From left to right: (back row) Lucy Anderson, Jaelyn Roth, President Adam Weinberg, Oliver Gignoux, Tait Ferguson, (front row) Madeleine Murphy, Zoya Gheisar, Seyeong Hanlim, Tessy Udoh
Computer science major Tessy Udoh is one of only eight students chosen as a President’s Medalist, Denison’s highest award for students, for the Class of 2023. Udoh relishes her liberal arts education. “As a computer science major, I was fully invested in my major classes, but every time I took a GE class, I found myself falling in love with subjects I never expected to.”
“I didn’t think I’d be writing papers about the relationship between music and pan-Africanism or analyzing Emma Chamberlain’s rise to fame, but I did. It was unexpected, but these classes added an extra layer to my academic experience and taught me the value of being open to new opportunities and perspectives.
“What surprised me most about my time at Denison is how much more confident I became in my academic abilities.”
Udoh’s citation reads, in part:
“…whereas most students in artificial intelligence simply read about the algorithm, and perhaps another very small select few implement the algorithm in a meaningful project, you took extra steps to find an elegant way to show how the algorithm changes, converges, and reaches a fixed point solution in a finite number of steps.”
“…you also connected the aesthetics of your computer science major to being an inaugural member of Denison’s varsity fencing team, including sabre squad captain, and simply as a fantastic role model for the team.”
“…as the president of the Women in Mathematics and Computer Science group, you have been a role model not just for women, but for all the students in the department.”
“…you have been recognized as a Top 50 Scholar Athlete every year of your college career, including receiving the Ted Barclay Top 5 award in your first year, which was also the first year for varsity fencing. Your professors, coaches, and teammates all agree your impact will be felt for many years to come.”
