2023 Top Ten Seniors

For more than 80 years, Washington State University has recognized ten of the top seniors in each graduating class. The WSU Alumni Association selects those students who represent the highest standards in specific aspects of the college experience: academics, athletics, campus involvement, community service, and visual and performing arts.

Madison Neyland

Award Category: Academics

College of Arts and Sciences, Honors College
Mathematics (mathematics teaching specialty)
WSU Pullman
Renton, Washington

Involvement

Recipient, Outstanding Senior Award, Department of Mathematics and Statistics; recipient,  Charles “Chuck” Millham Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics, Boeing Endowed Scholarship Fund for Underrepresented Undergraduate Students, Joe and Pat Cude Scholarship Endowment, Knebelman Prize in Mathematics Award, and Regents Scholar Award; teaching assistant, WSU mathematics (linear algebra, elementary math, statistical modeling for data analytics, introduction to statistical methods, and stat methods in research; summer school kindergarten paraprofessional, Apollo Elementary in Renton; Math Learning Center tutor; vice president of membership integrity, Alpha Omicron Pi sorority; vice president of WSU Association of Women in Mathematics; Honors College mentor

Favorite activity at WSU

When we got back to in-person classes after COVID, I was in an upper-level math class: real analysis. There are no numbers; it’s all concepts. It was so challenging and hard, but I got so close to my cohort of friends in the class. Every Thursday, we would go to the Math Learning Center for four hours. We’d get into these long discussions about math and the board would be filled with ideas, concepts, and symbols. We were just mathematicians present in the moment. It felt magical, honestly.

Future plans

My dream for the future is to be a high school math teacher. There’s nothing more important for me than giving back. I had such amazing math teachers in high school, and I want to be that teacher for someone else. I will start my master’s degree in teaching at WSU Spokane this fall.

Thomas Ballinger

Award Category: Academics

College of Arts and Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine
Music, Genetics and Cell Biology
WSU Pullman
Reno, Nevada

Involvement

National Merit Scholar; one of three students in Students Targeted towards Advanced Research Studies (STARS) for bachelors to doctoral track; recipient, Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education award; Teaching assistant, chemistry; research assistant, biochemistry and molecular biology; fencing club; pianist, Atrium Music at WSU libraries; Edwin Williams Award for top WSU music students; first prize for piano, New York Artists International Competition; first prize at the New York International Music Concours; winner, WSU Concerto Competition; teacher, private piano lessons for beginner students

Favorite activity at WSU

My undergraduate research experiences have been a lot of fun, just being able to do actual science in the lab. Specifically, I think the coolest project I probably worked on was in Dr. Haseltine’s lab, where I was working with Archaea that grew in boiling acid. The high point in my music life would be playing at Carnegie Hall this last January. That was a once in a lifetime experience.

Future plans

I’m going into graduate school for my PhD and leaning toward the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. After that I want to go into industry and ultimately to be the lead scientist for a company, where I decide what experiments and what directions the research should be going.

Jacob McKeon

Award Category: Athletics

College of Education
Kinesiology 
WSU Pullman 
Phoenix, Arizona

Involvement

Bobby Bragan Slugger Award Watch List; Team Captain and member of Leadership Council; 27th Ranked First Baseman nationally in 2023; 2023 Preseason All Pac-12 Conference Team; 2022 ABCA All-Region 2nd Team; 2022 All Pac-12 Conference; 2022 Pac-12 Player of the Week; President’s Honor Roll; 2022 CoSIDA Academic All-American 2nd Team; 2022 CoSIDA All District Team; Pac-12 Conference Academic Honor Roll, 2021-2023; 2023 Academics Student-Athlete of the Month; Boost Collaborative; Lentil Cook-offs; WSU ROAR Program; Butch’s Bash; 2022 WSU Athletics Community Service Award

Favorite WSU experience

Sweeping Arizona State last year to end the season. That was my hometown team. For us to be able to do that at home, to sweep them on Senior Day, that was awesome. The last time we did that was in 2015. And my parents were there!

Future plans

My dream career is professional baseball. I love the game so much. If you get the opportunity, you can’t turn it down. You’re living everyone’s dream, getting to play a children’s game for a job. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll go into strength and conditioning or cardiac rehabilitation. I’ve always wanted to be a physical therapist, and I loved WSU’s program.

