Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Marilyn Jimenez Media and Society Student Film Award

Professor Marilyn Jimenez was an integral member of the Colleges’ faculty from 1984-2020, teaching interdisciplinary courses that fused history, theory, and practice for the Media and Society and Africana Studies programs. This award goes to the Media and Society student who best exemplifies Professor Jimenez’s generous, creative, and adventurous spirit. The student who wins this award is, like Professor Jimenez, innovative, dedicated, and tireless. They have produced work that reflects Professor Jimenez’s investment in inclusive perspectives, the artistic vision of inspiring filmmakers, and the transformative power of storytelling.

2024 Prize Winners
Jonah Alexander
Yashimabet Drummond
Zach Manuel
Emily Tang
Julyssa Winters

2023 Prize Winners
Anthony Bray
Maia Dreishpoon
Madeline McEvoy
Tyler Stimpson
David Walters
Nathan Williams 

2022 Prize Winners
Keyon’dre Betaudier
Maggie Bonomo
Jackson Harris
Caroline Jones
Troy Tedeschi

2021 Prize Winners
Juliana Bruno
Rosemary Colon-Martinez
Maxwell Harris
Linh Nguyen

Friedman Outstanding Student Award

Professor Lester Friedman was a dynamic member of the Media and Society Program from 2005-2017. A prolific writer and beloved teacher, Professor Friedman dedicated his career to expanding our critical awareness of American cinema and advocating for the study of media across disciplines. This award goes to the Media and Society students who best exemplify Professor Friedman’s engaging and insightful scholarship. The students who win this award have produced exceptional writing and therefore reflect Professor Friedman’s passion for the field and commitment to sharing ideas through thoughtful prose.

2024 Prize Winners
Winter Fagerberg
Caroline Mittleman
Scarlett Pena
Laila Taylor

2023 Prize Winners
Julia Berg
Lauren Earley
Dashiell Lagoyda
Andrew Lynch
Brayton Slusser
Konoko Tsubakiyama 

2022 Prize Winners
Olympia Canales
Margo Grapshi
Lillian Lin
Samantha Mancini
David Peck
Katherine Ruggles

2021 Prize Winners
Noah Ball
Max Dudukovich
Courtney Flynn
Julianna Frank
Kathleen Gearan
Taylor Williams

Linda Robertson Award for Engaged Media Study

This award is given in recognition of Professor Linda Robertson: rhetorician, filmmaker, scholar, and lioness. Professor Robertson co-founded the Media and Society Program in order to engage students in the critical analysis of mass media’s influences on society and to stimulate students’ self-expression through writing and filmmaking. This award honors students who exemplify her commitment to exploring the diverse relationships between media and society. Winners of this award evince Professor Robertson’s unflinching investment in social justice, robust scholarship, and persuasive argumentation across media forms.

2024 Prize Winners
Raji Davenport
Syed Muhammad Jafri
Katelyn Oswalt
Brenda Plascencia

2023 Prize Winners
Olivia Broomes
Benjamin Gordon
Kevin Lima
Krysten Palmer
Julissa Ramirez 

2022 Prize Winners
Rosemary Colon-Martinez
Andrea Delgado
Robin Kirchgessner
Zerina Makhdoomi
Shayna Riggins

Grant Holly Interdisciplinary Media Award

Professor Grant Holly was a witty, charismatic member of the Media and Society steering committee. A prolific interdisciplinary scholar, Professor Holly taught students to appreciate a well-written screenplay with the same rigor as an 18th Century English literary treatise. Generations of students were lucky to experience Professor Holly’s passion for film and television, and many went on to work in the industry thanks to Professor Holly’s mentorship and encouragement. This award is given to those students who demonstrate Professor Holly’s intellectual generosity and curiosity through interdisciplinary scholarship and creative work.

2024 Prize Winners
Alexandra Hansen
Eloise Porter
Leanna Smith
Gabriella Trevisani
Laurens Van Alen

Lambda Pi Eta National Communication Association Honor Society

The National Communication Association established Lambda Pi Eta as the official national honor society for outstanding students in Communications in 1994. Today there are over 600 chapters of Lambda Pi Eta nationwide. Each year we induct a group of outstanding seniors as members of Nu Omega, our chapter of Lambda Pi Eta at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Members have demonstrated the highest level of academic achievement in the Media and Society major and have committed themselves to fostering a community of media scholars on campus.

2024 Inductees
Frederick Jackson
Jonah Alexander
Laura Brown
Spencer Cole
Raji Davenport
Matt Dwyer
Alaura Enright
Winter Fagerberg
Charles Gedney
Alexandra Hansen
Syed Muhammad Jafri
Emma Kirts
Julia Kunzelmann
Zach Manuel
Seva Mirzali
Caroline Mittleman
Scarlett Pena
Brenda Plascencia
Leanna Smith
Margaret Speckhart
Emily Tang
Laila Taylor
Gabriella Trevisani
Laurens Van Alen
Julyssa Winters

2023 Inductees 
Julia Berg
Anthony Bray
Olivia Broomes
Maia Dreishpoon
Lauren Earley
Kevin Lima
Madeline Malicki
Julia McCormack
Madeline McEvoy
Zara Pyle
Julissa Ramirez
Nathan Williams 

2022 Inductees
Amanda Baum
Keyon’Dre Betaudier
Zoe Bloomfield
Maggie Bonomo
Olympia Canales
Ally Conlon
Annie Crotty
Andrea Delgado
Dylan DeNault
Emma Duffey
Margo Grapshi
Cassidy Gregory
Matthew Habersaat
Jackson Harris
Grant Heyman
Claire Jester
Caroline Jones
Sean King
Robin Kirchgessner
Sophie Lapat
Lillian Lin
Samantha Mancini
Krysten Palmer
David Peck
Shayna Riggins
Katherine Ruggles
Sarah Smith
Morgan Szczepkowski
Fiona Taney
Troy Tedeschi

2021 Inductees
Jenny Alogna
Noah Ball
Amanda Baum
Casey Burdy
Bridget Daugherty-Costa
Gianna Devita
Max Dudukovich
Courtney Flynn
Julianna Frank
Kathleen Gearan
Maxwell Harris
Delaney Hoodak
Matthew Kellett
Rachel Meller
Louis Newman
Linh Nguyen
Callie Noonan
Lexi Nottke
Taylor Williams