Stony Brook University biochemistry major Manahil Kashif (center) was one of 14 SBU students honored with the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. She was joined by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. (left) and SBU Assistant Chief Diversity Officer Usama M. Shaikh. Photos courtesy of SUNY.

Fourteen students from Stony Brook University were among the 205 students recognized with the 2026 Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence (CASE) - the State University of New York's highest honor bestowed on a student for academic excellence and leadership.

The award recognizes SUNY students for outstanding achievements in academics; leadership; diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice; campus involvement; civics and service; research; and the arts. This year's honorees were celebrated during an awards ceremony on April 27 in Albany, New York.

"SUNY students are New York's future, and the outstanding individuals I am proud to recognize with the Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence embody the very best of our state university system," said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. "The students who have earned this recognition have inspired their classmates, their educators, their campuses and me with their inspiring work, tenacious drive, and dedication to their academic success. I commend each of the awardees and thank them for being examples for others to follow."

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. addresses the recipients of the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence.

Each campus is allowed to submit two to 15 nominations depending on the student body size. Nominations are submitted by campus officials to the SUNY CASE Selection Committee every spring. While there is no minimum GPA requirement, candidates are expected to have demonstrated exceptional academic performance and leadership.

"This year's Chancellor's Awards for Student Excellence recipients are leaders in their campus communities who both exemplify and underscore the extraordinary potential of our students," said the SUNY Board of Trustees. "Congratulations to the awardees for their incredible achievements and we are excited to see how they continue to thrive."

Congratulations to the Stony Brook CASE 2026 winners:

Norah Allam (East Setauket, New York) - A double major in biomedical engineering and applied mathematics with a passion for tissue engineering, immunology and regenerative medicine, Allam conducted advanced research at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, focusing on cardiac aging, and has previously worked in SBU labs on marine microbial ecology and nitric oxide signaling in neural tissues. As vice president of AEMB (Biomedical Engineering Honors Society) and a WISE Honors Program mentor, Norah leads STEM outreach initiatives and promotes inclusivity. Pursuing a minor in studio art, she has also served as a commissioned artist for the campus beautification initiative, creatively merging scientific imagery with artistic expression.

Ruthvick Bandaru (Ronkonkoma, New York) - Bandaru is a computer engineering undergraduate distinguished by his technical leadership and dedication to community. He founded and presided over the Artificial Intelligence Community (800+ members), making AI accessible to peers. As project manager for the SBU Robotics Team, he led them to qualify for the MATE ROV World Competition. Ruthvick has served as a teaching assistant for Embedded Systems (ESE 124/280) and as an Undergraduate College fellow, mentoring first-year students to foster a strong sense of belonging on campus. His work blends engineering with real-world impact, including designing autonomous UGVs for humane deer deterrence.

Neel Chittur (Albany, New York) - Chittur is an applied mathematics and statistics major in the Honors College, on track to graduate with highest honors. A Division I cross country athlete, he contributed to the program's third consecutive conference championship and serves as vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where he promotes student-athlete advocacy and campus engagement. He is a teaching assistant for Data Analysis and is completing a senior thesis in applied statistics. An active member of the Sigma Beta Honor Society, Neel is committed to service through regular volunteering and philanthropy. His data analysis internships have strengthened policy evaluation and supported operational decision-making for Albany County and the City of Albany.

Athena Choi (Queens, New York) - Choi is a biochemistry major in the Honors College. Since fall 2022, she has conducted research in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, studying the
molecular mechanisms of neuronal development. She has presented her work at the Society for Neuroscience conference and received multiple URECA research awards. Athena serves as an emergency medical technician with the Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps in both instructional and leadership capacities. She volunteers at the Long Island State Veterans Home, supporting veterans with dementia, and at the Stony Brook Child Care Center. She is also actively engaged in campus education through her work as a tutor and teaching assistant.

Caden Deshommes (New York, New York) - Deshommes began studying creative writing and literature at Stony Brook in 2022, adding a concentration in filmmaking, and a second major in English in the pursuit of a multidisciplinary college career. She approaches her professional opportunities with the same goal of well-roundedness, serving as a resident assistant, writing teaching assistant, peer advisor and intern for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Sophia Goodkin (Jericho, New York) - Goodkin is a senior in the Honors College, double majoring in psychology and women's and gender studies. Through campus involvement and leadership, Sophia has remained committed to giving back to the campus community through her roles at the Center for Prevention and Outreach, the Dean's Student Leadership and Advisory Council, as a two-time teaching assistant, and as an intern at the Leonard Krasner Psychological Center. She intends to pursue a doctor of psychology degree in clinical psychology, focusing on clinical supervision and accessible mental health care for children and adolescents.

