2025 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.
Yasamin Alazawi
Award Category: Campus Involvement
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology and Psychology, Pre-Med
WSU Tri-Cities
Richland, Washington
Involvement
ASWSU Tri-Cities senator for the College of Arts and Sciences and vice chair of the Finance Committee; vice president of the Muslim Student Association; president of the Pre-Health Club; student scholar with TRIO Student Support Services; technical intern and Department of Energy program student at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; student data analyst at the Support, Advocacy, and Resource Center; hospice volunteer with the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy; Craft Club; Foodies Club
Favorite WSU activity
I’m a College of Arts and Sciences senator for ASWSU Tri-Cities and I ended up really loving leadership roles. Talking more with faculty and the people who actually run the campus is a side you don’t get to see as a student. As a senator I’ve been able to get to know the foundation of how everything works at this campus, and it’s amazing to see all that happening. I’m also really interested in advocating for mental health and access to tutoring. I’m a chemistry tutor and you get to see how much it helps students who are struggling. It’s awesome being able to see those students succeed in their classes and outside of class, too.
Future plans
While applying for medical school this year, I’ll be working as a medical assistant at Northwest Endovascular Surgery in Richland, Washington.
John Bussey
Award Category: Academics
Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Materials Science and Engineering
WSU Pullman
Olympia, Washington
Involvement
Barry Goldwater scholar; Fulbright semi-finalist; Corning Incorporated 2024 Glass Age scholar; University Nuclear Leadership Program scholar and Innovations in Nuclear Energy Research and Development awardee for the Department of Energy; Artemis Award and Best Technical Paper for the NASA BIG Idea Challenge; Alfred R. Cooper Young Scholars Award – ACerS Glass and Optical Materials Division; Oldfields awardee (3rd place) from the Society of Glass Technology (UK); delegate to the American Ceramic Society President’s Council of Student Advisors; student ambassador for the College of Engineering and Honors College; treasurer for WSU Materials Advantage and Honors Student Advisory Council; WSU Honors 198/298 facilitator; WSU Institute of Materials Research and Nuclear, Optical, Magnetic, and Electronic Materials Laboratory; WSU HYPER-Borea team; WSU President’s Award for Leadership; WSU Undergraduate Research Fellow; WSU Materials Science and Engineering Outstanding Junior, Senior, and Undergraduate Researcher; Best poster awards from WSU SURCA, WSU Emeritus Society, International Congress of Glass, and National Collegiate Honors College Conference; WSU Distinguished Regents Scholar; 14 peer-reviewed journal articles; peer reviewer for 3 journals, 32 conference posters and presentations
Favorite WSU activity
I have had many amazing memories at WSU: time with friends, nuclear waste research in Dr. McCloy’s lab, and the Honors College, as examples. However, my time on the NASA BIG Idea team was probably the most unexpected. As a team of mostly undergrads, we developed an audacious prototype to clean lunar dust from spacesuits using cryogenic liquids. My freshman year we put in a proposal to compete in the NASA BIG Idea competition. I was shocked when we won one of the seven grants with competition from over 70 universities. Then each time we tested something new during the project, it seemed to work and further improved our prototype. This experience is totally counter to most of my research experiences; it was quite surreal. When, at the end of the project, we won the Artemis Award, the top award from the competition for the best prototype, it was amazing.
Future plans
My tentative plan is a cotutelle (dual-degree) PhD program in glass science between WSU and the University of Paris (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris). I am additionally a Fulbright semifinalist to Canada to research immobilization strategies for arsenic trioxide mining byproducts.
Shay Boyd
Award Category: Community Service
Carson College of Business
Marketing
WSU Pullman
Pullman, Washington
Involvement
Air Force ROTC cadet and member of the Arnold Air Society; former director of operations for the Arnold Air Society; regular organizer of donation drives and community service projects benefiting local families and the Whitman County Humane Society; peer mentor for WSU’s Veteran Student Support Services program, mentoring over 120 students and helping military-affiliated students succeed academically and personally; member of the WSU Veteran and Military-Affiliated Student Task Force; former human resources specialist for the Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force; youth service teacher at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pullman, teaching Sunday school and organizing activities for children; volunteer for church-based community programs including annual events for kids and Vacation Bible School; CRLA Level 1 Peer Mentor Certification; volunteer coordinator and leader for ROTC football game security and flag ceremonies; WSU Chancellor’s Leadership Award; AFROTC Outstanding Achievement Award; AFROTC Honor Roll; maintains a 3.86 GPA while also completing ROTC training
Favorite WSU experience
I would just say the Air Force ROTC in general. Meeting so many aspiring officers and mentoring younger cadets has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve especially loved all the events we do, like working security at football games or holding the flags during the national anthem. Experiencing that Coug spirit was kind of eye-opening in the sense that I’m not really a sports person. I didn’t get to experience that until I went to serve at the games, and I thought, “wow, this is amazing.” Everyone loves being here and I thought that was super cool.