Margaret “Meg” Montgomery

Award Category: Athletics

College of Education, Honors College
Sport Science
WSU Pullman
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

Involvement

Rower with Women’s Crew: student athlete of the month (March 2023), Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (2020-2022), and WSU All-Academic Team (2018-2022); faculty award for Outstanding Presentation at the 2021 Bruya-Wood Undergraduate Research Conference; teaching assistant for human anatomy; tutor for Athletics Department; research assistant in Psychology of Physical Activity Lab; Pedalheads kids bike club manager and coach of Nanaimo Rowing Club in Nanaimo, BC; WSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president; 2022 Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Award; WSU Black Student-Athlete Association member and ally; WSU Cougar Pride Student-Athlete Association member

Favorite activity at WSU

I am president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and that has been incredible. I got to go to San Francisco and represent WSU at the Pac-12. I also met so many people on different teams, just building connections and having more of a support system than before. I really felt that I was more involved and doing things for the school.

Future plans

I am leaning towards physical therapy, and I’ve been really starting to consider medicine and being a doctor. First, I’m planning to travel next year and see the world a bit. I have looked at South America. I have a Spanish minor but I’m not really confident speaking. If I’m immersed, I could actually learn and be able to speak the language.

Gisselle Salazar

Award Category: Campus Involvement

College of Arts and Sciences
Political science pre-law and comparative ethnic studies
WSU Pullman
Pasco, Washington 

Involvement

Director of diversity, inclusion, & veteran affairs, ASWSU; director of legislative affairs for ASWSU; vice president of Legislative Affairs, Washington Student Association;  hotline volunteer, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network; Centro Latino Institute For Public Policy, Training, & Education; cabinet member, MECHA de WSU; recipient, College Assistant Migrant Program (CAMP); tutor, Pasco School district; advocate and communication chair, Crimson Group for the undocumented community;  WSU CAMP representative, US Hispanic Leadership Institute; student mentor, Chicanx/Latinx Student Center; student representative, WSU Parking & Transportation Task Force Committee; winner, Presidential Student Civic Leadership Award; winner, WSU President’s Award Leadership

Why I chose WSU

I attended one of the Children of Aztlan Sharing Higher Education (CASHE) conferences in high school, and I got accepted to WSU through the conference. CASHE is a leadership conference put on by MECHA de WSU that encourages Latinx high school students to pursue college. I considered other schools, but WSU had that sense of community, where you could find your home away from home.

Future plans

I want to go to law school. Next year, I’ll be working and studying for the LSAT. I’m interested in social justice and immigration law, and I want to have my own law firm. I’d also like to partner with others, so it’s not just a law firm but a place where people can go for workshops on financial planning or to learn about community resources that are available.

Madelynn “Maddi” Zadzora

Award Category: Campus Involvement

Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Mechanical Engineering
WSU Pullman 
Meridian, Idaho

Involvement

WSU Cougar Marching Band, alto saxophone section leader and drum major; Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, vice wing commander and other roles; Arnold Air Society, candidate training officer; president, dance marathon at WSU; Wazzu Racing, social media lead; President’s Award for Leadership; Air Force ROTC scholarship recipient; Llyod Cyr and Randal Spicer scholarships recipient; voted “Most Inspirational” by Cougar Marching Band members; Society of American Military Engineers award; President’s Honor Roll; the American Legion Scholastic Excellence Medal; AFROTC Commendation Medal; AFROTC Achievement Medal; Outstanding AFROTC Flight Commander Award; Northwest Region selectee to attend the Women in Aviation International conference; awarded several flight training scholarships; completed private pilot’s license

What I learned from WSU experiences

I have been able to develop my leadership, followership, and interpersonal skills, and see the impact I’ve made on those around me. AFROTC has given me the opportunity to grow as a leader, and then serve my country upon graduation. The Cougar Marching Band allowed me to contribute to gameday atmospheres, while also belonging to our band family.

Future plans

I’m going into the Air Force as an officer, and I plan to be a pilot. After graduation, I’ll start flight training. There’s going to be a lot of training in the next couple years. From there I’ll either be in fighters or bombers and heavies. My goal is to one day be the pilot to perform a fly over during a WSU game day.

Elena Cervantes

Award Category: Community Service

Murrow College of Communication 
Integrated Strategic Communication 
WSU Everett 
Marysville, Washington

Involvement

American Association of University Women, board member, outreach coordinator, scholarship fundraising event co-chair; Best Schools Marysville, campaign vice-chair; WSU Everett Wind Energy Team, communications lead; Marysville School District, program advisory committee team; Girl Scouts, assistant troop leader; 4H parent volunteer.