Lana Gouda (Queens, New York and Cairo, Egypt) - Gouda is a senior double majoring in political science and economics with a minor in philosophy. She is president of the Political Science Society and Pi Sigma Alpha, has worked as a teaching assistant for POL380: Middle East Politics, and was a research assistant for two semesters. Lana also held roles in the Office of Student Life, New Student and Transition Programs, the Academy of Civic Life and the Undergraduate Colleges. As a Guiliano Global fellow and recipient of multiple Political Science Department awards, her academic interests include international relations, political economy and artificial intelligence.

Manahil Kashif (Brooklyn, New York) - Kashif is a biochemistry major in the WISE Honors Program. She addresses schizophrenia through an integrated framework that combines molecular neuroscience investigation with advocacy aimed at improving care and access. Her work emphasizes impaired insight as a critical, underrecognized determinant of treatment engagement. She has presented her work at multiple conferences, and her advocacy efforts have been recognized with the Presidential Service Award. Manahil serves as an organic chemistry teaching assistant and ASTC tutor and is a Petey Greene tutor for incarcerated individuals. She plans to pursue an MD-PhD to bridge scientific inquiry, clinical practice and advocacy.

Aman Mistry (Saint James, New York) - Mistry is a biochemistry major in the Honors College and Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine program. As a URECA fellow, he enjoys researching early developmental transcription factors in zebrafish in Ben Martin's laboratory. He is publishing a first-author paper and has presented his research at DBNY. As a student senator, he co-launched the SBU Dharmic Center as a prayer space for Dharmic religious students. He has co-founded the Scholars for Medicine Society and SBU's first Healthcare Innovation Challenge. He has also served as an EMT for over two years and as a Board of Directors college representative at PJEMS.

Delaney Ortiz (Centereach, New York) - Ortiz is a first-generation college student dedicated to academic excellence, advocacy, and mentorship. She serves as president of the Pre-Nursing Society and is a consistent Dean's List scholar. She is actively involved in Stony Brook Student Nurses' Association and volunteers with The Retreat, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and her church's children's ministry, while also working as a barista. She was the hand-selected nursing intern for Stony Brook University Hospital's Surgical/Trauma ICU, mentored new students as a commuter assistant, and promoted campus sustainability as vice president of Hidden Treasures. Delaney plans to become a NICU nurse and future neonatal nurse practitioner.

Patrick Serrentino (Miller Place, New York) - Serrentino is a biology major with a specialization in neuroscience. His honors thesis work in the Maffei Laboratory investigates fundamental mechanisms for taste learning and feeding behaviors. Patrick is the founder and president of the Stony Brook University chapter of the Little St. Nick Foundation, a nonprofit that provides support bags to children in local hospitals. In his free time, he serves as an EMT and is an avid runner, having completed his first New York City Marathon while fundraising for cancer research.

Shivani Shah (East Meadow, New York) - Shah is an Honors College student with an exceptional commitment to research, leadership, and service. She is currently completing an Honors Thesis research project in James Konopka's lab, supported by a URECA grant. Shivani has presented research at university and SUNY conferences and is a published author in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. She participated in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Summer Scholars Program, studying methods of host DNA depletion. Shivani is an EMT with Port Jefferson EMS and the Director of Camp Kesem on campus, supporting children affected by a parent's cancer.

Madelyn Stepski (New London, Connecticut) -Stepski is graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing and a minor in English. She has been actively involved in a range of campus organizations and leadership roles, including the Academy of Leaders in Athletics, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Stony Brook's literary magazine, and the leadership team for Team IMPACT. As a Division I student-athlete, she serves as captain of the softball team and is a multi-time award recipient for both athletic and academic achievement. This year, she is completing her senior thesis, a book-length creative project.

Marko Zimic (Maspeth, New York) - Zimic is a chemical engineering major with minors in chemistry and materials science. He has a deep interest in biophysics and materials research and works with Stony Brook's Endoh/Koga group, collaborating with Brookhaven and Oak Ridge National Laboratories. On campus, Marko serves as a CEAS lead peer mentor, president of the linguistics club, and a chemistry teaching assistant. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. As an aspiring physician, he works part-time as a medical assistant and earned early admission to medical school through the Icahn School of Medicine's FlexMed Program.