Download 2008 Application for Nomination The Graduate Student Association honors on annual basis an outstanding graduate student award to honor those who strive to aid graduate students in their academic and professional pursuits during their time at UMBC. The award will be presented at the last Senate meeting of the Graduate Student Association for each academic school year, to be held on Monday May 5th, 2008 . Skylight Lounge 6-7pm The awardee will receive $250 in gift certificates. The name of the awardee will also be placed on a plaque in the GSA office. The deadline for nominations is by Monday April 14, 2008. A committee of graduate students will accept and review the nominations before the final senate meeting of the academic school year. Awardees will be notified prior to the final GSA Senate meeting of the academic year.
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Past Recipients
2006-2007
Michael Hanson
2005-2006
John Kim
2004-2005
Effie Shockley
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About Jessica …
(From Prof. Frey’s Website, Jessica’s Mentor)
Jessica Soto Pérez was born on November 15, 1977 in the town of San Sebastián, in the northwest corner of the island of Puerto Rico. She obtained her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, in 1999, and worked briefly in industry in the Boston and Baltimore areas prior to enrolling in the Ph.D. program in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at UMBC in 2001. Jessica joined Professor Frey's research group and began her thesis research in the area of protein chromatography during the fall term of 2002.
Jessica was a warm and loving person who greeted everyone she met with a cheerful smile. Her infectious enthusiasm and sheer joy for life positively impacted everyone she encountered. Jessica loved to teach and conduct research, and dreamed of returning to the University of Puerto Rico as a professor. Jessica especially wanted to become a role model for Hispanic women, and enjoyed participating in activities where she could inspire other young people, such as lecturing in the Maryland Regional Upward Bound Math and Science Center program for high school students. Jessica also participated in many campus activities, one of her favorites being the Genesis Toastmaster club, where she was the vice president for education. Jessica also participated in UMBC's PROMISE program, which is dedicated to increasing the number and diversity of Ph.D. graduate students who go on to academic careers. Tragically, Jessica became a victim of domestic violence and died on June 29, 2004, at the age of 26. The grief felt by Jessica’s friends and relatives upon her death was truly overwhelming, and is a testament to Jessica's wonderful nature and the positive influence she had on those around her. Those of us who were privileged to know Jessica will always treasure our memories of her. Jessica is survived by her parents, Antonio I. Soto and Luz N. Pérez, and by her younger brother Antonio I. Soto Pérez, Jr.
In the pursuit of her Ph.D. degree, Jessica satisfied all the requirements for a M.S. degree, which was awarded posthumously on August 31, 2004.
Click here to read more about Jessica’s legacy.
