Barlow Trophy Finalists: Barghouty, Jeffery, Tubbs
Alma College seniors Dalia Barghouty of Rochester Hills, Hannah Jeffery of Highland and Brooke Tubbs of St. Louis are the 2018 nominees for the Barlow Trophy, Alma’s most prestigious award for a graduating senior.
Established in 1949 by Dr. Joel Barlow, a 1929 honors graduate of Alma College, the award recipient will be announced at the Honors’ Day closing reception on Thursday, April 5.
The award recognizes academic achievement for students in the top 10 percent of their class as well as contributions to campus and community. The Barlow winner is determined by a vote of Alma’s Student Congress and faculty.
Dalia BarghoutyDalia Barghouty has combined intellectual curiosity and scholarship with campus advocacy for social justice on issues of gender equity and inclusion. An English major, she plans to attend graduate school for English with a focus on critical theory. She is a member of the Alma College Presidential Honors Program and the Sigma Tau Delta English honorary.
A resident of MacCurdy House — a themed housing option for women leaders and a resource center with information about women’s and gender rights — Barghouty has spearheaded campus events that empower women and educate the campus community on issues of sexual assault and victim-blaming. She also co-founded Voices Enabling Equality, or VEE Club, that facilitates critical discussions on themes of social justice and intersectional feminism.
Academically, she has advanced her interests in modern Arabic literature in translation, presented research at the annual Sigma Tau Delta convention, participated in a Critical Theory Reading Group, authored an undergraduate honors thesis on “Insta-Now: Temporality, Women and the Digital Age,” and served as an English teaching assistant and Writing Center tutor.
Hannah JefferyHannah Jeffery has devoted much of her Alma experience to scientific study while also advocating for food recovery. A double major in biotechnology and French, she plans to continue her education in the Michigan State University plant sciences graduate program. She is a member of the Presidential Honors Program and the chemistry, biology and foreign language honor societies.
Her academic work has included research in plant genomics at a National Science Foundation-funded summer program at MSU, community research presentations on E. coli loading in the Pine River, and a semester study-abroad experience in Rennes, France, to enhance her French language skills. She has memberships in the biology, chemistry, French and math clubs.
Jeffery also has mobilized Alma students to take action against food waste. As president of the Alma College Food Recovery Network, she recruits and manages volunteers who deliver uneaten food from Alma’s food commons to local non-profits that provide food to families in need. She also sings in the choir and volunteers at Community Café.
Brooke TubbsBrooke Tubbs has participated in numerous activities that demonstrate a commitment to assisting society’s least advantaged members and broadening multicultural understanding. An integrative physiology and health science major, she plans a future career working with children and adults with disabilities. She is a member of the integrative physiology and health science, chemistry and foreign language honor societies.
Her study abroad experiences in Ecuador, funded by the college’s Venture and Posey-Global programs, included seven weeks volunteering at an occupational therapy clinic providing care for both children and adults with disabilities. She also has been an active member of the Hispanic Coalition, organizing campus and community events highlighting Hispanic culture.
Her campus and community involvement have been substantial. She has worked closely with dementia patients in a local assisted-care facility. She chaired the 2018 Relay for Life event at Alma College. She also has served as the public relations chair for the student organization Colleges Against Cancer, taught water aerobics and was a member of the chemistry and pre-occupational therapy clubs and the Integrated Health Studies Institute.