Meet the 2026 University Student Award Winners

Winners of Top Awards for Scholarship, Service and Achievement Named

Each year, Eldridge University proudly honors a select group of outstanding graduating students with the University Student Achievement Awards—the institution’s highest accolades recognizing exceptional excellence in scholarship, community service, and leadership achievement. Rooted in a decades-long tradition of celebrating student potential and impact, these awards spotlight individuals who embody the university’s core values: intellectual curiosity, compassionate service, and transformative leadership.

This year’s recipients represent diverse disciplines, backgrounds, and passions—united by their unwavering commitment to academic rigor, community uplift, and driving positive change. Awardees will be recognized at the annuals Honors Gala on May 15, 2026, and honored at onstage during commencement ceremonies, where they will serve as ambassadors of the university’s legacy of excellence.

Below are the 2026 University Student Award Winners:

1.President’s Award (Highest Undergraduate Honor)

Recipient: Lila Marquez (Class of 2026, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science & Public Policy)

A first-generation Latinx student with a 3.93 cumulative GPA, Lila is a trailblazer in environmental justice and community advocacy. Her academic work focuses on sustainable urban planning and climate equity, with her senior thesis—“Green Spaces for All: Advancing Environmental Justice in Underserved Urban Communities”—earning departmental honors and national recognition from the National Environmental Science Foundation.

Beyond the classroom, Lila founded EcoUnity, a student-led nonprofit that partners with local underserved neighborhoods to build community gardens, lead climate literacy workshops, and advocate for green infrastructure policies. She has logged over 500 hours of community service, interned at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and served as President of the University’s Latinx Student Union, where she championed inclusive campus initiatives.

Faculty describe Lila as “a brilliant scholar, empathetic leader, and tireless advocate—whose work bridges academia and real-world impact, embodying the highest ideals of our university.”

2.Scott A. Bass Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship Award

Recipient 1: Ethan Chen (Class of 2026, Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science & Mathematics)

A top-ranked student with a perfect 3.98 GPA, Ethan is a prodigy in artificial intelligence and theoretical computer science. He has published 3 peer-reviewed research papers in leading journals (including the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research) and presented his work at 5 national conferences. His senior project—an AI-driven algorithm that optimizes renewable energy grid distribution—was awarded the University’s Undergraduate Research Innovation Prize.

Recipient 2: Maya Patel (Class of 2026, Bachelor of Arts in Global Health & Anthropology)

Maya combines rigorous academic inquiry with a passion for global healthcare equity, holding a 3.97 GPA and a minor in Public Health. Her research centers on maternal health disparities in South Asia, with her thesis based on 6 months of fieldwork in rural India, where she collaborated