Future plans
I graduate this spring with my bachelor’s degree in marketing, and I’ll continue at WSU for one more year to complete the ROTC program. During that time, I’ll also be pursuing my MBA online. Once I graduate from ROTC, I’ll commission back into the U.S. Air Force—hopefully in contracting. I’ve talked to a lot of officers just to get their prospective on what it’s like going from being priorly enlisted to an officer. They said it is a great opportunity to help the people working for you grow because you can understand their struggles a little better and can make their lives a little easier moving forward. I am excited to do that.
Madeline Goolie
Award Category: Visual/Performing Arts
College of Arts and Sciences
Fine Arts
WSU Pullman
Anchorage, Alaska
Involvement
Print and Zine Club president; secretary and treasurer for Art Club; student board member for Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance; studio assistant for Reinaldo Gil Zambrano at Spokane Print and Publishing; Gamblin Undergraduate Award Recipient, Southern Graphics Council International; Editor’s Choice Award for WSU LandEscapes; Ellen Warren Roberts Endowed Scholarship; Frances Drake Fine Arts Endowed Scholarship
Favorite WSU activity
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU has brought in many renowned and inspirational artists. It has been an honor to be able to meet these successful artists and experience their art in person. In 2022, Keiko Hara came to my printmaking class and led a Japanese water-based woodcut printmaking workshop. She was in Pullman for her gallery exhibition and book release of Four Decades of Paintings and Prints from WSU Press at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU. I was able to attend the book release event and got my book signed by her!
Future plans
Right now, I want to take a break. I’ve created a lot of artworks and carved many blocks! I plan to teach someday. I will go to graduate school and get a master’s in fine arts to be able to teach in a university setting. I am the recipient of the Gamblin Undergraduate Award 2025 from the Southern Graphics Council International, so I’ll be going to Puerto Rico to accept my award this month. After graduation I will be the featured printmaker artist during the 2025 INK RALLY exhibition in November at Emerge Gallery in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. INK RALLY is a printmaking event where selected artists print large scale relief blocks with a steamroller. I will continue to participate in exhibits in Anchorage, Spokane, and Moscow, Idaho.
Samantha “Sam” Krew
Award Category: Athletics
College of Veterinary Medicine
Neuroscience
WSU Pullman
Scottsdale, Arizona
Involvement
WSU Cougars swim team, 2023-2025; swim team captain, 2023-2025; president, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee; founder/president, Athletes in STEM Club; volunteer, Pullman Regional Hospital; coach, Special Olympics; peer academic counselor; Butch’s Bash volunteer organizer; Human Anatomy class student assistant; participant, Maccabiah Games. Israel, 2017 and 2022; Cougventure service trip to Costa Rica, 2024; research assistant, Fuchs Lab; President’s List, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Fall 2024; Civic Engagement Student-Athlete of the Year Award, WSU Athletics, 2024; Academic All-District Team, 2024; WSU Athletics Student- Athlete of the Month, November 2024; Academic All-District honors, 2024; Pac-12 Conference Winter Academic Honor Roll, 2023; ninth fastest time in program history in the 200-yard butterfly; completed nearly 170 hours of community service during two years at WSU; and transferred from Tulane University in 2023
Favorite WSU activity
This last overall season. We went undefeated 8-0 for the first time in program history, and the culmination was our senior weekend. It was really special because my family was here, and we were able to celebrate not only my swimming career but this milestone for the entire program. It was really exciting. It was an amazing thing to accomplish this year. The experience of being a student-athlete at WSU Pullman allowed me to truly be part of something bigger than myself.
Future plans
After graduation, I’m taking a gap year and will be applying to medical school while living at home and working at a hospital. I love neurology, and that’s something I’m interested in exploring more once I get to medical school. And I want to be an advocate for others and give back to the community. Helping others is a passion of mine. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunities that I’ve had at WSU, and I want to be able to continue that in the future.
Hannah McCready
Award: Campus involvement
College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Psychology, Human Development
WSU Pullman
Mead, Washington
Involvement
Cashup Davis Merit in Human Sciences Award; president of the Human Development Club; treasurer for Psych Squared (Psychology Club); Human Development Student Ambassador; CAHNRS Student Ambassadors leadership team member
Favorite WSU experiences
The Human Development Club did a pie-a-professor event as a fundraiser. It was another officer’s idea. It was super uncomfortable for me to ask authority figures to get pied. But they all showed up, and they were all willing to get a pie shoved in their face to help the students raise money. For me, it was really special. It just reminded me how awesome the human development faculty is and how supportive they are.
