The Gathright/Dean's Excellence Awards combine two historically separate awards—the Gathright Scholars Award and the Dean's Excellence Awards—which were merged in 2019. They were created to recognize outstanding first-year and sophomore students for their achievements.
These university-wide awards are presented annually to the top freshman and sophomore students in each college who demonstrate exceptional promise. The awards are administered in partnership with the Texas A&M chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, one of the oldest and most prestigious honor societies in the world. The goal of the Dean's Excellence Awards is to identify and honor students who exemplify the Phi Kappa Phi motto: “Let the love of learning rule humanity.”
The top student in each college and classification receives the Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award, while the second-ranked student is recognized with the Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award.
Eligibility
All applicants must be full-time students and a member of the awarding college (as shown in university records). Applicants must not possess a record of academic dishonesty or any student conduct violations.
To compete in the first-year category a student must have been admitted to TAMU through the Freshman admissions process in the fall, spring, or summer semester immediately preceding the application due date. (This classification is based on the number of semesters, not credit hours.)
To compete in the sophomore category a student must have completed at least 2 but no more than 4 fall/spring semesters at any institution by the application due date. (This classification is based on the number of semesters, not credit hours.)
Application Components
A complete application consists of six sections. The Personal Statement, Research and/or Creative Production Statement, Community Engagement Statement, and the list of Accomplishments and Awards must be single spaced, in 12-point font, and no longer than one page. Each page should include a header identifying the document (e.g., Personal Statement, Community Engagement).
As part of your application package, you must also upload your unofficial TAMU transcript. In addition to the transcript, you must enter your course information directly into the designated Course Information page within the application portal.
The six required sections are:
- Personal Statement
Discuss your background and interests in relation to both your short-term goals and long-term ambitions. Remember that a strong personal statement answers not only “what?” but also “why?”
- Research and/or Creative Production
Discuss any research you have conducted or are currently conducting, as well as any creative endeavors you pursue (music, art, theatre, creative writing, etc.). Remember that reviewers will not necessarily be experts in your field.
- Community Engagement
Discuss the ways in which you engage with your university, local, national, or international community. How do you find meaning in this engagement? What have you learned from these experiences?
- Accomplishments/Awards
Explain any notable milestones or achievements and contextualize them within your interests and goals.
- Unofficial Texas A&M University Transcript
The transcript must come from Howdy. Applicants should select the PDF version of the transcript.
- Course Information (Important Instructions)
In addition to uploading your transcript, you must enter your course information directly into the designated course information page in the application portal.
Do not upload a separate PDF, table, document, or image containing your coursework.
The system uses an automated scoring tool, and your courses must be entered in the correct fields to receive full credit. If you upload an extra document instead of entering the information in the portal, your application will receive a lower score.
You will be asked to enter information for each college-level course taken at Texas A&M University (do not include courses from other institutions!), including:
- Course Title
- Course Code
- Course Number
- Credit Hours
- Course Grade
- Honors Course (box to check)
- Graduate Course (box to check)
Example (for reference only):
Student X took COSC 380, which is a 3-credit course. This course is an honors course, but it is not a graduate course. Student X earned an A in this course. The information should be entered into the automated scoring system in the DEA application as follows:
Course Title: Computer Science I
Course Code: COSC
Course Number: 380
Credit Hours: 3
Course Grade: A
Honors Course: True (check box)
Graduate Course: False (do not check box)
A screenshot of the course information page in the system is provided below to help you see exactly how to enter your courses.
Upload Instructions
All of the documents (the fours essays and transcript) should be combined as a single PDF file and saved as ‘Last Name_UIN_DeansExcellenceAwardPacket’. For example, a completed packet would be saved as Smith_123004567_DeansExcellenceAwardPacket. Please upload the properly formatted packet into the application portal. Check to make sure that all of your documents are formatted correctly before you upload them. When you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email stating your application has successfully been submitted.
