of the Kent Alumni Association. It is given to graduating seniors who have an overall grade point average of 3.5 or higher and who have shown outstanding leadership abilities in academic areas, student organizations, special projects, university service, community service, and other leadership areas. The following physics majors have been recent recipients of this award:

Year
Arts & Sciences DSL Award
2019 Jacob P. Boyd
2018 Jacob A. Taylor
2017 Elizabeth McMasters
2016 David Scarpitti
2015 Tessandra Sage
2014 Stuart McKaige
2013 Scott Akers
Chad Frutig
2012 Fred Minkowski
2011 Andrew Kubera
Shannon Stefl

Honors Scholarship in Physics:

Please also visit our web page for the Honors Scholarship in Physics.