asu honors college essay

Graduate School Essays

Use ASU’s resources for graduate school and scholarship essays.

ASU’s Writing Center offers resources and appointments to review graduate school essays. Barrett, The Honors College , offers Barrett students assistance with personal statements.

ASU’s Scholarship Resources site offers resources in support in preparing scholarship applications.

Barrett Application Portal

Welcome to the barrett, the honors college application portal.

This portal is used for online admission and scholarship applications at Barrett, The Honors College.

Barrett, The Honors College offers various funding opportunities to support a student’s education in the form of scholarships, research, and fellowship programs.  These opportunities both support incoming and current Barrett undergraduate students which are made possible by the gracious gifts of donors to Barrett, The Honors College and Arizona State University.

Click below or click "Log in" in the top right corner and then select "ASU Single Sign-On" to log into the system and submit applications.

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How to Write the Arizona State University Essays 2019-2020

Arizona State University (ASU) is an academic juggernaut, with over 80,000 students currently enrolled. Students apply directly to one of the five campuses spread across the metropolitan Phoenix area, choosing from Tempe, Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, West, and Thunderbird School.

Additionally, 30,000 students enroll in online degree programs and work to complete their schooling from anywhere in the world. Whether students attend in-person or remotely, these “Sun Devils” are dedicated to tackling tomorrow’s challenges using the foundation they built at ASU.

ASU doesn’t require any college-wide essays, but does for the Honors College and the School of Music. Read on if you’re applying to these programs! Want to know your chances at ASU? Calculate your chances for free right now.

For Honors College Applicants

Applicants must select ONE of the following three options and respond in no more than 500 words.

Option A: “A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Maturity is a virtue that we all strive for but often find difficult to obtain. It is a quality that we must acquire at some point in our lives as we become adults. What do you think it means to be a mature person?

Write a well-organized essay in which you describe what you think are some of the qualities that make a person mature.

Option B: We experience many types of relationships with our family and friends during our lifetimes. Some of these relationships survive over the years, while others deteriorate. What qualities are important to learn and develop in order to sustain healthy, lasting relationships?

In a well-developed essay, discuss those qualities that you feel contribute to a healthy relationship. Support your answer with specific details or examples from your own experience or reading.

Option C: Many people have argued that the skills needed to be successful in today’s workforce have changed. What skills do you feel an individual needs to be successful in a job today? Why do you feel these skills are most important?

In an essay to be read by a teacher, identify the skills you feel are most needed by an individual to be successful at work and provide reasons to persuade your teacher that these are the most critical skills for success.

Prompt 1, Option A

“a mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably.” —eleanor roosevelt, maturity is a virtue that we all strive for but often find difficult to obtain. it is a quality that we must acquire at some point in our lives as we become adults. what do you think it means to be a mature person write a well-organized essay in which you describe what you think are some of the qualities that make a person mature. (500 words).

The Honors College hopes to enroll students who are the cream of the crop, not only in academics but also in personality. This essay offers you a chance to demonstrate that you are capable of the introspection and insight required to excel in this program. For that reason, your main goal for the essay should be to come across as a thoughtful, mature individual.

As you plan your response, start by breaking down Eleanor Roosevelt’s quotation. To review, she thinks a mature person:

• Does not think only in absolutes
• Is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally
• Has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and all things
• Walks humbly and deals charitably

Do you agree with her assessment? If so, which bullet stands out to you as most true? What experiences in your life have taught you what it means to be mature, according to Roosevelt’s definition?

If your personal definition of maturity would be different, go ahead and share other qualities that you believe make a person mature. For example, maybe taking responsibility for one’s actions, or being there for others are how you define maturity.

No matter what your opinion is, be sure to ground your argument in a personal story. Think of experiences that made you more mature. It could be taking care of your siblings while your parents were at work, making a mistake at your job, or going away to boarding school. 