Timeline
Applications Due: 5:00 PM Monday, June 1, 2026 (No Exceptions)
Letters of recommendation Due: 5:00 PM Monday, June 1, 2026
(Honors Academy review) Semifinalists Announced: Late July
(Phi Kappa Phi review): Finalists Announced: Late August
(Deans review) Winners Announced: Mid-Late September
Letters of Recommendation
NOTE: RECOMMENDERS MUST HAVE YOUR UIN TO SUBMIT THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO GIVE THEM THIS INFORMATION.
Each application must include two (2) letters of recommendation. Letters should be no longer than two pages and preferably written by a TAMU faculty member; however, a letter from a graduate student serving as the instructor of record will also be accepted. The letter should address your academic abilities and potential in your intended field, providing clear, specific, and detailed examples.
Award
Awardees will be honored with an official certificate at the annual Phi Kappa Phi Fall Breakfast in October.
Past Awardees
2019
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Abigail Steudtner – College of Architecture
Meghan Truong – College of Engineering
Paige Wirth – College of Geosciences
Elena Bacon – Mays Business School
Samantha Gonzales – College of Education & Human Development
Joshua Korb – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Qiji Lian – College of Engineering
Rachel Porter – College of Science
Sheridan Steen – College of Liberal Arts
Katharine Tyson – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Brady Allen – College of Engineering
Rachel Bayless – Mays Business School
Evan Berger – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Bridger Freeman – College of Sciences
Madison Poe – College of Liberal Arts
Jennifer Porter – College of Education and Human Development
2020
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Dylan Sione – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Mallory Moorefield – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Abigail Steudtner – College of Architecture
Alyssa Akomer – College of Education & Human Development
Bora Oztekin – College of Engineering
Vivie Tran – College of Engineering
Paige Wirth – College of Geosciences
Aya Hobeika – College of Liberal Arts
Essynce Lewis – College of Liberal Arts
Katherine Weaver – College of Science
Michael Pitonak – College of Science
Emily Leeke – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Mariana Cantu – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Grayson Winchester – Mays Business School
Sunjay Letchuman – Mays Business School
Babila Werema – School of Public Health
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Clayton Elbel – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Brianna Cheek – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Hunter Syas – College of Engineering
Kathleen Stephenson – College of Engineering
Austin Biehle – College of Liberal Arts
Ashlyn Chauhan – College of Liberal Arts
Vincent Yang – College of Science
Ryan Rahman – College of Science
Yixin Zhang – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Erin Nugent – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Neha Deshmukh – Mays Business School
Sara Sriram – Mays Business School
2021
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Eber Villazana - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Clayton Elbel - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Ekaansh Kalra - College of Architecture
Kade McAdams - Mays Business School
Joseph Rodgers - Mays Business School
Layla Rushing - College of Education & Human Development
Emily Lucas - College of Education & Human Development
Kevin Yao - College of Engineering
Anita Sumali - College of Engineering
Jose Solis - College of Liberal Arts
Dana Dang - College of Liberal Arts
Alyssa Akomer - College of Nursing
Matilin Rigsby - School of Public Health
Connor Bowerman - College of Science
Brianna Bishop - College of Science
Ananya Pillai - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Shruti Mavuri - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Miles Coltyn Cook - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Josey Lynn Darby - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Aidan Lozano - College of Architecture
Aabid Razvi - Mays Business School
Angelina Baltazar - College of Engineering
Luke Batteas - College of Engineering
Julia Patterson - College of Liberal Arts
Mahera Muquith - College of Liberal Arts
Prisha Patel - School of Public Health
Elizabeth Lewis - College of Science
Katherine Weaver - College of Science
Tammy Tran - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Emily Orr - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
2022
