Saint Joseph's University McNulty Scholars Program

Congratulations to all of the McNulty Scholars and Fellows who are graduating!! We are so proud of all of your accomplishments. Wishing each and every one of you the best in all of your future endeavors!!

McNulty Fellow Olivia Lutz is graduating with a degree in Biochemistry, with minors in Mathematics and English. She has served as a Teaching Assistant for Organic Chemistry I & II and Analytical Chemistry, was a Writing Center Tutor, and co-presented “Improving Writing Support for STEM Students: Outreach to Biology Undergraduates at Saint Joseph’s University” at the National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing (October 2024) at the University of Washington-Tacoma, alongside Dr. Jenny Spinner and Sierra Feeney.
Olivia authored 15 articles for the Hawk Newspaper, and conducted research for three and a half years in Dr. John Tomsho’s laboratory, working on the project “Novel Benzoxaborole Antibacterials Act Through Leucyl-tRNA Synthetase Inhibition.” This work has been presented at 11 conferences, including the 89th Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention, the Annual URC-PA Conference, the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists, the GSK Science@Scale Poster Symposium, and the American Chemical Society Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting.
In addition, she has worked in Dr. Sunil Thomas’s laboratory for nine months, contributing to multiple projects, including a Bin1 gene study related to sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, development of subunit vaccines for ehrlichiosis, and immunotherapy research supporting a Phase I clinical trial for colitis treatment. During this time, she authored six book chapters (currently in press with CRC Press) on topics related to the microbiome, including circadian rhythm, mosquitoes, grapes, probiotics/prebiotics, ultra-processed foods, and marine ecosystems.
Olivia is a recipient of both the Summer Scholars Award (2024) and the Johnson & Johnson Summer Scholars Award (2025), is a member of the Community Garden, a volunteer with HawkHub, and served on the executive board of the American Chemical Society (2022-2024) as the ACS U1 Representative and Event Coordinator.
Next year, Olivia is attending Temple University for a Bioengineering Master’s program.

McNulty Fellow Rumaysa Alam is graduating with a major in biology. She has worked in Dr. Arango’s lab studying gene expression in Sinorhizobium meliloti, and also worked as a resident assistant for two years for the Office of Residence Life in Rashford Hall. Rumaysa is a member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity, where she served on the executive board for one year. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest honors society in the US, Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honor Society, and Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-heath professional honors society. In addition, she has worked as a BIO 101 and 102 teaching assistant for the lab courses for two years, been a student musician in the chamber ensemble program, and a volunteer at Lankeanu Medical Center in the emergency department.
Next year, Rumaysa plans on applying to medical school, and is taking a gap year to work in a doctor’s office for the time being.
Congratulations!

McNulty Fellow Mercedes Pierce is graduating with a major in Biology and minors in Theology and Religious Studies and Health Care Ethics. She has been a member in Dr Nelsons lab since freshman year, and conducted research for 2 summer scholar summers and multiple semesters. Mercedes was a CPC for weekly service for Narberth Foodbank and Back on My Feet, and a first year PSIP leader.
She was involved in Biology club, Delta Delta Sigma, and APEX. With the McNulty community, she was on the leadership committee as a co-chair for social media.
She is also in the Alpha Sigma Nu, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Sigma Xi, and Theta Alpha Kappa honors societies.
Next year, Mercedes is planning to work in a dental office during her gap year while applying to dental school.
Congratulations!

McNulty Fellow Nouhad Khoury is graduating with a degree in biology and a minor in psychology. They have been a Tudor lab member for all four years of college, and was the lab manager for almost two years. Nouhad has presented their research in several conferences/events (Society of Neuroscience (SfN), Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society (MCCS), SJU Research Day, and Sigma Xi), and was first place winner for the 2025 Saint Louis Undergraduate Healthcare Ethics Research Conference.
Nouhad has published their own survey “The ethical implication of the use of generative AI”, and has published a paper in The Journal of Healthcare Ethics & Administration.
They have been a 4 year member of the Institute of Clinical Bioethics (ICB) and the previous Lead Coordinator of the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) Health Promoter, in addition to being a prep TA for the biology 101 and 102 Cells and Genetics labs.
Nouhad is a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) National Health Pre-Professional Honor Society, Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) First-Generation Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society, and Phi Beta Kappa American Honor Society.
Next year, Nouhad has been accepted into the MBA program at SJU and will be working towards pursuing medical school as well.
Congratulations!

