This year's Boisfeuillet Jones Medal winners showcase a diversity of experiences at Emory with the common theme of leadership and service.
Dohyun Ahn, Nicole Makris and Cathryn Marion Morette were announced as the 2014 Jones medalists during Class Day, held May 8 in Glenn Memorial Auditorium.
Established and initially endowed by the D.V.S. Senior Society, the medals are named for distinguished Emory alumnus Boisfeuillet Jones and are awarded annually to one senior each from Emory College of Arts & Sciences, Goizueta Business School and Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
Students are selected based on how they exemplify Jones' commitment to citizenship, leadership, academic excellence, service to Emory and the larger community, and "potential to become a 'Change Agent' in their chosen profession and society at large," according to the award criteria.
The 2014 winners have given significant service on the Emory campus and beyond. All three were also selected for the 100 Senior Honorary, presented by the Emory Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Association.
Dohyun Ahn: 'Commitment to social justice'
Dohyun Ahn, pictured with Emory University Trustee Laura Jones Hardman, is the 2014 Jones medalist for Emory College of Arts and Sciences. Emory Photo/Video.
Ahn, the Jones medalist for Emory College of Arts and Sciences, was honored for his tireless efforts on LGBT issues.
Ahn "has worked tirelessly to make Emory a more welcoming environment" and "combined his intellectual talent, his unflagging dedication, and his commitment to social justice to advocate for the LGBT community," said Robin Forman, dean of Emory College, as he presented Ahn's award.
Ahn, who has been invited to the White House as an emerging LGBT leader, majored in women's, gender and sexuality studies, as well as classics. He initiated the Queer and Asian student group, served as assistant to the director of LGBT Life, and has been a member of the LGBT Life Advisory Committee and the President's Commission on Sexuality, Gender Diversity and Queer Equality. He served as co-president of Emory Pride and co-facilitated the Queer Men's Discussion Group. Other honors include the Emory Humanitarian Award, Emory LGBT Alumni Leadership Award and selection to Omicron Delta Kappa.
"He has used his own experiences and challenges to benefit his classmates, creating a more inclusive and embracing campus," Forman said. "He is humble, yet assertive; his leadership, understated, yet powerful."
Nicole Makris: 'An extraordinary student'
Nicole Makris is the 2014 Jones medalist for Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. She is pictured with Linda McCauley (left), dean of the nursing school, and Emory University Trustee Laura Jones Hardman. Emory Photo/Video.
Makris, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing honoree, combines academic achievement and clinical rotations with extensive community service.
Linda McCauley, dean of the nursing school, presented the medal and described Makris as an "extraordinary student" who "volunteered her time to support Emory and the greater community in numerous ways."
Makris helped coordinate emergency preparedness training for Emory nursing students as the staff assistant for the Department of Emergency Operations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; developed a six-week workshop to teach undergraduate nursing students about culturally appropriate care; served as director of communications for the Emory International Student Nurses Association, is a student ambassador, and volunteers at two local assisted living homes.
Her work with the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, a collaboration between the School of Medicine and the Environmental Protection Agency, includes designing a nursing curriculum about pediatric environmental health, conducting literature reviews and helping plan the annual student research conference. She has also conducted her own cancer care research and will present a poster at the Oncology Nursing Society Congress this month.
Cathryn Morette: 'People first, and Emory above all'
Cathryn Marion Morette is the 2014 Jones medalist for Goizueta Business School. She is shown with Andrea Hershatter (left), senior associate dean and BBA Program director for Goizueta Business School, and Emory University Trustee Laura Jones Hardman. Emory Photo/Video.
Morette, the Goizueta Business School winner, is a Goizueta Scholar who will graduate with distinction from the BBA program.
"Her determination in every endeavor she undertakes is matched by deep insights and such a quick grasp of the situation that most issues are resolved before you even know she has tackled them," said Andrea Hershatter, senior associate dean and BBA Program director for Goizueta Business School, as she presented the award to Morette.
Morette's service to Emory includes working to help incoming, current and former students. She served for three years as an orientation leader, is co-president of the Student Alumni Board and is an ex-officio member of the Emory Alumni Board. Morette is also "the most effective president of the Consulting Club that we have ever had, doing everything in her power to assure that our BBAs have the access and preparation needed to enter this competitive field," Hershatter noted.
"Whether she is running a dance marathon for a children's cause, serving on the honor council, giving admission tours, or just working with a peer, our recipient puts people first, and Emory above all," Hershatter concluded.