Thirteen LSU Graduates Receive Distinguished Communicator Medal
December 16, 2021

L to R: Katie Pilgrim, Clinten Graham, Claire Pearson, Bri Robertson, Alice Xie, Bobbi Laderer, Kayla Wilkinson, Catherine Carpenter, Maggie Landry, Christina Ryan, Emily Gaffney and Faith Howard. Not pictured: Noah Smith.
– LSU Communication across the Curriculum
BATON ROUGE – During December 2021 commencement, 13 graduates across five colleges will receive the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal.
Recipients of this honor are outstanding writers and speakers, with a strong command of visual literacy and technological communication. They have earned high GPAs in their communication-intensive courses throughout their baccalaureate years, sought 1-1 mentorships with faculty, and have built websites that display their communication competencies and professional talents, both in and beyond the classroom. LSU Distinguished Communicators also graduate with the LSU Communicator Certificate, launched in Fall 2018.
To celebrate the accomplishments of these exceptional students, CxC held an in-person medal ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 16, in the LSU Business Education Complex Auditorium.
This distinction is the first of its kind in the nation and is sponsored by LSU Communication across the Curriculum, or CxC, a nationally-recognized program for its excellence in enhancing learning experiences and improving students’ communication skills across all disciplines. As of May 2021 Commencement, LSU has awarded 734 graduates with the Distinguished Communicator Medal.
College of Agriculture
Bobbi Laderer, Lacombe, La.: Animal, Dairy and Poultry Sciences
Advisor: Mike Kaller
College of Engineering
Clinten Graham, Madisonville, La.: Electrical Engineering & Mathematics
Advisor: Peter Wolenski
Claire Pearson, Mandeville, La.: Electrical Engineering
Advisor: Jian Xu
Brianna (Bri) Robertson, Slidell, La.: Computer Engineering & Physics*
Advisor: Jin-Woo Choi
Noah Smith, Birmingham, Ala.: Chemical Engineering*
Advisor: Adam Melvin
Katie Pilgrim, Albany, La.: Biological Engineering
Advisor: Marybeth Lima
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Faith Howard, Baton Rouge, La.: Economics*
Advisor: Barton Willage
Christina Ryan, Mandeville, La.: Criminology*
Advisor: Danielle Thomas
Manship School of Mass Communication
Catherine Carpenter, St. Amant, La.: Mass Communication (Digital Advertising)
Advisor: Jun Heo
Emily Gaffney, Covington, La.: Mass Communication (Public Relations)
Advisor: Doug Draper
Maggie Landry, New Iberia, La.: Mass Communication (Public Relations)
Advisor: Doug Draper
Kayla Wilkinson, Cypress, Texas: Mass Communication (Public Relations)
Advisor: Doug Draper
College of Science
Clinten Graham, Madisonville, La: Mathematics & Electrical Engineering
Advisor: Peter Wolenski
Brianna (Bri) Robertson, Slidell, La.: Physics & Computer Engineering*
Advisor: Jin-Woo Choi
Alice Xie, Baton Rouge, La.: Biological Sciences*
Advisor: David Vinyard
*Honors students are designated with an asterisk.