On Sunday, May 18, graduating students from the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) gather to mark the completion of their degrees at the 2025 LPS graduation ceremony. This momentous event offers family, friends, faculty, and staff the chance to celebrate our students’ achievements. And each year, a select few graduates are also honored with awards for academic distinction and community recognition. This year’s Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences student awardees are:
Erica Rose Adhikary, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, May 2025 – Linda Bowen Santoro Award
Presented annually by the College of Liberal Professional Studies Alumni Association to a graduating LPS student who displayed unusual motivation and dedication in the pursuit of an undergraduate degree.
Erica Adhikary balanced pursuit of her BAAS degree in Organizational Studies while parenting a child with a rare lung disease, and traveling for specialized treatments. She also served as a Healthcare Section Intern in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and volunteered as a Certified Sexual Assault Counselor with YWCA. In previous professional roles, Erica gained experience in the healthcare system, supported employment discrimination investigations, and contributed to trauma-informed policy initiatives. Erica’s exposure to systemic challenges shaped her interest in organizational leadership and public policy. She credits the program with strengthening her abilities to analyze and present legal issues, interpret complex data sets, communicate findings clearly in reports and presentations, and allow her to contribute more meaningfully to her team. Erica is considering law school in the near future.
Taylor Brooke Cockrell, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, December 2024 – LPS Award for Academic Achievement in the Natural Sciences
In recognition of outstanding academic achievement in science studies and dedication to a career in the sciences.
Taylor is a curious and driven lifelong learner who earned her degree in Physical and Life Sciences. She is passionate about wildlife conservation and animal care, and is an aspiring zoological professional. She has hands-on experience caring for aquatic life at the Kemah Aquarium, where she ensured the health of the animals, maintained the facilities, led educational tours, and reported to marine biologists. At Lykan Fabrication, she collaborated on replicating natural environments using innovative fabrication techniques and animal safe materials, and was able to combine her love for animals with her creativity and problem-solving skills. Stand out projects included the creation of an 80-foot shark reef for the Houston Zoo’s Galapagos expansion, and designed training platforms that mimic the surface of the moon for NASA’s astronaut training program. Taylor also runs a blog called Milk and Holly, where through social media platforms, she shares nutrition tips and advice that help pet owners make informed decisions.
Katie Ann Conte, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, May 2025 – Association of Alumnae Continuing Education Award
Awarded annually to the College of Liberal and Professional Studies student whose scholarship and personal qualities of leadership are regarded as being the most outstanding.
Katie is a transfer student from Bergen Community College, where she earned her Associate of Science in education, was a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and Class of 2022 valedictorian. At Penn, Katie is the recipient of a Bread Upon the Waters Scholarship and the Association of Alumnae Continuing Education Award. Katie’s career inspiration began when she volunteered for the Special Olympics. She has since served as a dedicated administrative professional and behavioral therapist, supporting individuals with significant intellectual and developmental challenges through innovative programming and leadership. She has successfully led initiatives that enhance community engagement, digital literacy, and support services, fostering individual agency and self-advocacy. Katie is incredibly proud that her son, Elijah, was also inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society this year, after telling her, “I want to do what you did, Mom!” Katie plans to continue her education in the fall, pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Penn.
Scott Michael Sablan, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, May 2025 – Ronald J. Caridi Award
For the student who best exemplifies the uncompromising commitment to scholarship, hard work, and the life that the late Ronald J. Caridi embodied and shared with so many.
Scott lives in the Hudson Valley with his husband and their dog. He was a curious kid who enjoyed learning, playing the French horn, and participating in Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle. He continued learning as an adult, largely on the job. Scott worked his way up from part-time barista to leading operations teams of up to 450 employees at Whole Foods Market. He inspired top-tier business performance while cultivating exceptional employee engagement, ranking second out of 100 stores on both the balanced scorecard and the annual employee morale survey. He successfully led a rapid hiring support pilot and a job transfer of 3,000 employees from Amazon to Whole Foods Market. During the height of the pandemic, Scott enrolled at Orange County Community College before transferring to Penn. He credits his husband for encouraging the transition, outlining the value proposition of obtaining a rigorous education from a globally recognized brand with a vast alumni network and for supporting him throughout his academic journey. The online modality enabled him to attend school while working. The Leadership and Communication concentration enabled him to bring concepts and interventions from courses directly into the workplace. What Scott will remember most is that leadership is about building trust; communication is about understanding others; strategy is specific; persuasiveness is an art; logic is empowering; and well-being matters… but most of all, that he is capable of realizing his potential. Scott plans to continue his studies in the Cornell Executive MBA program this summer.
Cindy Louise Srnka, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, May 2025 – Dean’s Scholar Award for Undergraduate Programs
Presented annually to School of Arts and Sciences students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise.
Cindy is a Bread Upon the Waters scholarship recipient who completed an Individualized Studies concentration focusing on Near Eastern languages and cultures and art history. She has been involved with the Penn Museum since her first semester, contributing to archaeological projects and working as a field team member for the Bat Archaeological Project in Oman and the Lagash Archaeological Project in Iraq. Cindy was one of three students selected by the Student Exhibition Program to work closely with Sarah Linn and Anne Tiballi from Academic Engagement, curatorial adviser Douglas Smit, and the Exhibitions team to create an exhibition focusing on the 50th anniversary of the 1972 United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention, “Heritage in Our Hands: UNESCO 50 Years Later,” at the Penn Museum in 2022.
We warmly congratulate each of these remarkable students and all our bachelor’s degree graduates. It has been our pleasure to learn with and from you, and we are pleased to join in celebrating your success as you walk the final steps in your undergraduate journey.
