Chemistry and Mathematics Student Among Eight Recognized as Outstanding Graduates

(source: UL Lafayette News Item: Thu, 05/11/2017)

Eight students will be honored during Spring 2017 Commencement ceremonies as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Alumni Association’s Outstanding Graduates. Every spring and fall semester, deans from eight academic colleges each nominate a student as an Outstanding Graduate, based on leadership, scholarship and service. An Alumni Association selection committee interviews the candidates and selects one to receive the overall award. The overall Outstanding Graduate will be announced during Spring Commencement on Friday, May 12, at the Cajundome.

Alyssa Bienvenu is the Outstanding Graduate in the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences. She is majoring in chemistry and mathematics and has a 4.0 GPA.

Bienvenu is the recipient of the College of Science's Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship, the Keith Lindley Honors Scholarship and the UL Lafayette Outstanding Student Scholarship. She has appeared on the President's List every semester of her undergraduate studies.

Bienvenu coauthored three upcoming publications in refereed journals, and presented her research findings at local and national conferences nearly 20 times. She participated in summer research programs funded by the National Science Foundation at Texas A&M University in 2015 and at Pennsylvania State University in 2016. She is president of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society and is the student vice president of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

In addition, Bienvenu was a member of the University Chorale and is the assistant choral director at First United Methodist Church in New Iberia, La., where she performed as a soloist, chancel choir member and bell choir member. She is the daughter of Troy and Chrys Bienvenu of New Iberia.

Photo info: Eight UL Lafayette seniors have been recognized as Outstanding Graduates for the Spring 2017 semester. Top row, from left, are: Leah M. Boudreaux, College of the Arts; Elisabeth I. Kolb, B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration; Madeline Trcalek, College of Education; and Jacob J. LeBlanc, College of Engineering. Katelyn E. Bayhi, College of Liberal Arts; Brooke A. Capritto, College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions; Alyssa V. Bienvenu, Ray P. Authement College of Sciences; and Joshua S. Barnes, University College.