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Travis Horton Richard - College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Christopher Barron - College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Jonathan Back - College of Architecture
Ryan Hartfiel - College of Architecture
Swapnil Dash - Mays Business School
Kade McAdams - Mays Business School
Dallas Eric Salazar - College of Education & Human Development
Janelle King - College of Education & Human Development
Lily Wu – College of Geosciences
Ekaterina Buchilina - TAMU Galveston
Raquel Ruiz - College of Liberal Arts
Allison Bendersky - College of Liberal Arts
Tara My-Quyen Huynh - College of Nursing
Elaina Park - School of Public Health
Kelby Rowe - School of Public Health
Srilakshmi Muthyala - College of Science
Connor Bowerman - College of Science
Hannah Thomas - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Ananya Pillai - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
David Luo - College of Engineering
Heather Chang - College of Engineering
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Bailee Chavez - College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Miles Coltyn Cook - College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Mary Ho - Mays Business School
Nadine Elizabeth Saab - Mays Business School
Britton Bielitz - College of Education & Human Development
Lee Ochs - TAMU Galveston
Allen Zhang - College of Liberal Arts
Hayley Fleener - College of Liberal Arts
Simon West - School of Public Health
Abhinav Ramesh Vadassery - College of Science
Paige Neumann - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Connor Woodfield - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Likhitha Veerapalli - College of Engineering
Angelina Baltazar - College of Engineering
2023
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Tucker Gillespe - College of Agriculture and Life Science
Travis Horton Richard - College of Agriculture and Life Science
Tanushri Bhatt - School of Architecture
Karli Holland - School of Architecture
Hamzah Mir - College of Arts & Sciences
Srilakshmi Muthyala - College of Arts & Sciences
Vienne Abrahamian - Bush School of Government and Public Service
Raquel Ruiz - Bush School of Government and Public Service
Kirsten Yung - School of Education & Human Development
Gabrielle Montoya - School of Education & Human Development
Melody Yeh - College of Engineering
David Luo - College of Engineering
Emily Walls - Texas A&M Galveston
Lauren Aswad - Mays Business School
Swapnil Dash - Mays Business School
Tia Pandey - School of Public Health
Mia Putnam - School of Public Health
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Gabrielle Ganser - College of Agriculture and Life Science
Bailee Chavez - College of Agriculture and Life Science
Katherine Forson - College of Arts & Sciences
Akhil Marupudi - College of Arts & Sciences
Seera Sohal - Bush School of Government and Public Service
Jackson Hadwin - Bush School of Government and Public Service
Adam Zheng - College of Engineering
Anish Easwaran - College of Engineering
Arjun Bhatt - Mays Business School
Evelyn Fung - Mays Business School
2024
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Aashi Srivastava – College of Agriculture & Life Science
Tucker Gillespie - College of Agriculture & Life Science
Isabella Woodhead – College of Architecture
Bryan Blowers - College of Architecture
Vance Couturier – College of Arts & Sciences
Trevor C. Martinez - College of Arts & Sciences
Hannah Braden – Bush School of Government and Public Service
Vienne Abrahamian – Bush School of Government and Public Service
Irene Munoz Mansoa – Mays Business School
William Rehfeld – Mays Business School
Aarya Patel – College of Engineering
Divya Shukla – College of Engineering
Sofia Papoyan – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Elaina Moss – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Aria Patel - College of Agriculture & Life Science
Sarah Cessnun - College of Agriculture & Life Science
Emily Orozco - College of Architecture
Juan Pachon - College of Architecture
Atharv Chagi – College of Arts & Sciences
Joshua Skrehot – College of Arts & Sciences
Sabrina Guevara Quaglia – Bush School of Government and Public Service
Seerat Sohal – Bush School of Government and Public Service
Lani Crawford – Mays Business School
Arjun Bhatt – Mays Business School
Luca Nealon – College of Engineering
Adam Zheng – College of Engineering
Kellijett Murphrey – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
2025
Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Anthony Noah Kotinek – College of Agriculture and Life Science
Dimitris Kalafatis - College of Agriculture and Life Science
Madhurya Sritha Tanikella – College of Architecture
Emily Orozco - College of Architecture