Alternatively, you can write about someone else and how their example has impacted you. If you do focus on another person in your essay, be sure the reflection still ties the essay back to you. Your readers don’t just want to see how someone else was mature. They want to see how that person’s good example affected you . You should also avoid writing about someone who you consider immature, as this could come off as, well, immature and mean-spirited. 

Prompt 1, Option B

We experience many types of relationships with our family and friends during our lifetimes. some of these relationships survive over the years, while others deteriorate. what qualities are important to learn and develop in order to sustain healthy, lasting relationships, in a well-developed essay, discuss those qualities that you feel contribute to a healthy relationship. support your answer with specific details or examples from your own experience or reading. (500 words).

This prompt has a few hidden questions buried in it. To answer well, you first have to address what makes a relationship healthy in the first place. Is it honesty? Open communication? Trust? Compassion? Respect? A stable power dynamic?

Once you identify what qualities are at play in a healthy relationship, ask yourself what the people in it can do to foster that healthy relationship. Maybe you think having frank conversations helps to cultivate an honest relationship. Alternatively, you may choose to focus on speaking kindly, listening carefully, or making a point of staying in touch.

Most essays will focus on a specific relationship in the applicant’s life. Have you seen a long-term relationship fall to pieces suddenly? Has a healthy relationship ever cropped up in the least likely of places for you? Either of these scenarios make for great essay topics.

In most cases, we recommend against writing about romantic relationships. Unless your story is truly exceptional, consider choosing another relationship to discuss. This is simply because it’s difficult to write about romantic relationships without coming off as juvenile, bitter, or cheesy. 

A few applicants might explore the dynamic at play between two fictional characters. If you do that, it’s important to identify why their story resonates with you.

Regardless of which relationships you use as an example, make sure your finished product reflects how relationships grow and change over time. The admissions committee wants to see that you know how to sustain healthy long-term relationships with your friends, mentors, colleagues, etc. 

Prompt 1, Option C

Many people have argued that the skills needed to be successful in today’s workforce have changed. what skills do you feel an individual needs to be successful in a job today why do you feel these skills are most important, in an essay to be read by a teacher, identify the skills you feel are most needed by an individual to be successful at work and provide reasons to persuade your teacher that these are the most critical skills for success. (500 words).

Unlike the previous two options, this prompt invites you to use your analytical rather than introspective capabilities. The modern workforce incorporates new technology, management strategies, and potential employees every year. While you may not have held a full-time job yet, ASU wants to see that you’ve thought about what future employers may require of you.

We recommend brainstorming several possible answers before settling on one. A number of popular terms, like “technology” and “leadership,” come to mind instantly, so you can be sure that the bulk of essays will be on those topics. Set yourself apart by spending 15 minutes jotting down reflections on which skills you think are most attractive to employers. You’re more likely to identify a more personal and substantial response that way.

Next, you’ll want to gather some evidence. Regardless of which skill you choose to identify as most important, substantiate that claim with case studies, data, or anecdotes. Turning to Forbes, Wired, or the Harvard Business Review is a great way to find support for your argument.

Keep in mind that admissions officers are not looking for any one particular answer. They want to see that you can think deeply. If you can weave in a few ways you have sought to cultivate the skill you recommend, that’s great. At the end of the day, though, your main goal is to demonstrate to your reader that you have an eye to the future and have thought deeply about how to prepare for it.

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Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Keep the following in mind. We have a deep interest in knowing why you are considering Barrett, The Honors College. Our admissions committee values intellectual curiosity. The essays will contribute to our assessment of your ability to write effectively, a key skill for success in the honors curriculum. Reply to ONE of the following four prompts in 300-500 words. Your response may be critical or creative.

Option A:   Biologically speaking, whales are mammals. However, author Herman Melville famously claimed that since they look like fish and in most ways behave like fish, they are fish no matter what science says. Defend Melville’s position. 

Option B: Many individuals, groups, and organizations enhance Barrett through their support (scholarship gifts, internship positions, alumni mentorship, etc.). As a student, given these external contributions to the honors college experience, what (if anything) would you owe to others?

