Senior Liz Zalla wins Fr. Finn Award
Mar 31, 2019
By Ryan Clark
Liz Zalla says she put her heart and soul into her career at Xavier.
This spring, she was rewarded for that, as she was named the winner of the Fr. Finn Award on All Honors Day.
Named for a remarkable Jesuit priest, who, during the 1920s, served as pastor of St. Xavier Church and was a member of the Xavier Board of Trustees, Fr. Francis Finn was a noted author of books for young Catholics. This award is presented by the Xavier National Alumni Association to a member of the graduating class who best exemplifies the qualities of Fr. Finn’s fictional heroes: strong spiritual values, leadership, and breadth of interest.
“Winning the Fr. Finn Award was one of the greatest honors I could have imagined to receive during my time at Xavier,” said the communication studies and advertising major. “A man who embodied spiritual virtues, leadership, and a variety of interests, Fr. Finn was just the type of model we, as students at Xavier, are meant to follow.”
Zalla did all this while also serving as the 2017-18 president of the Student Activities Council. 
“Our student commitment calls us to learn, serve and change the world together, and Fr. Finn was a man who aimed to do just that,” Zalla said. “I was humbled to receive this award amidst so many other talented, passionate and inspiring individuals this All Honors Day, and I know I could not have done it without the amazing community surrounding me at Xavier.”
More about All Honors Day:
Each spring the Xavier community comes together to celebrate Xavier’s top students during the annual All Honors Day ceremonies.
Students are recognized for their academic achievements, their contributions to service and justice and their involvement and leadership within the Xavier community.
Read on for the full list of students honored during for their achievements during the 2018-19 academic school year.
Student Leadership Awards
The Student Leadership Awards honor students who display exceptional leadership in Xavier's student government, club activities or other organizations sponsored by the division of student life and leadership.
Students honored:
Emma A. Albertz- Student Employee of the Year
Lauren M. Bailey- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award, Dorothy Day Award
Jasmine M. Cline-Bailey- Outstanding Contribution to Graduate Students
Alecia R. Conway- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Benmun H. Damul- Ambassador Award, Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award, President's Award for Excellence in Leadership
Anna E. DeHondt - Outstanding Contribution to Residential Students, Sally Watson Leadership Award
Lauren A. Dencker- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Samantha B. Dewey- Rev. Paul L. O'Connor, S.J. Award
Mary Elizabeth A. DeWitt- Zach Wood Award
Rhea A. Elcock- President's Award for Excellence in Leadership
Sierra C. Fields- Outstanding Contribution to Commuter Students
Donald J. Foley- Charles J. Ping Community Service Award
Jacqueline E. Fox- Kaela Alton Wellness Leadership Award, President's Award for Excellence in Leadership
Caitlin Fox- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Kate M. George- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Chrisopher B. Givin- Rev. Paul L. O'Connor, S.J. Award
Nicole E. Gratzer- Dorothy Day Award
Kara M. Horning- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Peter M. Korchak- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Jordan W. Lobsiger- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Danica M. Lombardi- Outstanding Contribution to Residential Students
Maryn S. McCarty- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Rachel R. McFadden- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Alfredo Mercedes- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Matthew K. Nguyen- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Sonia Pereira- Outstanding Contribution to Non-Traditional Students
Kara A. Petit- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Azl Saeed- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Allison M. Schroeder- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Kathryn Schuller- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award, David Streicher Spirit of Xavier Award
Samson T. Sergi- Thomas E. Sedler Award
Ryan P. Spolar- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Colleen M. Spolar- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Megan R. Stewart- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Danielle N. Stone- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Desmond C. Varner, Jr.- Newman Civic Fellows Award
Tianna A. Vozar- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award, Thomas E. Sedler Award
Ihsan A. Walker- Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award
Brittany E. Wells- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Sophia R. Wilson- Sally Watson Leadership Award
Emily A. Witt- Outstanding Contribution to Residential Students, Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Mah Noor Zahra- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award
Elizabeth A. Zalla- Father Francis J. Finn, S.J. Award
Alpha Sigma Nu Induction
Induction into Alpha Sigma Nu is one of the highest honors that can be given on a Jesuit campus. Candidates must be outstanding in scholarship, in loyalty and in service to the University.
