Watertown students at MCPHS, Hamilton College, Holy Cross, SNHU, Rhode Island, and Muhlenberg College have received honors, graduated or had other achievements.
Honors List
MCPHS University
Ayushi Saxena of Watertown, Massachusetts, was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) University.
Saxena is among approximately 20,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and its territories. Its mission is to “cultivate a community that celebrates and advances the love of learning.”
Hamilton College
Taylor Lambo, of Watertown (02472), was recently elected to the Epsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Hamilton College.
Phi Beta Kappa, which established a chapter at Hamilton in 1870, is the oldest and most prestigious honor society in the country. Students are elected to membership in recognition of their exceptional academic achievement in fulfilling the goals and purposes of the college.
Lambo, a senior majoring in physics, is a graduate of Watertown Senior High School.
Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross congratulates the students named to the Spring 2025 Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement during the spring semester of the 2024-25 academic year.
To qualify, students must pass four or more letter-graded courses with no failing grades during the semester and earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
The following local students made the list:
Susan Allakhverdov, of Watertown, 02472, Class of 2028
Larissa McHugh, of Cambridge, 02472, Class of 2025
James O’Connor, of Watertown, 02472, Class of 2027
Southern New Hampshire University
It is with great pleasure that Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) congratulates the following students on being named to the Summer 2025 President’s List. The summer terms run from May to August.
Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the President’s List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.
Michael Lucas of Watertown (02472)
Jance Bishop of Watertown (02472)
Drew Bowman of Watertown (02472)
Lara Chiste of Watertown (02472)
Tanweer Mustafa of Watertown (02472)
Mohammed Suleiman of Watertown (02472)
Tinnecia Marcelle of Watertown (02472)
Waqas Khan of Watertown (02472)
Grads
University of Rhode Island
Nicholas Pepe of Watertown is among the University of Rhode Island’s newest alumni. URI celebrated more than 3,500 of its newest alumni during the University’s 2025 Commencement. Nearly 3,600 undergraduate degrees and 600 graduate degrees were conveyed to students during the ceremonies which took place May 16-18, 2025.
Pepe received a Bachelor of Music Magna Cum Laude.
Students who received the honor summa cum laude graduated with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.7; students who received the honor of magna cum laude graduated with a GPA of at least 3.50; and students who received the honor of cum laude graduated with a GPA of at least 3.3.
Notable
Muhlenberg College
Arkady Varzhapetian of Watertown, MA has been named a Resident Advisor at Muhlenberg College this fall. A graduate of Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Varzhapetian is working toward a bachelor’s degree at the college.
Each Muhlenberg Resident Advisor (RA) is a strong leader with sound critical thinking and interpersonal skills, taking on a highly-responsible position. To be selected for the competitive role, RAs must take part in a selection, recruitment and training processes, demonstrate of sense of care for others, maintain a 2.5 grade point average, and model good conduct.
RAs lead and support the development of each individual in Muhlenberg’s residence halls. They develop positive personal relationships with residents, collaborate with campus offices, empower residents to effectively interact with classmates, and uphold Muhlenberg community standards.
Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, four-year residential, liberal arts college in the city of Allentown, Pa., with nearly 2,000 bachelor’s and master’s degree-seeking students. The college’s curriculum and experiences are designed to open doors to new ideas, discoveries, friendships and a lifetime of personal and intellectual growth.