Getting involved and organizing events put me so far out of my comfort zone. We had people come in and talk about career opportunities, networking nights, and a panel of graduate students talking about what graduate school is like. I was so anxious before every event because I wanted them to be perfect. But when the day came and they were successful, I felt that surge of adrenaline. My confidence skyrocketed because of these things.
Future plans
I’m taking a gap year to earn money and look into doctoral programs. The plan is to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and eventually work as a therapist.
Skylar McDavid
Award Category: Visual/Performing Arts
College of Arts and Sciences
Music Education
WSU Pullman
Bothell, Washington
Involvement
Drum major three times and trombone for Cougar Marching Band; Volleyball Pep Band; Basketball Pep Band; guest conductor and principal trombone for Symphonic Wind Ensemble; guest conductor and percussionist for Symphonic Band; principal trombone for Symphony Orchestra; Jazz Big Band; Crimson City Brass Band; Butch’s Bones; Trombone Choir; Crimson Hills Brass Quintet; Brassphemy Trombone Quartet; sergeant at arms and ritual chair for Kappa Kappa Psi; president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia; president and vice president for the WSU Collegiate Chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME); National Society of Leadership and Success; camp counselor for WSU Summer Music Camp; camp counselor for Husky Band Drumline/Drum Major Academy; Arlington High School Band teaching internship; Bothell High School observation practicum
Favorite WSU activity
It is absolutely the Apple Cup, which we perform at each year. For my sophomore and junior years, I was drum major and got to conduct on the field with my dad, who was the band director for the Husky Marching Band at University of Washington. For my senior year, my dad had retired, so he showed up at the game in full Coug gear. I grew up with my family split between UW with my dad and WSU on my mom’s side, but then my dad became a Coug as well. It was a really special moment. And we won!
Future plans
I have one more semester of student teaching at Arlington High School, north of Seattle. I’ll substitute teach for another semester until I can get a job, then I plan to teach 3-5 years in public school before furthering my education. I want to get a master’s degree in music education and a doctorate in music education or conducting. I’d like to eventually teach at the level of a collegiate professor, like my dad.
Katy Ryan
Award Category: Athletics
Award Category: Athletics
College of Education
Elementary Education
WSU Pullman
Rathdrum, Idaho
Involvement
Four-year starter on the WSU Cougars volleyball team; co-captain, 2024; three NCAA tournament appearances, including Sweet Sixteen in 2023; All-Region First Academic Team, 2024; three-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honoree, 2022 to 2024; All-Academic Team, 2021 to 2024; U.S. Women’s collegiate national volleyball team, 2022; volleyball representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), 2022 to 2024; President’s Committee Advisory Board, 2023; Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, 2021; two-time Pac-12 Honorable Mention, and Cougventure service trip to Costa Rica, 2024
Favorite WSU activity
Watching other Cougar sports teams: basketball, baseball, football. I love sports. And I loved attending athletics events for different WSU sports. It created a close-knit community. We would have so many of them come out to support volleyball. That two-way show of support was really cool.
Future plans
I plan to play professional volleyball in Europe, then return to the U.S. to teach elementary school, hopefully in the Pacific Northwest.
Eva Sheffler
Award category: Community Service
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
WSU Pullman
Spokane Valley, Washington
Involvement
Senior resident advisor, Housing & Residence Life; Honors Student Advisory Council; over 85 hours of verified volunteer service at community organizations.
Favorite WSU experience
As part of the Honors Student Advisory Council, we put on a Yule Ball every year, open to the public, and for entry you donate a can a food for the Cougar Pantry. It’s a social event, a winter-themed event, and a community service opportunity.
Future plans
I’m going into international education administration through a master’s program at the American College of the Mediterranean. The first semester is in Barcelona, the second semester is in France. I hope to work in higher ed as a study abroad coordinator, living abroad and helping students by connecting them with their international community and providing wellness plans.
Amabel Zucker
Award Category: Academics
College of Arts and Sciences
Theoretical Mathematics, Philosophy
WSU Pullman
Morgantown, West Virginia
Involvement
Teaching assistant, School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs; Treble Choir, section leader; University Singers; Crimson Ties; Piano Pedagogy Lab School, undergraduate piano instructor; Math Learning Center, tutor; Pullman/Moscow chapter of MTNA (Music Teachers National Association).
Favorite WSU experience
The music department. All the faculty give solo recitals, and I really love the performances they put on. It’s incredible to have the opportunity to listen to people who have such a mastery of their instrument perform and get to know and talk to them. It’s been wonderful.
Future plans
I’m hoping to go to grad school for math, it might be a master’s, or it might be a PhD. I might also take a gap year and work in industry, pursue music a little bit more. I’m interested in algebra and number theory, the oldest field of math, and in the intersection of philosophy and math. I see myself as a researcher.