McNulty Fellow Grace Roth is graduating with a major in Biology with a concentration in evolution, ecology, and behavior. She has conducted research under Dr. Scott McRobert as a Summer Scholar and a McNulty Fellow. Her research has focused on fish behavior, namely shoaling behavior in Xiphophorus maculatus, the Southern Platy.
Grace has also been an intern at the Biodiversity Lab for two years while being a lab coordinator for the past year. In addition, she has been in the Honors College for the past four years, and under the mentorship of Dr. Scott McRobert, has defend her Honors College Thesis Project inspecting the relationship between mixed-phenotype shoals and shoaling behavior in Xiphophorus maculatus.
She has presented her research on data collection methodologies regarding shoaling behavior from her two summers as a McNulty Fellow and Summer Scholar at a Bio Seminar, Sigma Xi (2025), and the SJU Annual Research Day (2026).
She has been a member of the SJU Club Softball team for four years and a captain for three years, while also being the president for a year and now the vice-president.
Next year, Grace plans to get her masters in biology here at SJU.
Congratulations!

McNulty Fellow Sophia Kim is graduating with a major in biology. She has done research in Dr. Li’s lab since spring semester freshman year, studying the protein Mucin 16 and the interactions causing it to dimerize. Sophia has presented posters on this project at annual meetings of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) in 2025 and 2026.
Sophia was a volunteer in Community Partnership Coordinator (CPC) for Gompers High-Impact Tutoring, in the ICB, and Program Coordinator (SPC) of the Weekly Service Program under Campus Ministry. She was also in the Chamber Music Program where she played the cello.
In addition, Sophia was a Biology Lab TA and McNulty program Alumnae engagement co-chair.
Next year, Sophia plans to work as a medical assistant in a doctors office.
Congratulations!

McNulty Scholar Nora Zakrzewski is graduating with majors in Mathematics and Data Science.
On campus, Nora has been involved in APEX as both a leader and the 2026 student coordinator. Additionally, she is involved in Phi Sigma Pi, the Philadelphia Service Immersion Program (PSIP) as a coordinator, and she has worked as a Placement Liaison for the Faith-Justice Institute. Honors societies that she has been inducted into include Alpha Sigma Nu, Pi Mu Epsilon, and Theta Alpha Kappa.
Next year, Nora will be completing a year of service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and will be working with Women’s Lunch Place, a day shelter for unhoused women in Boston, MA. Congratulations!!

McNulty Scholar Meadow Monticello is graduating with majors in Mathematics and Data Science.
Meadow has served as an SJU Resident Assistant for the past two years, in both Lannon Hall and Xavier Hall. She also works as a Hawk Host and Supplemental Instructor and mentor for Calculus I. Meadow participated in Summer Scholars, where she completed research on optimization in R. She recently presented her honors thesis on missing data in healthcare and imputation methods.
Meadow’s plans post graduation include working for WTW in the Actuarial Delivery Group in Philadelphia. Congratulations Meadow!!

McNulty Scholar Tara Miller is graduating with a major in Biology and minors in English, History, Chemistry, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry.
Tara is a member of Dr. Li’s lab, and also worked as a Biology Supplemental Instruction Leader for the past 3 years. She is involved in the SJU Biology Club, the Dean’s Leadership Program, and Phi Sigma Pi. Additionally, Tara is a fellow in the Institute of Clinical Bioethics, volunteers at the Emergency Room at Lankenau Medical Center, and participates in weekly service with Back on My Feet. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu, Sigma Xi, Alpha Epsilon Delta, and Phi Alpha Theta.
Tara plans to attend medical school at Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine. Congratulations!!