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2019 Henry Barnard Student Awards

Jacob Dayton

jacob-dayton.jpgDayton, who majors in biology, has worked alongside Professor Patricia Szczys studying genetics since his first year at Eastern. He has earned a number of awards to support his research, which ranges from the evolution of bird populations to the genomics of breast cancer. Dayton has presented at conferences in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and New York. Last year, he was one of 200 students in the country, and the only person from Connecticut, to receive the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship.

Dayton completed an internship at the Jackson Laboratory in summer 2018 and was published in a national journal. Dayton is the youngest of four brothers, and his father is an engineer while his mother teaches middle school science. He recalls his days in elementary school, when he would go to school early to help his mother set up labs, fueling his passion for science. This fall, he will enter the biology PhD program at Tufts University.

Haley Knox

haley-knox.jpgKnox, who majors in mathematics, is a notable scholar with a strong leadership presence on campus. She is president of the math club, in addition to tutoring Eastern and high school students. A cross-country and track athlete, Knox holds three university track records and has been recognized as All-Conference and All-New England. Her community service ranges from volunteering at road races to participating in the Eastern Poverty Awareness Marathon.

Knox was one of 10 students to attend a research program at Iowa State University, later presenting her work at an international conference. She is a published poet and is looking forward to the “Creative Writing Abroad” global field course this summer in Florence, Italy. She comes from a large family and loves to run and hike with her mother. She has been successful in her internship at Cigna, where she will begin a full-time position as a big data software engineer after graduation.