Option C: Author Bell Hooks says, “It’s in the act of having to do things that you don’t want to that you learn something about moving past the self. Past the ego.” Reflect on how this quote applies to a particular moment in your life. 

Option D: Water.

Prompt 2, Option A

Biologically speaking, whales are mammals. however, author herman melville famously claimed that since they look like fish and in most ways behave like fish, they are fish no matter what science says. defend melville’s position. (300–500 words).

This definitely makes it onto the list of surprising prompts we have seen. Because most applicants do not sit around contemplating Melville’s opinions on whales, this prompt allows applicants to demonstrate creativity and, for those more scientifically minded, an appreciation for the natural world.

If you want to go all-in on a scientific discussion of how animals are classified, make sure you do your research. In addition to refuting the common scientific understanding of whales, you might also discuss how and why scientists practice taxonomy.

Most students will take this essay in a more abstract direction by exploring the tension between theoretical vs. practical knowledge. Sure, a whale may be a mammal, but it appears in many ways to be a fish. It’s common to find oneself in a situation where theory says one thing but apparent reality says another. What tools do you use to make a decision when theory and practice are misaligned?

Finally, there’s the creative approach. Maybe you do want to defend Melville using his distinctive literary voice. Perhaps a humorous poem about whales is best-suited to your purposes. Or you can write a work of biting satire—the possibilities are endless. 

Whether the scientific, philosophical, or artistic approach is the one for you, we recommend spending a little extra time on this essay. The unusual prompt makes it hard to ace on the first try.

Prompt 2, Option B

Many individuals, groups, and organizations enhance barrett through their support (scholarship gifts, internship positions, alumni mentorship, etc.). as a student, given these external contributions to the honors college experience, what (if anything) would you owe to others (300–500 words).

The vast majority of responses to this question come from students who do feel obliged to give back to the community out of gratitude. If you choose to respond to this prompt, be sure to explain your moral reasoning. Why do you feel it’s your duty to give back?

Make it clear just how you expect to benefit from the generosity of others, using specific examples whenever possible. You can find a handful of examples of alumni mentors on the Alumni Mentorship webpage . You can also find possible internships on the Internships webpage . Address how your aspirations can be met with the help of resources like these.

When you transition to talking about how you hope to give back, include ways you can serve the community both as an undergrad and after you graduate. Are there any clubs, volunteer activities, or student support initiatives you hope to join at Barrett?

Looking ahead, how will your professional pursuits put you in a position to help others? It’s okay to talk about support you will give to other members of society, not just the Barrett community.

Your essay should reflect kindness, thoughtfulness, and a vision for your future. You want your readers’ prevailing emotion after reading your essay to be excitement for who you are becoming and what your future holds.

Prompt 2, Option C

Author bell hooks says, “it’s in the act of having to do things that you don’t want to that you learn something about moving past the self. past the ego.” reflect on how this quote applies to a particular moment in your life. (300–500 words).

The secret to writing a great essay in response to this prompt is to focus on the positive aspects of a negative experience. If you spend too much of your essay describing the awful thing you had to do, the selection committee will write you off as pessimistic. Instead, focus on how the worst of circumstances actually made you a better person in the end. 

For example, maybe your parents pushed you to get a service industry job; you resisted at first since you thought you were overqualified, but you later learned to respect those in the service industry, as the work requires strong interpersonal skills and is physically demanding. Or, maybe your younger sibling insisted on joining you for your runs; you initially were annoyed, but it turned into a great way to bond. 

This essay has a narrative arc built into it—a beginning, middle, and end. Begin with a vivid description of the unpleasant task. How did it come into your life? What makes it unpleasant? Be sure to focus on difficulties of various kinds. Discuss what makes it undesirable not only in the moment, but also in terms of the constraints it puts on your time, emotional energy, or finances.

Once you have established how bad the task is, address how doing it has helped you look outside yourself. What about this activity makes you think about yourself less and others more? When did that shift occur? Be specific—describe the moment you realized you were changing.