Kathryn Anderson – College of Arts & Sciences
Gabriel MacMurray - College of Arts & Sciences
Trevor Chesler – Bush School of Government & Public Service
Hannah Shoaff - Bush School of Government & Public Service
Qidao Lian - College of Engineering
Brionna Grapeson - Mays Business School
Aditya Gupta - Mays Business School
Grace Burton – College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts
Katherine Ortgies – College of Public Health
Riya Meka - College of Public Health
Chloe Birkenfeld – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Sofia Papoyan - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Phi Kappa Phi Dean's Excellence Award
Matthew Stinebaker – College of Agriculture and Life Science
Miranda L. Skaggs - College of Agriculture and Life Science
Manasa Nekkanti – College of Arts & Sciences
Aditi Mohankumar - College of Arts & Sciences
Sabrina Guevara Quaglia - Bush School of Government & Public Service
Luca Nealon – College of Engineering
Shubh Bhakta - Mays Business School
Irene Muñoz Mansoa – Mays Business School
Grace Palmer – College of Public Health
Kavin Saravanan - College of Public Health
Isiri Prasad – College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Garrett White - College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
The Gathright / Dean's Excellence Award
The three awards below are collectively known as the Outstanding Senior Awards. They recognize senior students (or recent graduates) who have exemplified Texas A&M University’s core values during their undergraduate experience.
These awards are based on nominations submitted by the students’ colleges; students cannot apply directly. Each year:
- Up to two students may be named Brown Foundation–Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award recipients.
- One student may be named Robert Gates-Muller Family Outstanding Student Award recipient.
- One student may be named Class of ’80 Core Value Award for Selfless Service recipient.
Each college appoints a committee of faculty and students to assist in selecting outstanding senior students within their college. Once nominations are identified, they are forwarded to the Office of National Fellowships, which convenes an anonymous campus committee of faculty, staff, and students to select the top candidates. These candidates are then recommended to the President of Texas A&M University for final approval.
Students can be nominated for all three awards, but if they are among the top candidates, they may receive only one award.
The winners of these awards are officially announced at the Spring Recognition Ceremony (or its successor), where they receive a $5,000 award and a special plaque or certificate.
Awards are not given posthumously or to students who fail to complete degree requirements. In such cases, the next highest-qualified nominee will receive the award.
For the purposes of this nomination process:
- Texas A&M University–Galveston is treated as a separate college.
- Students at the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen are considered part of the College Station campus, and colleges on the College Station campus.
Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award
The purpose of this award is to honor the memory of the late President Earl Rudder and to provide public recognition in the form of a monetary award to the outstanding senior student(s) graduating each year from Texas A&M University. The recipient(s) of this award will be the senior student(s) adjudged to have best demonstrated during their undergraduate career at Texas A&M University those qualities of leadership, patriotism, fortitude, courage, humility, and many other sterling traits of character so vividly exemplified by James Earl Rudder during his lifetime.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: To be eligible for this award, a student must:
- Have displayed to a high degree those admirable personal traits that characterized the late President Earl Rudder.
- Rank academically in the upper quarter of their class at the end of their undergraduate curriculum.
- Have completed not less than one-half of their degree requirements while enrolled at Texas A&M University.
- Be occupying or have held positions of leadership in one or more major student organizations and/or in state or nationally recognized student organizations, or social, church, and/or other similar organizations.
- Be a candidate for a baccalaureate degree at the end of the spring semester or during the preceding 12-month period in which the award is presented.
- Have an exemplary conduct record while enrolled in the university.
- Have displayed a great love for their university and demonstrated their willingness to uphold the principles for which it stands.
