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WELLESLEY,
Mass. -- Three Wellesley College students have been
honored with the 2004 Katharine Malone Prizes for Academic
Excellence: Kathryn Pierce of Wellesley, Mass., Katherine
Miller of Utica, Ohio, and Carolyn Brunelle
of Paxton, Mass.
The Malone Prizes were established in 1985 by alumna
Claudine Malone in honor of her mother, Katharine. Three
prizes are given each year, honoring students who have
successfully combined academic excellence with a commitment
to contributing to the college community. This year’s
prizes were announced at Sept. 7 Convocation ceremonies,
which mark the beginning of the academic year.
The Katharine Malone Scholar, the most distinguished
of the three awards, was given to senior Kathryn
Pierce,
the daughter of Barbara Geller and Dr. James Nathanson,
both of Wellesley.
“Your academic achievements, highlighted by
your recent election to Phi Beta Kappa, in addition to
your extraordinary
dedication to the Wellesley community, clearly demonstrate
your commitment to these ideals,” said President
Diana Chapman Walsh in a letter informing her of the
award.
Pierce’s award includes a check for $30,000, to
be given at Commencement. She is eligible for another
$5,000 per year for up to four years for graduate studies.
With a major in psychology and a minor in biology, she
has achieved a 4.0 GPA and is especially interested in
biological psychology, comparative physiology, mental
health advocacy and animal welfare.
In summer 2003 she served as a research intern at the
Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Neuroscience at
Mclean Hospital of Harvard University. This summer she
completed an internship at Tufts University School of
Veterinary Medicine Wildlife Clinic and Center for Conservation
Medicine where she did clinical work at the Wildlife
Clinic and research for the SEANET, studying seabird
mortality in the northwestern Atlantic. She is pursuing
research this year at Tufts on the effects of plastic
ingestion in seabirds.
She has served as vice president and president of the
Organization for Mental Health Awareness and as a member
of Dead Serious, an improvisational comedy troupe. She
has been awarded First Year Distinction, the Mary F.
Gross Award for Academic Excellence and was elected to
Psi Chi and Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. She plans to
pursue a career as a veterinarian and a conservation
biologist.
This
year’s Malone Sophomore Student Prize, which
comes with an award of $7,500, went to Katherine
Miller,
the daughter of Bruce and Margaret Miller of Utica,
Ohio. A graduate of Northridge High School, she was a National
Merit finalist and has received First Year Distinction
at Wellesley. Majoring in English and French, she has been
a member of the Student Admission Representatives and TEACh
(Teaching English at Chinatown) and the Protestant Christian
Chaplaincy). This year she lives in the French House.
The First Year Student Prize, which comes with an award
of $7,500, was awarded to Carolyn Brunelle, the daughter
of Roger and Aimee Brunelle of Paxton, Mass. She attended
Wachusett Regional High School, where she volunteered as
a tutor in biology, writing and Spanish. Valedictorian
of her class, she also acted in more than 25 community
theater productions and choreographed musicals for local
theaters.
At
Wachusett, Brunelle was awarded the Arion Award for Musical
and Academic Excellence and the UNICO Scholarship
for Community Service and Academic Achievement. Other awards
include the Central Massachusetts Superintendent’s
Association Award, the Telegram & Gazette Student Achiever
Award, the Big Y Academic Excellence Scholarship, the Robin
Romano Memorial Award and the Central Mass Onstage Jane
Perron Memorial Award. She was also named a National Merit
Scholar Finalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction.
A Middle Eastern Studies major, Brunelle sings in the
College Choir and Glee Club. She also performs in Collegium
Musicum, a group devoted to the study and performance of
early music from a female perspective. She co-runs Arabic
Table and works at the music library. This year, she plans
to be a member of House Council and to volunteer as a tutor
in local elementary schools. She hopes one day to work
for the government or a non-profit organization to promote
peace in the Middle East.
Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing
an excellent liberal-arts education for women who will
make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near
Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students from all
50 states and 68 countries. For more information, go to
www.wellesley.edu.
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