From there, zoom out to focus on the bigger picture. In what ways has this shift in attitude altered the way that you view the initially unpleasant task? How will you live differently, now that you have experienced this transformation? Why is it important for people to look past themselves?

You can focus on one of these questions or address several. To finish strong, you’ll want to show that your insights are not limited to this one experience you have described. Demonstrate how you are forever changed as a result of doing something you did not want to do.

Prompt 2, Option D

Water. (300–500 words).

You can tell the prompt writers had fun coming up with this one. “Water” represents a huge challenge, since they have not given you many clues as to what they want out of this essay.

Despite the unorthodox prompt, the Honors College is still looking for the same basic features you would find in any good essay:

• Write clear, coherent content
• Demonstrate a capacity to think deeply
• Be respectful
• Show how you have grown and matured
• Highlight your strengths

Depending on the direction you take this essay, your essay may have some of these characteristics more than others. The first three points are non-negotiable, while the remaining two appear in most—but not all—great essays.

Here are a few ideas for how to write an essay about water:

• For water sport players, describe your relationship with your sport.
• Talk about your memories that occurred in the rain.
• For future marine biologists, explain why you love the study of life underwater.
• Draw comparisons between the chemical nature of water and your own life.
• Explore how the theme of the sea, as addressed in a book you read, spoke to you on a personal level.
• Elaborate on a time you needed water, such as during practice or a marathon.
• Discuss the shortage of clean water in developing countries, why this issue matters to you, and potential solutions.
• Write an aquatic poem!

You should not feel limited by these prompt ideas—they are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of essay topics. A prompt this creative offers you an invitation to think outside the box when writing your response.

React to the following: What do other generations misunderstand about yours? (300–500 words)

There are two potential pitfalls you can fall into when writing an answer to this prompt: being vague and sounding whiny. The question is broad, asking about trends at the generation level. However, your response needs to focus in on something specific and well-substantiated.

Spend a little time identifying what other generations misunderstand about yours. Don’t just go with your gut reaction, as many students are likely to pick whatever is popular, even if they don’t relate to the issue.

Once you have brainstormed an idea that you like, make sure you can think of two or three examples when this misunderstanding has taken place. They can be anecdotal or drawn from studies or readings.

Avoid general statements, such as “All baby boomers think young people are irresponsible.” Instead, build specific claims around the examples you have found. Here’s a better, more detailed way of stating the same claim with an example:

“‘Boys will be boys!’ my grandmother said when my brother was sent home for starting a fight in 7th grade. ‘Boys will be boys!’ again she said when he was caught with contraband at our summer camp. It was her favored refrain, delivered flippantly whenever my mother or I expressed concerns. Grandma accused us of being too cautious, as if his age and gender gave him blanket permission, even compelled him, to misbehave. My good grades, gentle voice, and respect for others were seen by her as an aberration, a discredit to my rough and wily gender. But perhaps I am being too hard on her—after all, Grandma will be Grandma.”

This example is good because it identifies a specific moment when another generation misunderstood something about the writer’s generation, specifically modern boyhood.

Don’t just leave it there with examples. Use them to unpack your ideas. The majority of this essay should be your original ideas. You want to give examples, but don’t let the examples overpower the essay.

Make sure you answer all these questions in the scope of your essay:

• What do other generations misunderstand about yours?
• Why don’t they understand correctly?
• What way is there, if any, for other generations to better understand your own?

For Applicants to the School of Music

Describe your educational background, objectives and future career plans. composition applicants should prepare an additional essay describing previous experience as a composer or arranger and the types of music (e.g., choral, jazz) composed. (300–500 words).

The School of Music prepares students for careers as professional musicians. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that their essay demands a little more professionalism from its applicants. Structure this essay more as a statement of purpose than as a personal reflection.

Begin with your educational background. We recommend making a list of all relevant training and achievements in your musical career to date. There may be instructors, lessons, competitions, groups, or even leisure activities that you take for granted. The School of Music wants a comprehensive and accurate picture of how you approach music generally and your instrument in particular.