Past Awardees
2020
Paige Rigsby – Chemical Engineering
Uzair Waheed – Business Honors & Finance
2021
Joshua Korb – Biomedical Sciences
Mark Sterling – Business Honors
2022
Michael Pitonak – Biology
Sunjay Letchuman – Business Honors
2023
Case Harris – Business Honors
Neha Deshmukh – Business Honors & Accounting
2024
Clayton Elbel – Agricultural Economics
Christopher Barron – Soil & Crop Sciences
2025
Jackson Baker – History & Anthropology
Brittley Bowers – Animal Science
Robert Gates-Muller Family Outstanding Student Award
The purpose of this award is to honor former President Robert Gates and to provide public recognition in the form of a monetary award to the outstanding senior student(s) graduating each year from Texas A&M University. The recipient(s) of this award will be the senior student(s) adjudged to have best demonstrated during their undergraduate career at Texas A&M University those qualities of leadership, patriotism, fortitude, courage, humility, and many other sterling traits of character so vividly exemplified by Robert Gates in leadership, character, and service to country, school, and the nation.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: To be eligible for this award, a student must:
- Have displayed to a high degree those admirable personal traits that characterized Robert Gates.
- Have completed not less than one-half of their degree requirements while enrolled at Texas A&M University.
- Rank academically in the upper one-third of their class at the end of their undergraduate curriculum.
- Be occupying or have held positions of leadership in one or more major student organizations and/or in state or nationally recognized student organizations, or social, church, and/or other similar organizations.
- Be a candidate for a baccalaureate degree at the end of the spring semester or during the preceding 12-month period in which the award is presented.
- Have an exemplary conduct record while enrolled in the university.
- Have displayed a great love for their university and demonstrated their willingness to uphold the principles for which it stands.
- Not be a recipient of the Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award.
Past Awardees
2020
Mary-Catherine Clark – Molecular & Cell Biology
2021
Shelby Lepley – Agricultural Economics Honors
2022
Hamzah Ahmed – Engineering Honors
2023
Matilin Rigsby – Public Health
2024
Angelina Baltazar – Biomedical Engineering
2025
Ryan Williamson – Business Honors
Class of ’80 Core Value Award for Selfless Service
The purpose of this annual award is to honor the senior who best exemplified the core value of Selfless Service during the student’s undergraduate career at Texas A&M University. While E. King Gill, the original Twelfth Man, is best remembered for his willingness to serve as a member of the football team in 1922, the statue of Dr. Gill given by the Class of 1980 has become a symbol of the Texas A&M University core value of Selfless Service for all Aggies.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: To be eligible for this award, a student must:
- Have displayed to a high degree the core value of Selfless Service.
- Have no academic, honor, or conduct violations. Scholastic probation earlier in a student’s career will not be held against the student, provided the student has successfully completed the terms of probation.
- Have completed not less than one-half of the nominee’s degree requirements while enrolled at Texas A&M University.
- Have performed service to improve the quality of life and promote the welfare of others (i.e., humanitarian/charitable causes) during the nominee’s enrollment at Texas A&M University. The service cannot be for political or religious purposes, although service can be performed through a religious organization. Service is to be considered based on the nominee’s efforts—not the overall effort of the organization associated with the service.
- Be a candidate for a baccalaureate degree at the end of the spring semester or during the preceding fall or summer semesters.
- Not be a recipient of the Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award or the Robert Gates-Muller Family Outstanding Student Award or any similar university-wide award including other Core Value awards that may be created in the future.
AWARD PRESENTATION: The current Class Agents of the Class of 1980 will be invited to each year’s Recognition Ceremony.
Past Awardees
2020
Lauren Breazeale – Biomedical Sciences
2021
Alexandra Ramos – Biomedical Engineering
2022
Christopher Thompson – University Studies – Leadership Studies
2023
JD Carter – Business Honors
2024
Kade McAdams – Business Honors
2025
Anish Easwaran – Biomedical Engineering
2024 Outstanding Senior Award recipients: Clayton Elbel, Christopher Barron, Angelina Baltazar, and Kade McAdams.