Student Leadership Honored at President's Award Luncheon

The event, held in Main Lounge, Moulton Union, on Friday, May 2, 2025, recognized eight students for their leadership and service to Bowdoin, as well as for good writing. At least three of the awardees submitted essays that have won them the honor of being asked to present their speeches at the upcoming Commencement and Baccalaureate ceremonies. After a welcome from President Safa Zaki, a total of eight awards were presented at the luncheon:

The Goodwin Commencement Prize and the Class of 1868 Prize are both awarded for written addresses that the students will present at Commencement, to be held this year on May 24.

This year’s Goodwin Commencement Prize goes to Weatherspoon ’25 for their address, called “Purpose,” which is about how you don’t need to know everything about how your life will go to be qualified to live it. Weatherspoon says it was inspired by both the real hardships and the joyous successes they have experienced.

Weatherspoon, an anthropology and Africana studies double major and English minor, will talk about the thing that stuck with them throughout both of these life experiences—and to them, that is purpose.

A published poet, Weatherspoon says the most important part of their Bowdoin experience has been creating an annual poetry concert, an event they describe as “cathartic.”

The Class of 1868 Prize goes to Carina Lim-Huang ’25, whose speech, “Persistent Love,” is about the small, consistent ways we show up for one another and the things we care about. Lim-Huang, a double major in economics and government and legal studies, will talk about how little things pass unnoticed until, suddenly, they have added up to something much bigger. “This,” she said, “is how Bowdoin has shaped me: through ordinary moments that quietly build into something lasting.”

A self-described “type A” person, Lim-Huang admits that the initial inspiration for this speech came from something she has yet to master: the practice of journaling.

Two other students were recognized for their writing:

The DeAlva Stanwood Alexander First Prize goes to Isabella Jingyuan Huang ’25, who will present the student address at the Baccalaureate ceremony, held the day before commencement. Huang, who is double majoring in English and government, has been very involved with the McKeen Center and worked as a writing assistant since her first year.

Her talk, “The Wisdom of an Egg,” is the culmination of her evolving relationship with food and language during her time at Bowdoin.

She traces how two seemingly ordinary things—breakfast and metaphor—have come to shape the way she understands care, connection, and resilience in a precarious world. It will come as no surprise that she found inspiration for her talk within Bowdoin dining, whose delicious fare, she says, has fueled her research into food and language in literature.

The DeAlva Stanwood Alexander Second Prize was awarded to Noah Zuijderwijk ’25, who will serve as alternate speaker, should any of our other award recipients be unable to deliver their speeches as planned.

Since his sophomore year, Zuijderwijk, a biology major and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies minor, has worked at SWAG as a student director and served as an RA, an experience that he says has shown him there are as many Bowdoins as there are students.

His talk is called “When the Soil Is Salty” and is inspired by his ecological studies. In it, he explores the lessons Mother Nature can teach us about how to adapt to a new environment in a meaningful way.

Leadership awards were presented to three students for their exemplary contributions to the campus community:

The Andrew Allison Haldane Cup went to Janet Briggs ’25. 

Originally given by fellow officers in the Pacific in memory of Captain Andrew Haldane, United States Marine Corps Reserves and a member of the Class of 1941, the cup is awarded to a member of the senior class who displays outstanding qualities of leadership and character.

A government and history double major from Nashville, Tennessee, Briggs is an inspirational person of unquestionable kindness, character, and dedication, thoroughly committed to the causes she chooses to embrace.

Those causes include serving as cochair of the Conduct Review Board, a position that put her at the heart of the Bowdoin community, dealing with situations that are often extremely delicate and complex.

Briggs is also a prolific journalist, working for The Bowdoin Orient during her entire time at Bowdoin, most recently serving as the paper’s senior digital editor. After graduation, Briggs wants to pursue journalism and explore her passion for the modern media landscape.

In what remains of her spare time, Briggs could often be found in the swimming pool. Apart from giving swimming lessons to local children, she has been cocaptain of the coed club water polo team, which she helped grow over the last two years to enjoy considerable success. She has also had her own show on WBOR.

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Cup was awarded to Abhayadana “BaoBao” Nguyen ’27

Furnished by the Bowdoin chapter of Alpha Delta Phi Society, the cup is awarded to the member of the three lower classes whose vision, humanity, and courage most contribute to making Bowdoin a better college. 

A biochemistry and economics major, Nguyen is a proud Mainer, hailing from nearby Falmouth. He says his appreciation for Maine has only deepened since coming to Bowdoin. His activities at Bowdoin reflect his interests in community, sports, Maine, and his heritage.

He has been involved with Bowdoin Rowing, The Bowdoin Orient—for which he has covered athletics—the Outing Club, and the Vietnamese Students Association. This year he has also led Boody-Johnson’s town and community committee.

It was rowing that provided Nguyen’s first feelings of community at Bowdoin. He often recalls retired assistant coach Gil Birney’s phrase, “Any boat, any seat, any day, and with a smile,” which has become something of a daily mantra for him. Another mentor is economics professor Zorina Khan, who, Nguyen says, has shown him unwavering support in and out of the classroom. 

After Bowdoin, he plans to attend dental school and become a pediatric dentist—a vocation that will enable him to positively impact his community.

The Michael F. Micciche III Award went to Jane McCarter ’25.

The award is given annually to that individual who embodies the entire Bowdoin experience, who engages the College community, achieves academic excellence, and earns the respect of their peers and professors. This individual must plan on broadening their education following graduation, either through enrollment at a graduate school or through a structured travel or volunteer program.

McCarter is an economics and psychology double major who has been actively involved in many aspects of campus life. She has served as a captain of the women’s ice hockey team, a head RA in the Office of Residential Life, and an economics learning assistant, as well as working at the Bowdoin Children’s Center. In 2023, McCarter also served as an intern for US Senator Susan Collins of Maine.

McCarter’s academic excellence was recognized last year with the award of the Paul H. Douglas Prize for Outstanding Promise in Scholarship in Economics.

Her honors project, described by one faculty member as “innovative” and “sophisticated,” explores the determinants of monetary value in the name, image, and likeness, or NIL, market in college athletics.

McCarter is known as a quiet but powerful leader—someone who leads by example without taking over the spotlight.

She will attend the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School this fall.

The President’s Award went to Ruth Olujobi ’25:

The President's Award was inaugurated in 1997 by President Robert H. Edwards to recognize a student’s exceptional personal achievements and uncommon contributions to the College.

A neuroscience major and German minor, Olujobi has been a very involved student since arriving at Bowdoin but says there are three experiences that really stand out.

First is her monthly podcast Blooming Daily, launched in her first year to have relatable conversations about health and wellness. Blooming Daily has had twenty-five students, staff, and alumni on the show, with listeners tuning in from thirty-five countries.

The second is her role as president of the Africa Alliance. As an international student from Lagos, Nigeria, Olujobi was committed to fostering a sense of a community among Africans on campus and sharing parts of African culture with the larger Bowdoin community.

Third, Olujobi cherished her position as a proctor over the last two years. She says it was a role that constantly filled her cup and strengthened her bond with campus.

Olujobi, whose eventual plan is to attend medical school, will return to Nigeria after graduation to undertake a project funded by a Davis Projects for Peace Grant aimed at encouraging low-income high schoolers to pursue careers in STEM.