Jason Koski/University Photography

Charles Williamson, left, with student Nipun Jasuja during the recognition lunch for Merrill scholars in Willard Straight Hall.

On May 23, the Cornell Merrill Presidential Scholars Program honored 32 of the university's outstanding graduating seniors and the high school teachers and university faculty members who made important contributions to the students' lives.

Each spring semester since 1988, approximately 1 percent of the graduating class is named to receive this honor by the deans of each of Cornell's seven undergraduate colleges. The scholars, in turn, recognize a high school teacher who most inspired their scholastic development and a Cornell faculty member who most significantly contributed to their college experience. The high school teachers are invited to campus as guests of the university to participate in two days of events.

Merrill scholars are chosen not only because of their outstanding scholastic accomplishments, but also because they have demonstrated remarkable intellectual drive, energetic leadership abilities and a propensity to contribute to the betterment of society.

This year, high school teachers Cheng Puay Lim and Alvin Tan visited from Singapore; Bárbara Labanca traveled from Brazil; Matthew Oney from Hawaii; and Mark Fontenot from Alaska. Cornell's Charles Williamson was cited for the 12th time (he is being honored this year by two students), and Rosemary Avery received her 10th Merrill invitation. And for the first time, a Law School faculty member has been honored with Visiting Professor Dawn Chutkow's selection.

The university also honors the high school teachers with Special Teachers Are Recognized (STAR) scholarships, a one-time, $4,000 scholarship in each teacher's name for a financially needy Cornell student from the teacher's high school or geographical area. STAR scholarships were established in 1989 by the late Donald Berens and his wife, Margaret Berens, both Class of 1947. The late Philip Merrill '55 created the Merrill Presidential Scholars Program, and the Merrill Family Foundation makes it possible through annual support.

The 2012 Merrill Scholars are listed below by college, with their hometowns, followed by the names of the secondary school teachers and the Cornell faculty members the students selected for recognition:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

• John Dillon, Oneonta, N.Y.; Elva Manee, Oneonta High School; Samuel Nelson, senior lecturer, labor relations, law and history.
• Harrison Ishida Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii; Matthew Oney, Panahou School; Richard Curtis, senior lecturer, applied economics and management.
• Andrew Kinder, Barrington, R.I.; Leavenworth Ferrell, Episcopal High School; Vicki Bogan, assistant professor, applied economics and management.
• Randall Meyer, Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; Catherine Merryman, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School; James Casey, associate professor, microbiology and immunology.
• Sanjay Mohan, Glen Oaks, N.Y.; Kristen Stritzl, Division Avenue High School; Jane Walcott, lecturer, chemistry.
• Claudia Pazlopez, Belle Mead, N.J.; Florence McAuliffe, Montgomery Township High School; Alicia Orta-Ramirez, lecturer, food science.
• Rachel Perlman, Arlington, Mass.; Peggy Dyro, Lexington High School; Tomás Beviá, senior lecturer, Romance studies.
• Jenna Tauber, Roslyn, N.Y.; Michel Pasquier, Herricks High School; Sahara Byrne, assistant professor, communication.
• Charles Weill, New York, N.Y.; Philippe Pavis, Lycée Français de New York; Debbie Cherney, associate professor, animal science.

College of Architecture, Art and Planning

• Tansy Mak, Daly City, Calif.; Goranka Poljak-Hoy, Lick-Wilmerding High School; Yehre Suh, lecturer, architecture.

College of Arts and Sciences

• Claire Cordella, Londonderry, N.H.; Tom Murphy, Bishop Guertin High School; Barbara Lust, professor, human development.
• Meredith Gudesblatt, Sayville, N.Y.; Joanne Killeen, Sayville High School; Debra Castillo, professor, comparative literature.
• Chandler Kemp, Haines, Ark.; Mark Fontenot, Haines High School; Mukund Vengalattore, assistant professor, physics.
• Emily Magaziner, Paoli, Pa.; Jean-Claude Contassot, Lower Merion High School; Abigail Cohn, professor, linguistics.
• Phoenix Paz, Campbell, Calif.; Melissa Lima-Sanchez, Westmont High School; Maria Cristina Garcia, professor, history.
• Paul Picinich, Cresskill, N.J.; Mary Somerwitz, Cresskill High School; Cecelia Lawless, senior lecturer, Romance studies.
• Natalie Raps, Potomac, Md.; Matthew Schilling, Winston Churchill High School; Dawn Chutkow, visiting professor, law.
• James Wang, Surrey, B.C., Canada; Geoffrey Gabbott, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School; James Blankenship, senior lecturer, molecular biology and genetics.

College of Engineering

• Michael Dezube, Newton, Mass.; Thomas Lee, Newton South High School; Michael Macy, professor, sociology, information science.
• Thomas Jackson, Holmdel, N.J.; Charles Christoe, High Technology High School; Stephen Wicker, professor, electrical and computer engineering.
• João Paula Machado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Bárbara Labanca, British School of Rio de Janeiro; Steven Pond, associate professor, music.
• Kevin Fuhr, Orlando, Fla.; Jennifer Schinleber, Cypress Creek High School; Charles Williamson, professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering.
• Eva Huang, Toronto, Canada; David Hawes, Point Grey Secondary School; Jeffrey Varner, associate professor, chemical and biomolecular engineering.
• Nipun Jasuja, Bhopal, India; Dawn McMaster, American International School of Johannesburg; Charles Williamson, professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering.
• Ju Khuan Pan, Singapore; Cheng Puay Lim, Raffles Girls' School; Monroe Weber-Shirk, senior lecturer, civil and environmental engineering.

School of Hotel Administration

• Teck Hon Brandon Ho, Singapore; Alvin Tan, Catholic High School; Rupert Spies, senior lecturer, food and beverage management.
• Eric Rabinowitz, Dix Hills, N.Y.; Olga Banks, Half Hollow Hills High School West; J. Bruce Tracey, associate professor, hotel administration.

College of Human Ecology

• Kristin Hojnowski, Syracuse, N.Y.; Suzanne Pietrapaolo, Bishop Ludden Junior/Senior High School; Charles McCormick, associate professor, nutritional sciences.
• Joshua Mbanusi, Frisco, Texas; Robbin Sweeney, West Orange High School; Rosemary Avery, professor, policy analysis and management.
• Kelton Minor, Boulder, Colo.; Helen Petach, Fairview High School; Jack Elliott, associate professor, design and environmental analysis.

ILR School

• Ethan Erickson, Wauwatosa, Wis.; Jean Biebel, Wauwatosa East High School; Kate Bronfenbrenner, senior lecturer, industrial and labor relations.
• Robert Solomon, Penfield, N.Y.; Linda Zschoche, Penfield High School; David Lipsky, professor, industrial and labor relations.