Next, take a moment to ask yourself why a music degree is valuable to you. Many successful musicians have no college background—what makes you think this program will set you up for success? It’s better to answer with things that excite you rather than to use fear-based reasoning. “I’m applying so I have a fall-back option if music does not work out,” is NOT a good thing to say in your essay.

As a student, what do you hope to achieve? Your responses can be concrete, like, “I want to learn how to play a new instrument in addition to my current one.” They can also be more abstract—“I will foster meaningful relationships with peers who have a diversity of musical backgrounds.”

In your closing words, paint a picture of your future. Nobody knows what the future holds. The key here is simply to share a vision that excites you. Show the selection committee that you know how to dream, that you’re at least thinking of what lies ahead. No one will hold you to what you write, so feel free to reach for the stars. Leave your admissions officers rooting for you as you try making your dreams a reality.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Arizona State University | ASU

• Cost & scholarships
• Essay prompt

Want to see your chances of admission at Arizona State University | ASU?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

Arizona State University | ASU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Honors courses

Barrett's signature courses constitute the foundation of intellectual life at The Honors College.

In these small, student-centered seminars, students explore some of the world's greatest texts and think through urgent questions of our times with faculty who are skilled and committed teachers and respected scholars in their areas of expertise. In this intellectually rich atmosphere, students bond both in and outside of the classroom, forming an energized and energizing Honors cohort set to transform society, culture, government, medicine, business—and the world.

Begin your intellectual journey

All Barrett students begin their intellectual journey at Barrett in one of our signature first-year seminars. Lower-division students—freshman and sophomores—entering the Honors College complete The Human Event (HON 171 and HON 272) over the course of their first year at Barrett. Upper-division students—juniors and seniors—entering the Honors College complete the one-semester course, History of Ideas (HON 370). These courses are taught exclusively by the Honors Faculty Fellows : an interdisciplinary faculty whose primary academic home is Barrett, The Honors College.

The Human Event is a year-long course that forms the foundation of the first-year honors experience. A small, intensive, interdisciplinary, discussion-based seminar for all first-year Barrett students, The Human Event focuses on key social and intellectual currents in the history of human thought from the earliest written texts to the present. While united by a shared set of learning objects aimed at cultivating communications skills and critical thinking, each section of The Human Event explores a unique set of texts, according to each professor’s passions and areas of expertise. History of Ideas works toward the same goals and shares the same ethos as The Human Event but is a more intensely focused, one-semester course exclusively for upper-division students who transfer into the Honors College. The readings in each section of History of Ideas are generally organized around a theme determined by the professor.

Exclusive access to honors seminars

Every semester Barrett students have exclusive access to upper-division Honors seminars (HON 394) on a range of special topics according to faculty areas of research interest and expertise. These popular courses explore important issues in history, literature, philosophy, physics, film, anthropology, law, politics, and much more. Upper-division courses also provide Honors students valuable opportunities to continue working closely with Barrett faculty, in small seminar settings beyond The Human Event of History of Ideas, in areas of intellectual inquiry that resonate creatively and synergistically with their majors, minors, or other areas of passion. Many students strategically enroll in upper-division seminars in topics outside of their majors in order to explore new areas of interest and to conduct research that informs their honors thesis.

Honors Courses

Honors courses can now be found easily by using the ASU Course Catalog . You can access the ASU Course Catalog by visiting MyASU or clicking the link below:

ASU Course Catalog- Honors Courses

To find upcoming Honors courses, click  Advanced Options and then select the  Honors checkbox. From there, you can see all Honors courses. It is recommended that you limit your search by College or the 3 letter  Course Subject .

Courses that list  Honors Enrichment Contracts , will be listed at the bottom of the page.

Once you find a course you are interested in, you can view the number of  Reserved Honors Only Seats by expanding the course information. If you would like to add the course, click the  Add button on the far right.

