Ten students from the Class of 2023 have been named as finalists for the Outstanding Senior award, one of the highest honors an undergraduate student can receive at Vanderbilt. The award recognizes a senior who exemplifies the values of the university community through leadership, service and passion.
Each of the nominees will be recognized, and the top Outstanding Senior will be announced, during halftime of the Commodores’ Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 8, versus the University of Mississippi.
CLASS OF 2023 NOMINEES
Namrah Ajmal
School of Engineering
Ajmal is a biomedical engineering and mathematics double major with plans to attend medical school after graduation. She is the president of the Muslim Student Association, an adviser for the Pakistani Student Association and public relations chair for the Interfaith Council. She is in her third year as a resident adviser and is head RA for Rothschild College.
Three words Ajmal used to describe her time at Vanderbilt are “formative, fun and irreplaceable.”
Blake Christiansen
School of Engineering
Christiansen is a chemical engineering major. After graduation he will be commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, where he will work as a nuclear engineer operating the nuclear reactors on aircraft carriers. Christiansen is the battalion executive officer of the Naval ROTC. He has been head resident of Gillette House since 2021 and was a resident adviser in Morgan House during the 2020–21 academic year.
Three words Christiansen used to describe his time at Vanderbilt are “cooperative, intense and gratifying.”
Carson Ferrara
College of Arts and Science
Ferrara is a neuroscience and medicine, health and society double major. After graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health to learn how community interventions can be used to help treat mental health issues and substance use disorder. Ferrara is president of the Drug Overdose Reduction and Education (DORE) Initiative and vice chair of the Student Health and Wellness Committee in Vanderbilt Student Government. He is in his third year as a VUceptor.
Three words Ferrara used to describe his time at Vanderbilt are “memorable, collaborative and inspiring.”
Sophie Kaiser
College of Arts and Science and Peabody College of education and human development
Kaiser is a double major in cognitive studies and medicine, health and society. She is currently applying for fellowships to take a gap year in a Spanish-speaking country following graduation and plans to attend graduate school to pursue a career as a speech language pathologist with a bilingual English-Spanish specialization. Kaiser is co-president of the Next Steps Ambassa’dores and music director for WRVU, Vanderbilt’s independent radio station.
When describing her experience at Vanderbilt, Kaiser said that it’s been “challenging, formative and a privilege to be at Vanderbilt.”
Soleil Kelly
College of Arts and Science
Kelly is a mathematics and cinema and media arts double major. After graduation she will work at Morgan Stanley in New York City as an equity derivative sales trader. She is president of STRANDS as well as president of the Vanderbilt Finance Club.
Three words Kelly used to represent her time at Vanderbilt are “formative, stimulating and invigorating.”
Izzy Kinney
College of Arts and Science
Kinney is a double major in communication studies and the history of art and architecture. She is currently applying to law school and plans to have a career in theatre production. Kinney is production manager for Vanderbilt Off-Broadway’s main stage production, president of Transfer Connect, and a member of Tri Delta sorority.
Three words Kinney used to describe her time at Vanderbilt are “irreplaceable, meaningful and unforgettable.”
Cassidy Latchford
College of Arts and Science and Peabody College of education and human development
Latchford is a child development and medicine, health and society double major. She plans to attend medical school after graduation. She was co-president of Vandy Votes from June 2020 to October 2021 and helped make it a registered student organization. Latchford is secretary of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and a VUceptor. Latchford received the Walther Award for VUcept Excellence and New VUceptor Award for excellence in peer mentorship from the Vanderbilt Visions first-year orientation program.
Three words Latchford used to represent her experience at Vanderbilt are “rewarding, adventurous and transformative.”
Asya Miles
College of Arts and Science and Peabody College of education and human development
Miles is a double major in child studies and medicine, health and society. She plans to work toward a Ph.D. in school psychology with the goal of creating a more equitable school atmosphere for children, especially those from marginalized backgrounds.
She is president of Vanderbilt NAACP, co-president of Vanderbilt Alliance on Disability and Condition, senior adviser for Vanderbilt African Student Union, council co-chair for Vanderbilt Service Council, director of programming for Vanderbilt’s National Pan-Hellenic Council, and a diversity officer for Vanderbilt’s chapter of Psi Chi International psychology honor society. Miles is in her second year as a resident adviser and currently head resident at Stapleton House. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Three words that Miles used to represent her time at Vanderbilt are “eye-opening, transformative and BUSY!”
Karan Mirpuri
College of Arts and Science and Peabody College of education and human development
Mirpuri is a double major in communication of science and technology and child development. He plans to attend medical school to pursue a career in pediatric medicine. Mirpuri is co-director of Camp Kesem at Vanderbilt, president of CSET Student Affiliates Association, and senior adviser to Project RISHI. He has been a VUceptor for three years and is the recipient of the Walther Award for VUcept Excellence in Student Success. He was also former captain of Vandy Raas.
Three words Mirpuri said describe his Vanderbilt experience are “magic, vulnerability and growth.”
Ben Powdermaker
Peabody College of education and human development
Powdermaker is majoring in human and organizational development. When he graduates, he will be commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. He is president of the Interfraternity Council and recruitment chair of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He was a residential adviser during his sophomore and junior years.
Three words Powdermaker used to describe his time at Vanderbilt are “community, insightful and enjoyable.”
NOMINATION PROCESS
Students may be nominated for Outstanding Senior by a campus organization, fellow student or faculty or staff member. After nominees complete an application, a committee of faculty, staff and students narrow the list to around 40 nominees. Those students participate in an interview with a panel of faculty, staff and student judges who further narrow the list to 20.
The top 20 students are voted on by fellow members of the Class of 2023 to determine the 10 finalists for Outstanding Senior.