12 Students from CSU Receive Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Awards

Twelve outstanding students from the four Connecticut State Universities were awarded the prestigious Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award by the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) Foundation.

The students — enrolled in Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State Universities — received the award for their outstanding academic achievement, on-campus involvement, and dedication to community service. Each student was selected by his or her respective university and have maintained a 3.7 grade point average with a record of substantial voluntary service to their universities and communities. Barnard Scholar Asma Rahimyar of Southern Connecticut State University was also chosen as a 2021 Rhodes Scholar — one of the most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world.

“These 12 Barnard Scholars have excelled in the classroom and beyond through academics and community service, and we are immensely proud of these students,” said CSCU Interim President Jane Gates. “With a Rhodes Scholar among them, they represent the extraordinary and extremely hard-working students who attend the four CSCU universities. They are the epitome of what makes a Barnard Scholar.”

“Our 12 Barnard Award recipients come from diverse backgrounds and are pursuing career paths that will serve as great role models for our current and future students in the state of Connecticut,” said CSCU Foundation President Helen Sneed.

“The CSCU Foundation is extremely proud to recognize our 12 Barnard Scholars with the same passion and drive they brought to our campuses and online learning. We continue to recognize our students’ ability to adapt and overcome life’s challenges,” said Sneed. “We are confident they will continue to lead the world, change our future, and make Connecticut proud!”

This is the 33rd year the CSCU Foundation has annually awarded the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award to exemplary students. The award is named for Henry Barnard, the first U.S. Commissioner of Education, Connecticut’s first superintendent of schools and

principal of what later became Central Connecticut State University. The CSCU Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports education and research within the four state universities.

The 2021 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award recipients are:

Central Connecticut State University

Megyn Jasman, Cheshire, Psychology Science major and Sociology, 3.94 GPA Sarah Ulrichsen, Warren, Biology: Ecology Biodiversity, Evolutionary Biology major History, 3.91 GPA Veronica Heigel, Plantsville, Accounting and French major, 3.96 GPA Johanna Zukowski, Wallingford, Psychological Science major and Gerontology minor, 3.88 GPA

Eastern Connnecticut State University

Hannah Beazoglou, West Hartford, Business Administration major, Business Information Systems minor, 3.96 GPA Justin Gomez-Stafford, New Haven, Biology major and Genetic Counseling minor, 3.83 GPA

Southern Connecticut State University

Camryn Arpino-Brown, Seymour, Psychology major and English minor, 3.72 GPA Paul McKee, New Haven, Psychology major, Biology/Data Science minor, 3.97 GPA Asma Rahimyar, Trumbull, Political Science and Philosophy major and English Literature minor, 4.0 GPA Therese Ziaks, Branford, Chemistry major, BS to MS Accelerated Pathway; and Biology, Psychology and Honors minor, 3.97 GPA

Western Connecticut State University

Bakhtawar Izzat, Bethel, Political Science major and Business Administration minor 3.85/4.0 GPA Isaac Jean-Pierre, Norwalk, Business Management major, 3.87 GPA