About Honors Courses

Honors courses are mindfully designed to accomplish the following learning objectives:

• Improve the student’s ability to reason critically and communicate clearly
• Cultivate the student’s ability to engage in intellectual discourse through reading, writing, and discussion
• Broaden the student’s historical and cultural awareness and understanding
• Deepen awareness of the diversity of human societies and cultures
• Instill intellectual breadth and academic discipline in preparation for more advanced study

Each honors class features the following core components:

• Chronologically Expansive - We cover some of the earliest recorded texts (e.g. The Epic of Gilgamesh or the Maxims of Good Discourse) to current works (e.g. Kwame Appiah’s The Honor Code).
• Extensive Geographical Coverage - We select texts that highlight key issues in human thought, which means the texts we cover are from all over the world (e.g. Tao Te Ching, Plato’s Republic, Kalidasa’s The Recognition of Sakuntala, and Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease).
• Focused on Human Cultural Diversity - Every effort is made to incorporate cross-cultural perspectives, non-Western texts and texts composed by women and racial/ethnic minorities (e.g. texts by early female Sufists or American slave narratives).
• Student Centered - We encourage students to take the lead in these small, discussion based classes

Barrett, The Honors College at ASU announces its 2024 outstanding graduates

7 graduates will be recognized for their achievements at honors college convocation may 6.

Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University has named seven outstanding graduates from the spring 2024 graduating class who will be recognized for their academic prowess, leadership, service, community involvement and creativity at the honors college’s convocation on May 6. ASU photo

Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University has named seven outstanding graduates from the spring 2024 graduating class who will be recognized for their academic prowess, leadership, service, community involvement and creativity at the honors college’s convocation  set for 2 p.m. on May 6 at Desert Financial Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.

“Barrett Honors College’s core values are community and belonging, leadership and agency, courage and curiosity. These outstanding graduates are exemplars of the values in action and represent the excellence of all honors students. We’re confident they’ll all take these values into whatever they do next, including careers, graduate and professional schools, and public service,” said Barrett Honors College Dean Tara Williams. 

The spring 2024 Barrett Honors College Outstanding Graduates are recognized in the categories of Outstanding Graduate, Outstanding Research, Outstanding Leadership and Outstanding Creativity. They are:

Outstanding Graduate

Sadaf Asadifar

Asadifar is receiving Bachelor of Science degrees in neuroscience and psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in global health from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her goal is to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

She was an undergraduate research assistant in the Behavioral Neuroscience of Memory and Aging laboratory, where her research focused on the effects of sex hormones on cognitive and brain changes during aging using rat models.

For her Barrett honors thesis, titled “How many new friends can a menopausal rat remember? Developing a new task of social recognition with an increasing working memory load,” Asadifar and a graduate student developed a novel test of memory in rats.

Asadifar received many scholarships, including the Wahl Family Scholarship, HonorHealth Foundation Advisory Council Scholarship, Dariel Overby Memorial Scholarship, Dean’s Council Scholarship, New American University Scholar President’s Award, Austin James Service Scholar Award, Smith Marshall Scholarship, President Barak Obama Scholar Award and Mak Pak Chiu and Mak Soo Lai Hing Memorial Scholarship.

She was a first author and presenter on three presentations about hormone therapy and menopause effects on memory, including one as a Banner-ASU Neuroscience Scholar and another at the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium.

With her family, as a youngster, Asadifar left her home country of Iran, sought asylum in Turkey for two years and ultimately came to the United States and became a citizen. She told her story at an Ignite ASU event last year.

She has been active in community service, running classes focusing on empowerment for children of Baha’I Faith, serving as an Arizona Refugee College Success mentor for high school students, and volunteering at the International Rescue Committee Welcome Center Asylum Seeker Shelter.

She served as financial advisor to the Global Women’s Health Initiative, a Barrett Honors College Peer Academic Leader, and a Civitutors tutor for an elementary school student. In addition, she worked as an aide in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering student services department and in ASU Financial Aid Services.

