SIU System Recognizes “Distinguished” Students in 2026 Awards Ceremony

SIU System Recognizes "Distinguished" Students in 2026 Awards Ceremony

April 28, 2026, 12:34 PM

Four Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students were among those recognized for their campus contributions during the Southern Illinois University (SIU) System's Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Thursday, April 16 at SIU Carbondale.

The System's Student Advisory Committee (SACSS) selected eight students from SIU campuses in Carbondale, Edwardsville, Alton and Springfield and presented each of them with a 2026 SIU Distinguished Student Service Award. The accolade honors and celebrates the efforts and contributions of students whose acts of service are demonstrative of excellence and exemplary commitment to the support, advancement and achievement of fellow students, their campus and their community.

For the 2026 SIU System Distinguished Student Service Award, the SACSS received applications from across the system and selected one undergraduate student and one graduate student each from SIUE and SIU Carbondale, as well as one student from the SIU schools of medicine, law, pharmacy and dental medicine.

The winners included:

• Lucia Knapp, SIUE undergraduate student
• Makayla Mallon, SIUE graduate student
• Nicholas Yuhas, SIU School of Dental Medicine
• Karigan Harvey, SIUE School of Pharmacy
• Zuzanna Gaik, SIUC undergraduate student
• Elisa Tatiana Castillo Burgos, SIUC graduate student
• Myla Croft, SIU Simmons Law School student
• Alexis Harmon, SIU School of Medicine student

"SIU is proud to have so many wonderfully accomplished students who are not only making a major impact on campus but also in their communities," said SIU System President Dan Mahony. "To see these students in action reveals so much about their passion and energy. These students generously spread the SIU spirit of service on and off their campuses."

"Receiving the Distinguished Student Service Award was an incredible surprise. As a proud ambassador for SIUE, I am fortunate and honored to have been chosen for this award," said Knapp, a senior majoring in political science with a minor in philosophy.

Knapp highlighted her work with SIUE's orientation program as her most meaningful contribution to the campus community through her experiences as a Cougar Connector, orientation leader and orientation transition assistant, helping hundreds of new and transfer students find their footing. As a resident assistant, Knapp strives to build welcoming, inclusive communities in the residence halls. She has also been an active leader in Greek life, organizing a record-breaking Best Dance Crew event while serving as vice president of Community Service and Philanthropy on the Panhellenic Council. She has served as vice president of student government, worked as a Student Affairs Specialist, completed the 40-hour Antiracism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Certificate and became her sorority's first director of DEI.

She went on to credit Miriam Roccia, MPA, SIUE Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs as her biggest inspiration. "During my first year working with the New Student and Family Programs office, we bonded over our shared love for political science, the show 'West Wing' and helping new students and families navigate campus. She has since planted the seed of working in higher education and created a position for me to work in her office and assist her with her work and even encouraged me to apply for this award. I am immensely grateful to have her in my support system."

Also reflecting on his accomplishments was Yuhas, a Year 4 dental student, who is also the student body president at the SIU School of Dental Medicine (SDM). His involvement in organizing and coordinating events such as the SIU SDM Impressions Day and Manual Dexterity Day reflects his commitment to creating meaningful experiences that connect prospective students, current students and the professional community. His leadership across multiple SDM organizations, including the Endodontics Study Club and the National Student Research Group, further demonstrates his extraordinary capacity to balance responsibility, academic excellence and service.

"I am honored to have been nominated for this award and greatly appreciate the people who nominated me. As an older professional student, my goal has been to lead by example and inspire others to get involved and take advantage of the limited time we have as students," said Yuhas.

"My most meaningful accomplishments have been the relationships I have built-with classmates, professors, administrative personnel and patients. Being involved has allowed me to talk with people of all backgrounds and ages, which has greatly improved my interpersonal skills, making me a more effective practitioner. Undoubtedly, these experiences will positively impact my future patient interactions. I have made so many memories in dental school," he noted.

Mallon, a senior pursuing her master's degree in African American Literature, reflected on her love for literacy. "I really just wanted to impart leadership and a love for literacy-to be able to read, enjoy doing it and think critically. That transformed how I view leadership in everything I do," she recalled.

Her student activities include her role as a Servant Leader intern for the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools hosted on SIUE's campus and as a founding member of SIUE's Black Literary Analysis Club, which provides a space for students to engage with Black literature and build community with one another.

"One of my goals throughout my graduate career has been to be part of that community for Black students. We've partnered with a books-to-prisoners initiative, ensuring that incarcerated individuals have access to reading materials," she noted.

Harvey, a third-year student practitioner at SIUE School of Pharmacy (SOP), credited her time in patient care as the force that drives her. "Through my experiences in pharmacy school, I've seen how access, education and trust can directly influence health outcomes," she noted. "That has motivated me to take on a more active role in service-not just as a responsibility, but as an opportunity to help bridge gaps in care."

Harvey is the Operation Diabetes chair for the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP)'s SIUE chapter whose recent accomplishments include the bi-annual Diabetes Symposium.

She is also the SOP ASSET ambassador and serves as a student representative on both the Pharmacy Advisory Board and the Outcomes Assessment Committee, where she provides a student perspective on curricular and programmatic decisions. Harvey is also the head of the Class of 2027 Service Committee and a member of the Well-Being and Resilience Committee, where she works with classmates and faculty to promote student wellness and coordinate service opportunities. She is active in organizing programs providing diabetes education and health screenings.

Each awardee received a plaque of recognition and a $100 check.

PHOTOS: (L to R) SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor, SIU President Dan Mahony, Lucia Knapp, SIUE senior majoring in political science with a minor in philosophy, Myla Croft, Zuzanna Gaik, Tatina Castillo, SIU Board Chair Phil Gilbert and SIUC Chancellor Austin Lane.

Nicholas Yuhas, D-4 student and Student Body President at SIU SDM

Makayla "Mak" Mallon, SIUE graduate student in African American Literature

Karigan Harvey, third-year student practitioner at SIUE SOP