Favorite WSU experience

It’s been incredible to be on campus, to be in a university. I never thought that would happen. I’m a first-generation college student. It’s just kind of mind boggling when I think about how much struggle there was for me personally in education and how I’ve hit my stride and come into my own. The Everett campus is a small but tight campus. That’s one of the things I love the most.

Future plans

I enjoy working with great folks who can do a lot of good for the community. I enjoy politics and the arts, so definitely something community-based, maybe doing outreach around an arts organization.

Dylan Harbo

Award Category: Community Service

Carson College of Business
Accounting and Management Information Systems
WSU Pullman
Kennewick, Washington

Involvement

WSU Center for Civic Engagement, community partnerships assistant working with local nonprofits; GivePulse Ambassador; WSU President’s Award for Leadership; Beta Alpha Psi accounting honor society; Student Entertainment Board Special Event Committee; tax intern at Sweeney Conrad P.S.; work-based learning student, Energy Northwest.

Favorite WSU experience

Football games will always be my most memorable experience. I wouldn’t really say there is a specific moment that jumps out. It’s more like, when you’re at WSU, everyone is so approachable. You see your friends on campus. That family feeling in general is my favorite experience.

Future plans

I have an internship at Deloitte this coming summer. I’m planning on going into tax accounting when I graduate and seeing where that takes me. I want to eventually work for a national nonprofit organization like Planned Parenthood.

Jacob Berreth

Award Category: Visual/Performing Arts

College of Arts and Sciences
Music Performance, Computer Science
WSU Pullman
Redmond, Washington

Involvement

Distinguished Regents Scholar; President’s Honor Roll; College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Senior; Outstanding Senior in Computer Science; Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) national finalist for the chamber ensemble division; Jerry Bailey Memorial Scholarship; School of Music scholarship; Frances Risdon Scholarship for Flute Study; Harold Wheeler Memorial Scholarship; President’s Award for Leadership; Liana K. Sandin Grant; Gerke Collegiate Artist Scholarship; first place in the WSU Concerto/Aria Competition; MTNA Young Artist national finalist in the woodwind division; first place in the Musicfest Northwest’s young artist/flute category; concerto soloist with the Washington Idaho Symphony, WSU Symphony Orchestra, and the Spokane Symphony; baritone in WSU’s 2019 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor; WSU Phoenix Winds Flute Trio; Crimson Flutes, Carinhoso Latin Jazz Band; WSU Association for Computing Machinery, vice president; WSU Mu Phi Epsilon, president; camp counselor and assistant flute faculty at Young Musicians and Artists in Salem, Oregon; first flute in the 2019 Interharmony International Music Festival orchestra at Acqui Terme, Italy

Favorite WSU experience

I went to Italy the summer after my freshman year with my flute professor and a group of other students from my flute studio for a music festival. It was two weeks long, and it was in a non-tourist town in the Piedmont region. I performed at least a couple of times in festival showcases as well as in some master classes. After the festival, most of us from the flute studio went to Florence for several days. The entire experience was beautiful and amazing.

Future plans

I will start working full time at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories as an associate software engineer. I look forward to continuing with the Washington Idaho Symphony. I want to stay involved in music as much as I can. I want to perform concerts with my friends and peers and sing in cafés and at the Moscow Farmers Market.

Chloe Nealon

Award Category: Visual/Performing Arts

College of Arts and Sciences
Fine Arts, Spanish Language for Professions
WSU Pullman
Richland, Washington

Involvement

Vice president and president of Art Club; poster designer for the Moscow Film Society; undergraduate learning assistant for Fine Arts 101 and 201; Spokane Print Fest 2022 and 2023; BFA Thesis Exhibition 2023; Warren Roberts Endowed Scholarship; Frances Drake Endowed Scholarship for Undergraduates; Leonard H. Blinn Scholarship; and College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Student in Fine Arts

Favorite WSU experience

Getting to work in the Fine Arts Department—from ceramics and printmaking to working on different shows and using that space for all kinds of classes. There’s a sign in the front of the building here that reads: “This is the place. There is no place quite like this place anywhere near this place, so this must be the place.” There are great facilities and great people working here, and the Art Club meets here.

Future plans

I am going to Boise State in August to start my MFA. Ultimately, I want to teach and make art. My end goal is to teach studio arts at a university somewhere and continue my art career.