Every year, prior to spring Commencement, the College of Liberal Arts announces the year's Baccalaureate Award winners and a ceremony is held in their honor. Separate from Latin Honors, a strictly GPA-based distinction, Baccalaureate Awards are CLA's highest honors given to graduates who have exhibited dedication to the academic and social life of their departments and to the College of Liberal Arts. The following students received this honor at the 2022 Spring Graduation ceremony.
Cecelia Curran won the Chief Inspector Vincent J. Greene, Sr. Memorial Award in Criminal Justice, established in 2007 by Vincent J. Greene Jr., LAW ’03, in memory of his father to provide for annual awards to graduating seniors majoring in Criminal Justice who are either currently serving as Philadelphia Police officers, planning to enter the Philadelphia Police Academy, graduates of Northeast Catholic High School or its successor, or graduates of any Philadelphia parochial high school. Cecelia will spend the next year finishing her master's degree in Temple’s Criminal Justice Program.
Mary Byerley and Sophia Shaimon won the Criminal Justice Excellence Award which is given by the Criminal Justice Department to a member of the graduating class for outstanding academic performance throughout matriculation. Mary graduated in three years and will be attending law school in the fall. Sophia will start her Ph.D. degree in Criminology at University of South Carolina, on a highly prestigious Presidential Fellowship.
Latoya White won the Criminal Justice Phoenix Award which is given by the Criminal Justice Department to members of the graduating class who have achieved academic excellence in the face of challenging life circumstances.
Melissa Centeno won the Criminal Justice Service Award which is given by the Criminal Justice Department to a member of the graduating class for outstanding service to the department. Melissa plans on attending either law school or graduate school in the future.
Emma Mattrice won the Doris Grabosky Award in Criminal Justice, established by Doris Grabosky, CLA ’80, SSA ’82, and is given to junior Criminal Justice majors based on academic performance and financial need.
Brandon Navoczynski won the Michael V. Gallagher Memorial Award in Criminal Justice, which is awarded to a graduating Criminal Justice major who has elected to pursue a career in law enforcement. Brandon has already started down that path, as he recently started in a new role as a Parole Agent with the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole in the Philadelphia District.