Four Southern graduates have earned this year’s Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award, recognizing their dedication to community service, academic excellence, and campus involvement.
Each year, 12 seniors are chosen by the four Connecticut State Universities – four each from Southern and Central, and two each from Eastern and Western. The Barnard Award is considered among the university’s most prestigious student awards, with criteria including a 3.7 GPA or better and significant participation in university and/or community life.
Meet this year’s scholars:
Wajiha Ali
Hometown: North Haven, Conn.
Degree: B.S. in business administration with a concentration in business information systems
Wajiha Ali’s journey at Southern began with a bold pivot — from genetic counseling to business, fueled by her passion for people and collaboration. Upon transferring to Southern, Ali quickly found her stride as a leader, connector, and advocate for her peers and colleagues at the School of Business.
Her passion for people and purpose led her to become president of the Women in Leadership Academy, vice president of the School of Business Dean’s Student Advisory Board, and a School of Business Student Ambassador, representing Southern at high-impact and external events.
In 2023, she was selected to emcee the School of Business building ribbon-cutting ceremony, where she addressed over 350 guests, including Governor Ned Lamont and state and university leaders.
That same year, she helped host a sustainability-focused visit for students from Liverpool John Moores University through Southern’s Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program. In 2024, she traveled to Liverpool as part of a study abroad experience, where she collaborated on developing sustainable solutions for a local business.
After graduation, she will undertake a full-time role at Yale University’s Early Career Development Program.
“Wajiha is a uniter, a collaborator, and someone students know they can approach for guidance,” said Lisa Marotta, director of the Women in Leadership Academy. “[Wajiha] has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to connect with others and develop initiatives that support our Academy’s mission to prepare women for the workforce and give back to the greater community.”
Peter Borzillo
Hometown: Wallingford, Conn.
Degree: B.A. in English and Interdisciplinary Studies
A passionate researcher and mental health advocate, Peter Borzillo has used his academic work to embrace personal and often overlooked methods of social impact, recognizing that real change can happen in quiet, creative, and unexpected spaces.
Borzillo began his academic journey as a social work major, motivated by both his own and his family’s experiences, but he soon redirected his focus to research on mental health. His first-year project on bathroom anxiety earned him the College of Arts and Sciences FYRE award. As a member of the Honors College, he went on to collaborate with Associate Professor of Social Work Amy Smoyer and former Assistant Professor of Sociology Adam Pittman on published research concerning restroom access for unhoused and formerly incarcerated individuals. His honors thesis explored bathroom graffiti as a lens into gender issues and men’s mental health– an unconventional yet compelling contribution to the discourse on justice.
Equally committed to education, Borzillo has served as a certified CASAS tutor, summer camp volunteer, and intern in both elementary and honors-level classrooms. His leadership and mentorship have helped students find their voices and take ownership over their learning experiences.
As a creative writer, Borzillo has earned campus-wide recognition, including the 2024 SCSU Creative Writing Award and multiple placements in Folio. His writing and community engagement through literary panels and readings demonstrate his commitment to empathy, self-expression, and storytelling as tools for change.
“Peter is the kind of student who is the connective tissue of our university,” said KC Councilor, associate professor of communication, media and screen studies and Borzillo’s honors thesis advisor. “He brings professors into conversation with one another, makes use of university resources in ways that bring others into the fold. He’s committed to doing high-quality research, to participating in the campus community in meaningful ways, and doing so from a multiply marginalized position.”
Jordan Cervantes
Hometown: Greenwich, Conn.
Degree: B.A. in psychology
Jordan Cervantes approached college with a desire to challenge himself outside of the classroom as well as in his studies. During his time at Southern, he has met that goal, having discovered both a love of research and a gift for leadership.
Cervantes has earned a place on the Dean’s and President’s lists along with receiving several other academic awards and scholarships, including the New England Psychological Association’s Honorary Undergraduate Scholar Award.
Working with Christopher Budnick, associate professor of psychology, Cervantes has presented seven first-authored poster presentations, with another under review, across institutional, regional, national, and international conferences. He has also co-authored one manuscript under review and is preparing his honors thesis work for submission.
He serves as manager of Budnick’s Stress, Anxiety, and Wellbeing Laboratory, where Budnick said Cervantes’ “impact extends beyond simply the laboratory and research domain,” developing resources that “have improved student experiences within the psychology department directly beyond his contributions via consistent mentoring.”
Cervantes has held several leadership positions in campus organizations, including as an Owl Flight to Excellence Mentor, a Psychology Exploration Ambassador, President of Psychology Club, President of Active Minds, member of the Gold Leadership program, and as a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Peer Mentor.
He plans to pursue a master’s degree in educational psychology, with a concentration in research methods, measurement, and evaluation. Ultimately, he wishes to be an evaluation analyst to examine educational disparities across the field of education and use these findings to inform educational leaders and practitioners on how to reduce the educational disparities students experience. At Southern, he said, “I discovered my passion for the field of education and equity.”
Yasieli Perez
Hometown: Ocala, Fla.
Degree: B.S. in sociology, with a concentration in criminology and criminal justice, and a minor in political science
As a first-generation college student, Yasieli Perez grew up with an understanding of the power of education, and yet in her school years before college, because of racial and social discrimination she often felt “a sense of not being ‘enough’ for the spaces I was in,” making higher education seem unattainable.
Ultimately, her passion for advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities led her to Southern, where she has thrived. Her commitment to becoming a lifelong learner has been the foundation of her college experience, shaping her into a student leader both in and out of the classroom.
At Southern, Perez has served as president of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), where her goal has been to create inclusive spaces for Latinx students. She also served as vice president of the Sociology and Criminology Club, as a resident advisor, and as a peer mentor, among other leadership roles.
Academically, she has also excelled, earning a place on the Dean’s List and the President’s List and receiving awards for academic and athletic distinction, and the five internships she has completed have each connected to her interests in policy and advocacy.
“Ms. Perez is undoubtedly one of the brightest students I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my twenty-five-year teaching career,” said Professor Jessica Kenty-Drane, Sociology Department chair, adding that Perez “is an excellent scholar and a net contributor to her university.”
After graduating, Perez plans to complete a master’s degree in higher education or pursue a Ph.D. in sociology.
“I hope to continue researching systemic inequities and address them as best I can,” said Perez, “[and] I hope to remain committed to equality, advocacy, and ensuring that others know they too can succeed in spaces they did not think they belonged in.”