Students honored:
Yasmin Alvarado-Rayo
Rita Atalor
Emma Barry
Toni Bizzarro
Alec Bomske
Margot Bond
Sela Brazier
Noah Buettner
Katherine Burrows
Hannah Cascio
Mariah Edwards
Danielle Eilerman
Ellie Esser
Julia Frabrizi
Erica Geers
Megan Hammond
Mary Pat Hamzik
Elizabeth Handley-
Samick Samuel Juszczyk
Molly Kidwell
Kelsey Kraft
Margaret Landry
Andrew Mack
Anjali Nelson
Kayde Nester
Sarah O’Shaughnessy
Brian Price
Margaret Purtell
Julia Reichley
Griffin Richardson
Jillian Satz
Gabriela Scott
Arianna Semilia
Margaret Tierney
Alexandria Tsenekos
Lauren Valentini
Camryn Yacks
Academic Honors Convocation
The Academic Honors Convocation recognizes those students who have excelled in the classroom and have qualified for a special award of honor.
Students honored:
Yasmin Alvarado-Rayo
Rebecca M. Anderson
Hannah M. Bailey
Kinzie A. Baker
Rachel V. Barth
Maggie E. Bartoletti
Alexis A. Baumgartner
Caroline E. Blandford
Stephen L. Bothwell
Daniel E. Bowling
Sela H. Brazier
Alexander E. Browne
Kathleen S. Buch
Laura L. Bundus
Katherine B. Burrows
Benjamin Butler
Ryan P. Caliguri
Hannah D. Cariati
Kevin J. Cekanor
Kelly M. Cline
Kaitlyn D. Clyne
Miranda D. Cocca
Morgan S. Comerford
Matthew B. Crowe
Samantha B. Dabney
Benmun H. Damul
Anna E. DeHondt
Alexa P. Deutsch
Robert D. Dewitt
Nadia C. Di Marco
Zachary P. Dutro
John B. Dykema
Magdalene A. Eallonardo
Olivia C. Eck
Nina E. Eisenberg
Rhea A. Elcock
Emilie K. Eros
Maria L. Fraulini
Valiant L. Freeman
Ryan J. Gallagher
Courtney E. Garside
Naomi G. Gebremariam
Brian C. Georg
Maria F. Gomez
Libby A. Grace
Elizabeth Guarasci
Megan E. Hammond
Mary P. Hamzik
Katherine J. Harrington
Jayson J. Heidemann
Jonathan M. Hesford
Rachel J. Hesse
David F. Hicks
Michael J. Hilvert
Alexis M. Hogya
Karen L. Jackson
Cozia C. James
Joshua J. Jerabek
Jenna K. Kay
Payton B. Kelly-McNally
Andrea Kennard
Sherri M. King
Ashley M. Kingsley
Brennan H. Kizer Ball
Charlotte R. Knotts
Tilen Kodrin
Rachel E. Kreutzjans
Rachel A. Krevh
Gavin P. Kyte
Margaret F. Landry
Hannah M. Lankswert
Brianna H. Ledsome
Sarah N. Lemay
Hannah M. Lodin
Alexander Lopez Valdiviseo
Mary G. Mahoney
Shazia Malik
Evan C. Mallory
Andrew W. Marsden
Hannah M. Martin
Kristen L. Martin
Gabriella R. Martini
Anna C. Mayer
Msendoo V. Mbachilin
Riley P. McDonald
Rachel R. McFadden
Sean P. McNamara
Anne M. Mesewicz
Sara E. Meuché
Hannah P. Michels
Jessica A. Miller
Natalie R. Mitchell
Ayarri N. Moore
Kaitlyn R. Motel
Andrew J. Nelson
Anjali R. Nelson
Katie E. Nichols
Alexa R. Ollier
Molly K. Onders
Presley Owusu-Bonsu
Monica A. Papulak
Emily M. Pausa
Sonia Pereira
Christina E. Peterman
Rachael M. Petranek
Julian D. Pullings
Trevor J. Rahlfs
Carson J. Rayhill
Ty A. Richer
Nicholas C. Rittenhouse
Eduardo Rivera
Kathryn M. Robertson
Sophie Rogers
Earl A. Rolley
Jillian R. Satz
Kara Schatz
Viktoria R. Schumacher
Matthew D. Shannon
Daniel J. Shannon
Casey A. Smith
Michael L. Smith
Andrea P. Solis Canto
William M. Steuk
Nicholas A. Stone
Nicholas J. Talbot
Matthew W. Tarka
Nick J. Tarnowski
Bethany C. Taylor
Madeline I. Teed
Kevin W. Thomas
Miles A. Tiemeyer
Patrick D. Tilden
Rebecca M. Titterton
Clayton R. Traylor
Madeline L. Valente
Allison M. Voelker
Brian A. Ward
Brittany E. Wells
Arielle Wilson
Anthony M. Zajac
Elizabeth A. Zalla
Carolanne M. Zelis