The ceremony brought together graduates and their loved ones for a memorable occasion honoring this important milestone. Featuring reflections and remarks from chosen student speakers Rachel Gordon and Lejla Pargan, the event highlighted the accomplishments of the class and the community that supported them along the way.
Our first student speaker was graduating senior, Rachel Gordon. During Rachel's time as a Peer Advisor, she quickly became a go-to resource for students looking for real, first-hand guidance on how to make the most of Michigan – whether that meant tips and tricks on studying abroad, extracurricular involvement, finding internship opportunities, or simply figuring out where to start. Rachel is a founding member of Psychologically Empowered Business Leaders, a multi-term leader in S-E-Pi, and a former PM intern at Oracle. Rachel brought both credibility and clarity to every conversation – And if she didn’t have the exact contact you needed, she knew someone who did! – she was consistently generous about helping students make valuable connections.
Honest, encouraging, gregarious, and driven, Rachel has been a true asset to the Institute and an especially strong advocate for students on the Decision track. She embodies the interdisciplinary spirit of Cognitive Science, and her mentorship has inspired others to lead with curiosity, take initiative, and stay open to the many directions this major can take them.
Our second student speaker was Lejla Pargan, a triple major in Cognitive Science, Psychology (Honors), and Philosophy. Lejla is also the winner of the Outstanding Overall Senior Award in Cognitive Science. Lejla’s story is one to be proud of, not only for what she’s achieved, but for how she’s done it: with purpose, compassion, and a commitment to serving others. What makes Lejla stand out is how she has used her education to serve people and communities. Lejla has paired that academic strength with meaningful impact. Her honors thesis explores identity in Bosniak-American immigrant families, informed by her lived experience as the child of a Bosnian refugee and highlighting how identity is shaped through relationships across generations.
Simultaneously, she contributed to a digital mental health project developing an AI-based clinical summary app, work that aims to make mental health care more accessible and effective. She also connected students with faculty research by launching the Mind Matters Speaker Series linking classroom learning to real-world questions about topics such as ethics, technology, and AI.
Just as importantly, Lejla has strengthened our U of M community, serving for two years as a peer advisor within our institute and, as Director of Facilitator Development for the Wolverine Support Network, helping sustain 20+ peer-led support groups across the entire campus.
Robert J. Glushko Thesis Award for Outstanding Cognitive Science Research
Angela Zhu
The winner of the 2026 Robert J. Glushko Thesis Award for Outstanding Cognitive Science Research is Angela Zhu. Angela is a major on the Computation Track. Her thesis is titled “Interpretable Machine Learning for Predicting Cognitive Trajectories: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Health and Retirement Study.” She completed this thesis under the direction of Dr. Addie Weaver and Dr. Anao Zhang, Professors of Social Work.
Congratulations, Angela!
Weinberg Institute for Cognitive Science Service Award
James Harrison
Join us in congratulating James Harrison on earning a Cognitive Science Service Award! The first to show up and the last to leave, Jamie was an “honorary” Peer Advisor long before he made it official. A double major in Cognitive Science and Statistics, Jamie has been a steadfast ambassador for our program—bringing time, energy, and a light-hearted nature to everything he does. He consistently supports students, engages with alumni, and helps run the events that keep our community connected and thriving. Jamie became a thoughtful, welcoming, and reliable resource not only for prospective students and peers on the Computation track, but also for his fellow advisors. What makes Jamie especially impactful is a rare blend of analytical and interpersonal skills – He can translate complex ideas into clear, practical guidance—and, just as importantly, he meets students where they are. His commitment to strengthening the program was also apparent as he put his statistical expertise to work developing and maintaining our alumni career outcomes database, which has become an invaluable tool for advising conversations and student decision-making.
Congratulations, Jamie!
Weinberg Institute for Cognitive Science Service Award
Minnie Yuan
Our next Service Award winner embodies an intellectual curiosity and interdisciplinary skills all while balancing an additional Honors major in Psychology, research pursuits and an internship. Minnie’s impact on our Cog Sci community is both broad and sustained: she has been a kind peer advisor, a trusted guide for students navigating courses, opportunities, and the honors program, and a consistent presence at events. She doesn’t just participate – she builds community, where she openly shares her experiences and offers practical advice on finding internships, research positions, and other professional development resources. Again and again, students speak highly of Minnie’s mentorship, highlighting her approachability, clarity, and genuine investment in others’ success. She’s balanced these service commitments alongside an ambitious academic workload – including high-level coursework and award-winning honors research – yet she consistently shows up with reliability, warmth, and excellence.For her steady guidance, leadership, and dedication to improving the Cog Sci undergraduate experience, Minnie Yuan embodies the spirit of the Cognitive Science Service Award.
Congratulations, Minnie!
Outstanding Senior in Cognitive Science Award
Charlotte Corey
This award acknowledges a graduating senior with notably strong accomplishments in cognitive science, such as outstanding performance in coursework, significant research, and applied contribution, along with consistent engagement and positive impact within the program community. Charlotte is an honors student in Cognitive Science on the Philosophy and Cognition track. Throughout her time at the University of Michigan, Charlotte has exemplified the interdisciplinary spirit of cognitive science, pairing rigorous work across philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science with outstanding academic achievement—including a 4.00 GPA within the major. Beyond the classroom, Charlotte has applied cognitive science in a wide range of contexts: research through UROP on the psychological impacts of human trafficking, policy work through Michigan in Washington focused on public health and reproductive access, and study abroad in Florence exploring philosophy and human behavior through a global lens. Across these experiences, she has consistently demonstrated intellectual curiosity and a commitment to using interdisciplinary tools to address complex real-world problems.
The Sam Epstein Award for Contributions to Theoretical Cognitive Science
Dezhi Luo
This honors thesis award was established in memory of Professor Sam Epstein, inaugural director of the Weinberg Institute and Marilyn J. Shatz Collegiate Professor of Linguistics. The winner of the 2026 Sam Epstein Award for Contributions to Theoretical Cognitive Science is Dezhi Luo. Dezhi is a major on the Philosophy Track. His thesis is titled “Metacognition in Language Models.” He completed this thesis under the direction of Dr. Chandra Sripada, Director of the Weinberg Institute for Cognitive Science and Dr. Richard Lewis, Professor Psychology and Cognitive Science.
Congratulations, Dezhi!
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