Honors Students Earn Top Recognition at 2026 SURCA

By Gary Hyatt, WSU Honors College, gary.hyatt1@wsu.edu

Students from the Washington State University Honors College delivered an outstanding showing at this year’s Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA), earning top honors across multiple disciplines and award categories.

SURCA, one of WSU’s premier academic events, highlights undergraduate research and creative work across nine fields of study. Awards are given at several levels, including the prestigious Crimson Award for top-scoring presentations, the Gray Award for high achievement, as well as Early Career and Novice Researcher Awards recognizing emerging scholars.

This year, Honors students distinguished themselves with an impressive list of award-winning projects:

Crimson Award (Highest Distinction)

• Myah Winters – Applied Sciences
• Charles Liu – Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, and Information Sciences
• Danika Dalvi – EschLEAD Scholar; also recognized in Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Dani Lindenfelser – Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Nicolas DiPietro – Organismal, Population, Ecological, and Evolutionary Biology
• Sally Wierenga – Social Sciences
• Tanner Morford – Social Sciences

Early Career Award

• Cole Wilson – Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, and Information Sciences
• Chantelle Awendo – EschLEAD Scholar

Gray Award (Second Highest Honor)

• Katherine Cooper – Applied Sciences
• Johnathon Whitacre – Arts & Design
• Rowan Spencer – Engineering & Physical Sciences
• Gabriella Searle – EschLEAD Scholar; also recognized in Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Nicole Diefenbach – Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Sawyer Hicks – Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Tiana LaFollette – Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Maya Nash – Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology
• Sophia Cederholm – Social Sciences

Novice Researcher Award

• Addison Manter – Organismal, Population, Ecological, and Evolutionary Biology

In total, Honors students were recognized across nearly every major SURCA category, demonstrating both the breadth and depth of undergraduate research within the college.

Beyond the awards themselves, participation in SURCA reflects the Honors College mission to foster intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and meaningful faculty-student collaboration. From advancing cancer therapeutics and cybersecurity to exploring identity, sustainability, and human behavior, these projects represent work that reaches far beyond the classroom.

The success of these students underscores the strength of the Honors experience at WSU. Through research opportunities like SURCA, Honors Cougs continue to develop as scholars, innovators, and leaders prepared to make a lasting impact in their communities and professions.