Six College of Arts and Science students are among the WSU Top Ten Seniors for 2025: Yasamin Alazawi, Madeline Goolie, Hannah McCready, Skylar McDavid, Eva Sheffler and Amabel Zucker. Learn more about them and their plans for the future.
Nominated from across the WSU system, these women and men represent the highest standards in specific aspects of the college experience, including campus involvement, community service, athletics, and visual and performing arts.
Yasamin Alazawi
Award Category: Campus Involvement
College of Arts and Sciences
Biology and Psychology, Pre-Med
WSU Tri-Cities
Richland, Washington
Involvement
ASWSU Tri-Cities senator for the College of Arts and Sciences and vice chair of the Finance Committee; vice president of the Muslim Student Association; president of the Pre-Health Club; student scholar with TRIO Student Support Services; technical intern and Department of Energy program student at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; student data analyst at the Support, Advocacy, and Resource Center; hospice volunteer with the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy; Craft Club; Foodies Club
Favorite WSU activity
I’m a College of Arts and Sciences senator for ASWSU Tri-Cities and I ended up really loving leadership roles. Talking more with faculty and the people who actually run the campus is a side you don’t get to see as a student. As a senator I’ve been able to get to know the foundation of how everything works at this campus, and it’s amazing to see all that happening. I’m also really interested in advocating for mental health and access to tutoring. I’m a chemistry tutor and you get to see how much it helps students who are struggling. It’s awesome being able to see those students succeed in their classes and outside of class, too.
Future plans
While applying for medical school this year, I’ll be working as a medical assistant at Northwest Endovascular Surgery in Richland, Washington.
Madeline Goolie
Award Category: Visual/Performing Arts
College of Arts and Sciences
Art
WSU Pullman
Anchorage, Alaska
Involvement
Print and Zine Club president; secretary and treasurer for Art Club; student board member for Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance; studio assistant for Reinaldo Gil Zambrano at Spokane Print and Publishing; Gamblin Undergraduate Award Recipient, Southern Graphics Council International; Editor’s Choice Award for WSU LandEscapes; Ellen Warren Roberts Endowed Scholarship; Frances Drake Fine Arts Endowed Scholarship
Favorite WSU activity
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU has brought in many renowned and inspirational artists. It has been an honor to be able to meet these successful artists and experience their art in person. In 2022, Keiko Hara came to my printmaking class and led a Japanese water-based woodcut printmaking workshop. She was in Pullman for her gallery exhibition and book release of Four Decades of Paintings and Prints from WSU Press at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU. I was able to attend the book release event and got my book signed by her!
Future plans
Right now, I want to take a break. I’ve created a lot of artworks and carved many blocks! I plan to teach someday. I will go to graduate school and get a master’s in fine arts to be able to teach in a university setting. I am the recipient of the Gamblin Undergraduate Award 2025 from the Southern Graphics Council International, so I’ll be going to Puerto Rico to accept my award this month. After graduation I will be the featured printmaker artist during the 2025 INK RALLY exhibition in November at Emerge Gallery in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. INK RALLY is a printmaking event where selected artists print large scale relief blocks with a steamroller. I will continue to participate in exhibits in Anchorage, Spokane, and Moscow, Idaho.
Hannah McCready
Award: Campus involvement
College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
Psychology, Human Development
WSU Pullman
Mead, Washington
Involvement
Cashup Davis Merit in Human Sciences Award; president of the Human Development Club; treasurer for Psych Squared (Psychology Club); Human Development Student Ambassador; CAHNRS Student Ambassadors leadership team member
Favorite WSU experiences
The Human Development Club did a pie-a-professor event as a fundraiser. It was another officer’s idea. It was super uncomfortable for me to ask authority figures to get pied. But they all showed up, and they were all willing to get a pie shoved in their face to help the students raise money. For me, it was really special. It just reminded me how awesome the human development faculty is and how supportive they are.
Getting involved and organizing events put me so far out of my comfort zone. We had people come in and talk about career opportunities, networking nights, and a panel of graduate students talking about what graduate school is like. I was so anxious before every event because I wanted them to be perfect. But when the day came and they were successful, I felt that surge of adrenaline. My confidence skyrocketed because of these things.
Future plans
I’m taking a gap year to earn money and look into doctoral programs. The plan is to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and eventually work as a therapist.
Skylar McDavid
Award Category: Visual/Performing Arts
College of Arts and Sciences
Music Education
WSU Pullman
Bothell, Washington
Involvement
Drum major three times and trombone for Cougar Marching Band; Volleyball Pep Band; Basketball Pep Band; guest conductor and principal trombone for Symphonic Wind Ensemble; guest conductor and percussionist for Symphonic Band; principal trombone for Symphony Orchestra; Jazz Big Band; Crimson City Brass Band; Butch’s Bones; Trombone Choir; Crimson Hills Brass Quintet; Brassphemy Trombone Quartet; sergeant at arms and ritual chair for Kappa Kappa Psi; president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia; president and vice president for the WSU Collegiate Chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME); National Society of Leadership and Success; camp counselor for WSU Summer Music Camp; camp counselor for Husky Band Drumline/Drum Major Academy; Arlington High School Band teaching internship; Bothell High School observation practicum
Favorite WSU activity
It is absolutely the Apple Cup, which we perform at each year. For my sophomore and junior years, I was drum major and got to conduct on the field with my dad, who was the band director for the Husky Marching Band at University of Washington. For my senior year, my dad had retired, so he showed up at the game in full Coug gear. I grew up with my family split between UW with my dad and WSU on my mom’s side, but then my dad became a Coug as well. It was a really special moment. And we won!
Future plans
I have one more semester of student teaching at Arlington High School, north of Seattle. I’ll substitute teach for another semester until I can get a job, then I plan to teach 3-5 years in public school before furthering my education. I want to get a master’s degree in music education and a doctorate in music education or conducting. I’d like to eventually teach at the level of a collegiate professor, like my dad.
Eva Sheffler
Award category: Community Service
College of Arts and Sciences
Psychology
WSU Pullman
Spokane Valley, Washington
Involvement
Senior resident advisor, Housing & Residence Life; Honors Student Advisory Council; over 85 hours of verified volunteer service at community organizations.
Favorite WSU experience
As part of the Honors Student Advisory Council, we put on a Yule Ball every year, open to the public, and for entry you donate a can a food for the Cougar Pantry. It’s a social event, a winter-themed event, and a community service opportunity.
Future plans
I’m going into international education administration through a master’s program at the American College of the Mediterranean. The first semester is in Barcelona, the second semester is in France. I hope to work in higher ed as a study abroad coordinator, living abroad and helping students by connecting them with their international community and providing wellness plans.
Amabel Zucker
Award Category: Academics
College of Arts and Sciences
Theoretical Mathematics, Philosophy
WSU Pullman
Morgantown, West Virginia
Involvement
Teaching assistant, School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs; Treble Choir, section leader; University Singers; Crimson Ties; Piano Pedagogy Lab School, undergraduate piano instructor; Math Learning Center, tutor; Pullman/Moscow chapter of MTNA (Music Teachers National Association).
Favorite WSU experience
The music department. All the faculty give solo recitals, and I really love the performances they put on. It’s incredible to have the opportunity to listen to people who have such a mastery of their instrument perform and get to know and talk to them. It’s been wonderful.
Future plans
I’m hoping to go to grad school for math, it might be a master’s, or it might be a PhD. I might also take a gap year and work in industry, pursue music a little bit more. I’m interested in algebra and number theory, the oldest field of math, and in the intersection of philosophy and math. I see myself as a researcher.