James Madison College celebrated its students’ academic excellence and community impact at the annual Parade of Honors ceremony held in Club Spartan in late April. The event recognized outstanding achievements across JMC’s four majors, while also honoring distinguished and honorary alumni.
This year’s ceremony highlighted the diverse accomplishments of current students through merit-based scholarships and awards.
At the event, 11 students received Outstanding Senior Awards in their respective disciplines:
- Outstanding CCP Seniors: Amaya Aten, Belma Hodzic, Kristin Maleczka, Amalia Suarez
- Outstanding PTCD Senior and recipient of the Jack Chapin Memorial Award: Caleb Rose
- Outstanding IR Senior: Imani Brobey
- Outstanding SRP Seniors: Ateeyah Abdul-Wasi, Lekhana Gogineni, Katie Heeder, Conner Holguin, RJ Schoen
Other 2025 award recipients:
Grace Fitzgerald received the Blaine W. Strimple Endowed Scholarship in International Relations. This scholarship is awarded annually to a JMC student studying international relations with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Thea Walerski is the 2025 recipient of the D.J. Sarafa Scholarship, which is open to third-year JMC students.
Anastasia Breen received both the Blaney Scholarship for Technology and International Relations and the Michael and Audrey Rubner Scholarship for International Studies.
Grace Fitzgerald is this year’s recipient of the Burton L. and Rosalie P. Gerber Scholarship, which is awarded to rising JMC seniors.
Zion Williams received the Curtis Stokes Endowment for Black Radical Thought. This endowment is named in honor of Curtis Stokes, Professor Emeritus of Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy, whose strong commitment to radical Black political thought informed his teaching and scholarship at JMC.
Braxton Maduka was awarded the Doug Toma Scholarship for Outstanding Roommates and Case Hall residents. Friends of JMC alumnus Doug Toma (Socio-Economics '86) established this scholarship to recognize and support those students who best exemplify the “residential college” elements of the Madison experience.
Katie Heeder received the Herbert Garfinkel Award for Citizenship and Democracy. This award is presented annually to the graduating senior whose record best exemplifies the integration of voluntary community service into their program of study in public affairs.
Adam Peck received the Michael G. Schechter All-University Endowed Award. This award honors Professor Emertius Michael Schechter, who joined the faculty of JMC in 1975 and officially retired in 2012.
Liam Harris and Abraham Jaafar received the Sylvia E. Tramm and Constance C. Tramm Hunt Scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding sophomore and first-year students.
Jaafar also received the Habib Muslim Studies Award, which encourages students to advance their knowledge of other cultures and support the Muslim Studies Program at MSU
To learn more about some of the various JMC scholarships available to current students, visit the JMC Scholarships webpage.