11 December 2024 graduates earn the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal

During December 2024 Commencement, 11 graduates across five colleges will receive the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal. Recipients of this honor are outstanding writers and speakers, with a strong command of visual literacy and technological communication. They have earned high GPAs in their communication-intensive courses throughout their baccalaureate years, sought 1-1 mentorships with faculty, and have built websites that display their communication competencies and professional talents, both in and beyond the classroom. LSU Distinguished Communicators also graduate with the LSU Communicator Certificate, launched in Fall 2018. 

To celebrate the accomplishments of these exceptional students, CxC will be hosting a medal ceremony honoring Distinguished Communicators, as well as celebrating them through a series of digital posts on social media and cxc.lsu.edu. 

This distinction is the first of its kind in the nation. It is sponsored by LSU Communication across the Curriculum (CxC), a nationally recognized program for its excellence in enhancing learning experiences and improving students’ communication skills across all disciplines. As of December 2024 Commencement, LSU has awarded 989 graduates with the Distinguished Communicator Medal.

College of Engineering 

Dania AbdulazizDania Abdulaziz, Industrial Engineering
Minor: E-commerce Engineering
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Gerry Knapp

Dania prides herself on her wide-ranging curiosity, eager to explore topics from technology and engineering to art and social issues. Having diverse interests is a priority for her, not only to stay balanced and inspired but also to bring new layers to projects and connections. She’s known for having a knack for noticing the little things, a skill that will come in handy when she officially begins LSU’s MBA program with a specialization in Emerging Technology. She’s technically already started; she completed her engineering coursework early and began pursuing courses in her final undergraduate semester. In addition to taking graduate courses and completing internships, Dania has been a member of eight student organizations, including the Society of Peer Mentors and the Muslim Student Association, holding leadership positions in four. In her spare time, Dania likes to experiment with cooking and stay connected with her Palestinian heritage through literature and practicing dabke, a traditional form of dance.

Emly BraceyEmly Bracey, Biological Engineering
Hometown: Shreveport, La.
Advisor: Marybeth Lima

Whether playing chess or Dungeons & Dragons, Emly loves the mental challenge of a good problem-solving puzzle. Those critical thinking skills extend beyond a game board, ranging from undergraduate researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center to EKG technician at Our Lake of the Lake. Outside of developing her skills as a future physician, this self-proclaimed early bird is volunteering in the community, cheering on Ferrari in F1 (“despite their sketchy strategy calls”), and saving for a motorcycle. In the Fall, Emly will get to solve a new set of puzzles as she embarks on her most valued achievement to date: entering medical school at LSU Health Shreveport.

Damion HarrisDamion Harris, Construction Management
Minor(s): Business Adminstration, Technical Sales
Hometown: Henderson, N.C.
Advisor: Stephanie Heumann

In construction management, safety is key, so it should come as no surprise that Damion has several OSHA certificates under his belt as well as a Red Cross certification in CPR and first aid. During his time at LSU, Damion had a chance to pursue two high-profile internships. Working for Lemoine, he was excited to assist with waterproofing a seating section of Tiger Stadium, and as a project management intern at Tesla, he worked on a team responsible for increasing the efficiency of battery production and got to lead his own project focused on improving safety in the manufacturing space. Damion loves to work out, so it's appropriate that he spent several years working at UREC, where he gained valuable managerial experience. He's also very proud of his cooking skills! After graduation, Damion will return to Tesla to start a full-time position as associate production manager in battery cell construction.

Avery OlindeAvery Olinde, Biological Engineering
Minor: Biological Sciences
Hometown: Walker, La.
Advisor: Nick Totaro

From a hobby as an amateur entomologist to her role as Game Master for her friends' Dungeons & Dragons group, Avery’s passion for problem-solving and creativity extends beyond the classroom. In fact, one of Avery’s greatest game achievements might be defeating Biological Engineering Chair Dr. Marybeth Lima and becoming the reigning Catan Champion among fellow students. Her volunteer work with Geaux Strong and BREC showcased her ability to communicate effectively and inspire others, and her leadership in organizations like the Society of Peer Mentors reflects her commitment to service and growth. All of which led to Avery earning the Engaged Citizen Distinction, marking her as an LSU grad committed to giving back to her community. Moving forward, Avery will join Jacobs Engineering in Orlando, Fla., as a water engineer. 

Ricki PierceRicki Pierce, Biological Engineering
Minor: Robotics
Hometown: Marrero, La.
Advisor: Marybeth Lima

As an intern at Magnolia Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics, Ricki developed a passion for biomechanics. A self-proclaimed extrovert, she especially enjoyed connecting with patients on a personal level as she built prosthetics to improve their daily lives. Ricki is grateful to her family for supporting her in all her endeavors and proud to add "biomechanist" to an impressive list of family job titles that include "an engineer, a school board employee, a veterinarian, a riverboat captain, a paralegal, and a master of public relations." After graduation, Ricki will pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at LSU, focusing on motion capture data analysis. She plans to make the world a better place by practicing inclusive design in orthotics and prosthetics. When she's not playing with robots, Ricki likes to cook Cajun dishes for her friends.