Outstanding Research

Rafael Ortiz III

Ortiz is receiving a bachelor’s degree in astrophysics from the School of Earth and Space Exploration.

He received the New American University President’s Scholarship, the 2020 Gold Medal in Science, and the 2023 Barrett Honors College Award for Innovation. He was also a finalist for Outstanding Undergraduate Student of the Year in 2023.

Ortiz worked on the School of Earth and Space Exploration’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) PEARLS project, during which he used two-dimensional light profiling methods and spectral energy distribution modeling codes to study the point spread functions in local active galactic nuclei.

He was co-author of six publications in the Astrophysical Journal, a leading journal for astrophysics. As an ASU NASA Space Grant recipient and intern, Ortiz assisted with the processing of JWST cosmic ray rejection data, which cleans JWST images by identifying and removing stray cosmic rays from images.

He conducted original research as an intern at the Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory during the summers of 2019 and 2022, during which he contributed to the development of code designed to analyze real data from the Muon g-2 particle physics experiment. He later launched a prototype of distributed tracing software for optimizing simulations in the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment . In 2019, he received the Fermilab Science Award for his work there.

Ortiz served as a Barrett Honors College teaching assistant and completed an honors thesis titled “Why Do We See Beauty?” that included a self-published 51-page book of poems and a 96-page paper on the interdisciplinary interaction between Taoism, philosophy, Buddhism, spirituality and art.

For four years, he was a member of Honors Devils, a student organization that assists with recruiting honors students by giving informational tours. He served as a student body senator and as the director of student affairs for Undergraduate Student Government on the Tempe campus. He was chief of staff of the Leadership Forum at ASU and president of the Order of Omega Leadership Honors Society.

As an ASU Space Student Ambassador, Ortiz worked with SESE, the ASU Fulton Schools of Engineering and representatives of private industry to support student initiatives and research projects.  

Jaira Mu ñoz Zavala

Mu ñoz Zavala is receiving a bachelor’s degree in forensic science from the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in sculpture from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

She was the recipient of the ASU STEM TRAIN Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences Scholarship, the Buzz Sands Chevrolet Endowment Scholarship, the J.R & B. Nelson Scholarship and the Ridgway Scholarship.

Mu ñoz Zavala worked in the ASU Forensic Entomology and Wildlife Laboratory, where she participated in four different research projects. She completed five oral presentations, including with the North American Forensic Entomology Association and the Entomological Society of America – Pacific Branch, and two poster presentations.

She won third place in the student oral presentation competition at the 2022 Entomological Society of America – Pacific Branch meeting for her project titled “Outside of colonization: An analysis of initial insect arrival and other insect interactions with decomposing remains throughout the year in Arizona.”

She won second place for her research poster presentation on an analysis of flies’ arrival to decomposing remains during winter in Arizona at the 16th annual WAESO Student Research Conference in 2022. She also won third place in the student poster competition at the 2023 NCUIRE Research Symposium.

Muñoz Zavala gave a talk at the 2023 Entomological Society of America – Pacific Branch conference titled “A new perspective on death: Combining art and science.” She defended her honors thesis, titled “Initial insect arrival to decomposing remains in Phoenix, Arizona,” in English and Spanish. 

Outstanding leadership

Orchee Syed

Syed is receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

She has been a leader inside the classroom, showing a collaborative attitude toward her peers by engaging them in class conversations and doing outstanding work, such as a nine-page essay about capitalism during pandemics titled “400 Years of Eating the Rich.”

Since fall 2020, Syed has served as a writing tutor at the Barrett Writing Center, mentoring other students in writing argumentative essays and honors theses, promoting the center at orientation events and through social media, hosting writing workshops, and helping recruit and interview new tutors.

Syed helped run the Barrett Writing Center, led writing tutor staff meetings and trained tutors to give feedback on honors theses. She contributed to Barrett curriculum by helping redesign the required Barrett thesis workshops to be more equitable and student centered, and contributed to panel discussions and small group facilitation.

