Each year, Newcomb-Tulane College elects fifteen graduating seniors to the William Wallace Peery Society, an elite group that honors the students who have truly risen above their peers in scholarly accomplishments. The Peery Society recognizes academic excellence based on a combination of GPA and evidence of outstanding scholarship through an honors thesis or equivalent accomplishment.
Prior to 2006, only senior men in the College of Arts and Sciences (later renamed Tulane College) were considered for the William Wallace Peery Society and the Peery Medal, while women enrolled in Newcomb College were awarded The 1909 Prize. In 2006, Tulane’s undergraduate colleges merged into Newcomb-Tulane College, and all Tulane students regardless of gender became eligible for the Peery Society and Medal. Newcomb College Institute continues to award the 1909 Prize to the woman-identified senior student who during the last three years of her collegiate course has best combined scholarship with effective and unselfish service in student activities.
The Peery Society now invites all Newcomb-Tulane College undergraduates in the top 5% of their class to apply. The college’s top academic honor, the William Wallace Peery Medal for Academic Excellence, is bestowed on the Peery Society member who best exemplifies Dr. Peery’s educational philosophy, which stresses breadth and depth of learning and encourages students to work at the level of their greatest capacity. Students selected for this honor receive their awards at the annual Senior Awards Ceremony, held in May on the day before Commencement.
2021 Riley Juenemann
2020 Yinghong Zhao
2019 Sophia Kalashnikova Horowitz
2018 Maria Gomez-Roas
2017 Xiayue "John Paul" Li
2016 Eleanor Caldwell Semmes
2015 Duc Ho
2014 Joanna Eryka Lapucha
2013 John Elliot Ortmann, Jr.
2012 Teresa Joyce Clifton
2011 Philip L. Marx
2010 Matthew E. Griffin
2009 Johanna M. Nevitt
2008 Lauren K. Ruth
2007 Ian-Cadoc R. Herbert
2006 Vishnu A. Cuddapah
2005 Alexander R. Wahl
2004 Jason A. Mellad
2003 Justin B. Elstrott
2002 Frederico Escobar
2001 Meyer J. Friedman
2000 Michael Orin Joyce
1999 Kevin Michael Ahlers
1998 Noam Julian Scheiber
1997 John Ellis Eugene Sumners
1996 Jason Samuel Schneider
1995 Thomas Edward Walker
1994 Thomas Fredrick Haddox
1993 Charles Lewis Ridley IV
1992 Paul M. Rodel
1991 Steven Michael Kuebler
1990 Kraig Samuel Kinchen
1989 Sean Murray Berkowitz
1988 Earnest W. Kinchen
1987 Charles David Godley
1986 John F. Paolini
1985 Peter Carl Muller
1984 Kelley Hewitt Kirklin
1983 Peter Warren Aldoretta
1982 James Hunter Cadzow
1981 Eric Howard Rubin
1980 Alejandro de Avila Blomberg
1979 Leslie A. Wade
1978 Paul G. Goerss
1977 Gerard G. East
1976 Larry F. Dumont
1975 Joseph E. Tusa
1974 Matthew J. Farley
1974 Arthur A. Demarest
1973 Michael F. Carrico
1972 Daniel D. Storch
1971 Monty Krieger
1970 Alan W. Pailet
1969 Daniel S. Karin
1968 Ruben I. Friedman
1967 Samuel L. Tabor
1966 Gary G. Gaffney
1965 John S. McPeek
2006 Jennifer Rae Daniel
2005 Katie Elizabeth Clark
2004 Amanda Nicole Albin
2003 Brooke Louise Barbera
2002 Amanda Elizabeth King
2001 Amanda Jo Leiker
2000 Dean Valerie Greenberg
1999 Cindy Monique Reese
1998 Rachael Lara Kennedy
1997 Sheila Renee Kessner
1996 Carolyn Delizia
1995 Monique Jonae Soileau
1994 Abigail Elizabeth Graf
1993 Deana Lawton Posey
1992 unknown
1991 Katharine Elyse Goldberg
1990 Elizabeth Ruth Odders
1989 Kathleen Ann Scanlon
1988 unknown
1987 Margaret Anne Verlander
1986 Bridget Katherine Everitt and Heidi Ann Wagman
1985 Jodi Lynn Brenner
1984 Carolyn Adair Peterson and Lisa Beth Shoham
1983 Pamela Susan Hochberg
1982 Mauri Allison Cohen and Angela Janet Paolini
1981 Arlene Jean Jacobs
1980 Midge Ann LaPorte
1979 Lauren Gayle Friedman
1978 Jennifer Leigh Brush
1977 Candace Leigh Quinn
1976 Ann Rader Troitino
1975 Paula Abington Burgess
1974 Peggy Jeanne Sternberger
1973 Irene Gillen Briede
1972 unknown
1971 unknown
1970 unknown
1969 unknown
1968 unknown
1967 Mrs. Frank Walk
1966 unknown
1965 unknown