Miranda ShengMiranda Sheng, Industrial Engineering
Minor(s): Business Administration, Technical Sales
Hometown: Metairie, La.
Advisor: Laura Ikuma

Whether automating data aggregation or analyzing production waste costs, Miranda is passionate about efficiency. She’s been able to put that passion into practice through summer internships and campus organizations including the LSU Chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). Her favorite internship brought her to Greenwich, Conn. as a Manufacturing Engineering Intern at Bimbo Bakeries USA. “I honed my career interests and enjoyed living alone in a new place,” she says. She is most proud of the work and growth involved in earning the LSU Distinguished Communicator medal and has already been flexing those skills in a surprising place: officiating high school volleyball matches. When she’s not enforcing regulations, she’s taking time for pilates, travel and pickleball. After graduation, Miranda plans to return to Metairie, La., where she will take a well-earned break before pursuing a corporate position in the consumer packaged goods industry.

College of Human Sciences & Education

Aly ClementAlyssa (Aly) Clement, Human Development & Family Science (Child Life)
Hometown: Zachary, La.
Advisor: Hannah Plauche

Aly is a student whose quiet leadership and creativity set her apart during her time at LSU. While balancing committee chair roles in her sorority, Tri Delta, she embraced opportunities to support children through her internships with Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and Make-A-Wish, strengthening her passion for child advocacy. Aly’s work on her Distinguished Communicator portfolio, a testament to her dedication, stands as one of her proudest achievements. When she’s not advocating for others, you might find her with her new dog or working on an artistic project. After graduation, Aly will continue her journey in child advocacy, confident and ready for what's next.

College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Emily BergeronEmily Bergeron, Communication Disorders*
Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Dripping Springs, Texas
Advisor: Rebecca Carrero-Figueroa

Emily is a dedicated student whose passion for communication shines both inside and outside the classroom. Whether singing along to a favorite guitar riff or perfecting her Spanish during a study abroad trip in Madrid, Emily constantly expands her horizons. Her internship with Dynamic Therapy Solutions confirmed her calling in speech therapy, where she’s already making a difference with patients and therapists alike. Her commitment to excellence earned her the Distinguished Communication Medal and the President’s List Award. After graduation, Emily will spend a gap year teaching English in Spain before pursuing a master's in Speech-Language Pathology.

Manship School of Mass Communication

Morgan ClaybrooksMorgan Claybrooks, Mass Communication (Digital Advertising)
Minor: Communication Studies
Hometown: Smyrna, Ga.
Advisor: Lance Porter

Morgan says her secret superpower is connecting with people, but it’s no secret to the CxC team. In the three years she’s been a CxC Communication Coach, Morgan has conducted 500 individual peer coaching appointments, often with returning clients. She builds meaningful connections with fellow team members, too, who describe her as a hardworking, charismatic person who elevates the energy in every room she’s in. Morgan has cultivated an impact-driven portfolio of work at LSU focused on advocacy and a passion for, as she describes, “promoting accessibility “promoting accessibility to education for all.” A recent trip to New York City with LSU Advertising Federation helped her see how all her experience and passion can come together for her future career. Morgan will continue to build connections and find her place once she leaves LSU, but for now she’s just celebrating graduation, confidently stating: “I’m free!”

College of Science

Rori KgoadiRorisang (Rori) Kgoadi, Geology
Minor: Hometown: Youngsville, La.
Advisor: Karen Luttrell

When asked to describe Rori, his advisor lauded him as intelligent, creative, and hard-working. Simply put, she said, “Everyone loves Rori!” Between his bowtie collection and his cheerful demeanor, Rori is sunshine incarnate. His warmth is perhaps matched only by his passion for Geology, with experiences ranging from his internship with the RESESS program under the EarthScope Consortium, to explaining the different kinds of rocks, gems, and minerals for younger audiences (with metaphors ranging from baking a cake to the characters of Steven Universe). He not only finished his degree in 3.5 years, he also makes baking French macarons look easy. After graduation, he plans to take a gap semester before grad school, where we will surely someday hear about Dr./Professor Kgoadi.

Maram KhalafMaram Khalaf, Biological Sciences (Secondary Education)
Minor: Arabic Studies
Hometown: Baton Rouge, La.
Advisor: Rebecca Nguyen

As a multi-hyphenate researcher, teacher, and entrepreneur, Maram is committed to using her talents to make an impact. Her business, Chocolate Bijoux, founded with knowledge from Food Sciences courses and a passion for creative collaboration, garnered recognition in 225 Magazine’s “20 in their 20’s” list. Business owner isn’t the only leadership role she’s embraced. She held officer positions with the Muslim Student Association and the Middle Eastern Student Association (which she co-founded) and served as chairperson of the non-profit Najma Food Care. One of her favorite roles was teaching assistant for Dr. Madden’s biostatistics course through the Geaux Teach program, stating how much she enjoyed working with one of the program’s directors and developing a sense of community while deepening her own learning. After leaving LSU, Maram hopes to spend a little time playing tennis and volleyball while finding new ways to make a community impact. “Helping out and giving back is something I enjoy,” she says.


*Honors students are designated with an asterisk. 

 

 

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