Syed served as an undergraduate teaching assistant in the ASU Department of Psychology and worked as a research assistant in the Lifespan Development Lab. She also worked as a data collector and analyst for the ASU Community Energy Engineering Initiative focused on incentivizing middle and high school students from low-income neighborhoods in Phoenix to get involved in STEM.

She interned at an outpatient clinic serving Indigenous Valley residents, contributed to a STEM and community service program at Phoenix public schools, advocated for marginalized students of color to be involved with research in the ASU Department of Psychology, and was a member of the Barrett Choir. She also received the New American University Scholarship and Psychology Scholar Award.

Her honors thesis focused on examining similarities and differences in historical change reports of pain in middle-aged adults across 16 nations. Syed plans to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology.

Raka is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical informatics from the College of Health Solutions.

As an ASU Undergraduate Student Government senator, he led mental health initiatives, such as keeping counseling free for all ASU students. As a student ambassador in the College of Health Solutions, he represented students in monthly meetings with the dean and coordinated biweekly presentations at high schools across Arizona to inform students about the benefits of pursuing a university education.

He volunteered as an instructor in the ASU Prison Biology Initiative, where he worked with students studying introductory biology at the Eyman-Florence prison complex. As a group facilitator at the New Song Center for Grieving Children, he assisted support groups for children aged 8–10 who lost loved ones.

He was a research fellow in the ASU School of Life Sciences, conducting research on Zika-carrying mosquitos, analyzing the impact of fungicide on honeybees, and modeling honeybee heat stress to predict the effects of global warming on beehives.

He worked in the ASU Luminosity Lab implementing moonshot solutions and mapping hospital inequity distribution using geographic information systems. He was a health project fellow at the ASU Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, where he founded the Mental Health Equity Symposium, and a clinical research intern at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in the summer of 2022.

He co-authored two research articles — one on oncology patients and another on the impact of fungicide exposure on honeybees. He won first place in the Mayo Clinic Health Futures + CHS Clinical Solutions Competition in April 2023 and was an honorable mention in the National Academy of Medicine STI Hackathon last October.

Outstanding creativity

Lyndsey Anderson

Anderson is graduating with a bachelor’s degree kinesiology from the College of Health Solutions.

For her honors thesis, Anderson created a physical therapy program for under- and uninsured children with Down syndrome. The program features a game called “Rainbow Monster Madness” and is available online . She hand-drew the characters for the game, which combines fun play with physical therapy.

Anderson served as president of the ASU Kinesiology Honors Society in the College of Health Solutions and was a Barrett Academy of Excellence Scholar. She received a Certificate of Recognition and Outstanding Service from the Kinesiology Honors Society, an ASU Award of Excellence in Chemistry, an ASU Sun Devil Football Athletic Training Intern Scholarship, the New American University President’s Award and the Townsend Family Scholarship.

She worked as a physical therapy technician at a clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, a youth tutor and mentor in Paradise Valley, Arizona, and as a student athletic trainer for the ASU football team.

She will pursue a doctorate of physical therapy at the University of Colorado in Denver Anschutz Medical Campus.

Morgan Cywinski

Cywinski is receiving a bachelor’s degree in social work from the ASU School of Social Work in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

 For her honors creative project, she researched the concerns and needs of young hospitalized children and designed and developed “The Bedside Box of Play,” a box with play activities geared toward 5- to 11-year-old children experiencing hospitalization. 

She procured funding to create 30 boxes, with materials in English and Spanish, which she donated to a children’s unit at a local hospital. The boxes help children and their families by providing an easy way of incorporating play into the hospital environment while promoting healthy child development and coping skills.

Cywinski interned at A New Leaf East Valley After School Program for school-age children and Everybody Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching lifelong coping and social skills to children. She was a counselor for Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times and volunteered at Banner Hospice Dottie Kissinger Bereavement Camp, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and Helen’s Hope Chest.

She received the ASU New American University Scholarship and the Garcia Family Foundation Scholarship.

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