May 19, 2006 -- Stern College for Women honored its own on Monday, May 8, when it announced the valedictorians for both general and Jewish studies as well as the recipients of a host of other awards. Leah Olive, a graduating senior from Skokie, IL, was named as the valedictorian for both general studies and the Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies, which is something of a rarity. Dean Karen Bacon, the Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of Stern College for Women, said she could only recall one time in the school’s recent history where one young woman held the top grade point average in both the Jewish and secular studies programs at the college. “Leah’s outstanding academic record is a reflection of her strong intellectual abilities and interests applied to the study of Torah and the liberal arts and sciences,” Dean Bacon said. “She has taken the best that we have to offer in the tradition of Torah Umadda and made it her own.” Valedictorians of the Sy Syms School of Business at Stern College were Jacqueline (Rivka) Kukuy of Thornhill, Ontario, and Janna Almo of Seattle, WA. Dr. Jacob Wisse was named the Lillian F. and William L. Silber Professor of the Year. Dr. Wisse, an associate professor in Art History, just completed his first full year at Stern. Dr. Joshua Bacon, associate professor of Psychology, was chosen for an award by the senior class. Dr. Nora Nachumi, assistant professor of English, was awarded by the junior class. Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff, an instructor in Jewish Studies, was honored for successfully developing the Basic Jewish Studies program that just completed its first year. Professor Peninnah Schram was given the Dean Karen Bacon Award for an Outstanding Senior Faculty Member. Dr. David Glaser, assistant professor of Music, composer, and recent recipient of an American Academy of Arts and Letters award was presented with the Dean Karen Bacon Award For an Outstanding Junior Faculty Member. Other awards included: American Institute of Chemists Award for Excellence in Chemistry Chana Levine Miriam Araten Memorial Award for Excellence in Bible Shifra Cooper Devorah Dickstein Karen Feit Professor Daniel Block Memorial Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Computer Science Dana Glasner Jacob Bluttal Award (established by Mrs. Dora Bluttal) for Excellence in Behavioral Sciences Elana Goldmintz Eastern College Athletic Conference Merit Award to Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Janna Almo Mr. and Mrs. H.I. Feldman Award for Excellence in Biology Sarah Weinerman Bryna Miller Fertig Memorial Award for Volunteer Work with Hospital Patients Talia Weiss Malka Fishhaut Memorial Award (established by Rabbi and Mrs. Earl Fishhaut and the late Rabbi Leon Fishhaut) for Excellence in Jewish Studies Elana Goldmintz Chana Levine Gavriella Mintz Abe Fleishaker Memorial Award for Excellence in Jewish History Malka Krupka Leah Olive Esther Fleishaker Memorial Award for Excellence in Bible Lauren Miller Sol and Sarah Friedland Memorial Award (established by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Friedland) for Excellence in Hebrew Literature Rebecca Feiner Leah Weiland Herman Gerofsky Memorial Award for Excellence in Jewish History Aliza Brand Rachel Simpser Benjamin and Jennie Hammer Memorial Award for Excellence in Political Science Eliana Baer Tova Glatter Elisheva Krausz Professor Laurel Hatvary Award for Creative Writing Elana Meyersdorf Sara T. Herschfus Memorial Award (established by Dr. and Mrs. Morris Epstein) for Excellence in English Emily Fischer (Advertising) Shoshana Lichtenstein (Public Relations) Sarah Rindner (Literature) Ida Lamport Hurewitz Memorial Award for Excellence in Biology Malka Krupka Ida Lamport Hurewitz Memorial Award for Excellence in History Michal Bacon Jennifer Kraut Ida Lamport Hurewitz Memorial Award for Excellence in Physics Ilana Pister Ida Lamport Hurewitz Memorial Award for Excellence in Pre-Engineering Avital Merl Ida Lamport Hurewitz Memorial Award for Excellence in Psychology Karen Feit Prof. Moses L. Isaacs Memorial Award (established by Mrs. Elizabeth Isaacs) for Excellence in Chemistry Chana Levine Yardanna Platt Ramie Kertzner Memorial Award for Strong Commitment to Chesed and Jewish Identity Hillary Lewin Moses Langer Memorial Award for Excellence in Sociology Allison Hartman Langfan Family Constitutional Oratorical Prize First Place Sarah Willig Second Place Michal Warshawsky Third Place Grace Charles Ilana Levin Jacob and Katie Lashin Memorial Award (established by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Friedland) for Creativity in the Biological Sciences Frida Fridman Helen Nissim Rabbi Chaim Levine Memorial Award for Excellence in Jewish Studies Allison Goldberg Rachel Jacobson Deborah Rybak Jennifer Turk Morris Lipton Memorial Award (established by Mr. and Mrs. H.I. Feldman) for Excellence in Art History Annalisa Mainzer Hughes Morris Lipton Memorial Award (established by Mr. and Mrs. H.I. Feldman) for Excellence in Studio Art Jennifer Barth Chaya James Estee Kukin Dean David Mirsky Memorial Award for Excellence in English Adrianne Eichen (Literature) Laya Pelzner (Public Relations) Rebecca Schechter (Advertising) Barrie Zigman (Public Relations) Yardanna Platt (Writing) Marcia Pearlstein Memorial Award for Excellence in Hebraic Studies Michal Bensoussan Yadina Ebrani Professor Nathaniel L. Remes Memorial Award (established by the Class of 1978) for Character, Personality and Service to Stern College for Women Deena Hassan Joseph Rosenberg Memorial Award (established by his sister and brother-in-law, Livia and Sidney Turkel) for Excellence in Jewish Studies Yael Sadan-Barach Ariella Weisz Constance Schwartzappel Memorial Award for Excellence in Philosophy Elisheva Stern Gloria Schrenzel Sheer Memorial Award for Excellence in Jewish Studies Hava Abbe Gilda R.S. Silverman Memorial Award for Excellence in Economics Olena Zhuravska Gilda R.S. Silverman Memorial Award for Excellence in History Aliza Holzer Gilda R.S. Silverman Memorial Award (established by her parents, Esther and Bernard Schrenzel) for Excellence in Speech Pathology / Audiology Rachel Ackerman Rebecca Weisfogel Gilda R.S. Silverman Memorial Award for Excellence in Philosophy Shira Sturm Gilda R.S. Silverman Memorial Award for Excellence in Psychology Yael Grunseid Phyllis Gordon Solomon Memorial Award (established by her parents, Wilferd and Balfoura Gordon) for Excellence in Pre-Law Studies Mindi Guttman Stern College Alumnae Association Award for Service to the College and Academic Achievement Eliana Rudolph Stern College for Women and Sy Syms School of Business Athletic Award to the Most Outstanding Graduating Female Athlete Frida Fridman Mrs. Ghity Stern Award for Stellar Character and Commitment to the Jewish Community Cynthia Bernstein Thompson Brooks/Cole Book Award in Chemistry Dinah Zaghi Lisa Wachtenheim Memorial Award for Service Rivka Kahn Phyllis Weidhorn Memorial Prize for Excellence in Theatre Susan R. Nobel Werthentheil Memorial Award to a Prospective Law Student for Academic Excellence Elisheva Krausz Jessica Taranda Morris and Chaya Zuckerman Memorial Award for Best Research Paper in Jewish History Miriam Goldman Education Department Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education Michele Ann Blechner Education Department Award for Excellence in Commitment and Service in Early Childhood Education Orlee Levin Education Department Award for Excellence in Elementary Education Debra Schwartzbard History/Political Science Department Award for Dedication and Commitment to Social Justice Cynthia Bernstein Psychology Department Award for Excellence in Psychology Devorah Dickstein Leah Riber