Alfred University announces 2022 Marlin Miller Outstanding Seniors

ALFRED, NY — Alfred University students Merveille Bulonza and Makenzie Cashmer have been selected to receive the 2022 Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Award. The pair were chosen from among 18 exceptional nominees for the prestigious honor.

Winners of the Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Award are chosen based on scholarship, extracurricular achievement, personal character and conduct, and nominations by faculty, students, staff, or alumni. The award was established to honor Alfred University alumnus Marlin Miller ’54, H ’89, H ’19 one of Alfred University’s most generous supporters. Miller has been a member of Alfred University’s Board of Trustees since 1972.

Bulonza, from Cheektowaga, NY, is a biology/pre-med major with a minor in chemistry. She has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.79 and has been named to the Dean’s List six times. The daughter of Joseph Bulonza Tembo and Nabintu Namwira, she is a graduate of Cleveland Hill High School in Buffalo.

"Receiving this award is a dream come true for me," Bulonza commented. "Alfred University has played a significant role in my personal, intellectual, and leadership growth, and it will always hold a special place in my heart." 

Bulonza served as president of the Student Senate from March 2020 to March 2021 and is also former secretary to the Student Senate. She is a recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, including the Diana Mossip Memorial Scholarship and the Health Professions Scholarship, and has been enrolled in the Alfred University Honors Program since Spring 2019.

She has been a resident assistant since August 2020. She has also worked as a COVID-19 virtual contact tracer for the New York State Department of Health; a research associate at the University at Buffalo Medical Laboratory; and as a laboratory teaching assistant in the Alfred University Division of Chemistry. She aspires to attend medical school after graduation.

In April 2021, Bulonza was selected to participate in President for a Day, a program in which Mark Zupan, University president, and a student switch roles for a day.

“I have had the privilege of being on several teams with Merveille during her undergraduate experience with us and cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition than this phenomenal human being,” said Nadine Shardlow ’86, ’17 MSEd, co-interim vice president for Student Experience, who also serves as director of the University’s Opportunities Program and Center for Advising. “Her genuine care for humanity and kindness exudes from her the moment she steps into a room. Her contributions to Alfred University are numerous, and in each role she has assumed she exemplifies what it means to be a role model. I am privileged to have been able to share spaces with Merveille and cannot wait to see what she does next!”

Bulonza is enrolled in the Women’s Leadership Academy, where her capstone project focused on improving student leadership training and increasing leadership opportunities on campus for all students.

“Merveille has shown a dedication to learning, serving her community, and becoming a student leader in many ways,” Abigail Hurley, coordinator of Alfred University’s Judson Leadership Center, said in nominating Bulonza for the Marlin Miller award. “Merveille shows a clear dedication to improving the lives of those around her as well as a desire to support and encourage others to be leaders. She has been a role model for other students, especially as a resident assistant.”

Cashmer, from Weedville, PA, majors in mechanical engineering with minors in mathematics and computer science. She has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.86 and has been named to the Dean’s List each of her seven semesters at Alfred University. The daughter of David and Kimberly Cashmer, Makenzie is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in St. Marys, PA.

"I am very humbled by the award and thankful for the four years I had at Alfred University with all the people who have helped me to get where I am now," Cashmer commented.

She is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, the Society of Women Engineers, has served as president and vice president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, is in the Alfred University Honors Program, and was also a member of the Alfred University women’s soccer team.

Cashmer is attending Alfred University on a four-year U.S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship and is the recipient of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Award. Upon graduation, Cashmer will commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

“I’m not sure we’ve had a more dedicated student and athlete than Makenzie in my 10 years as Athletic Director,” commented Paul Vecchio, co-interim vice president for Student Experience, who also serves as director of the University’s director of Athletics. “While her playing time was limited over a four-year career at a crowded and talented position, her effort was always extraordinary despite late-night practices after she was up before dawn for ROTC training. Makenzie is the definition of a team player, and her demeanor always lights up a room. She is a natural leader with her greatest attributes being her work ethic and accountability. She is destined for great things beyond Alfred University.”

Cashmer has served as a teaching assistant for the Alfred University Division of Chemistry and as a student instructor in Calculus I, II, and III.

“Makenzie (‘Mak’) is not a math major but an engineer, showing the breadth and depth of her intellectual aptitude. She has also excelled greatly in our computer science classes. Mak has varied interests and excels at all endeavors I have seen her pursue,” said Elizabeth Matson, professor of mathematics, for whom Cashmer has served as a Supplemental Instructor in various calculus classes over the past three years. “The breadth of Mak's involvement and contribution to the community are unparalleled. She will be an amazing contribution to the U.S. military once she is commissioned as an officer, adding great value to each community she is a part of going forward.”