KENNESAW, Ga. | Dec 3, 2025

Kennesaw State University senior biology major Ari Schwartz has been recognized with the President’s Award of Distinction and has the resume one would associate with such an honor.

The award is given at fall and spring commencements to a graduate “who serves as an inspiration to their peers, their community, and the entirety of Owl Nation.” Schwartz is graduating Dec. 19 with a stack of honors for his published research, and a strong record of campus involvement.

The inspiration part of the honor stems from what Schwartz has overcome to compile such an impressive undergraduate academic record at KSU. Schwartz suffers from a devastating autoimmune condition, with a multitude of challenging symptoms, the worst of which he says is malignant, treatment-resistant obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

“Ari’s time at KSU has been filled with academic and research excellence, service, and leadership,” said KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig. “These achievements stand on their own, but Ari accomplished them despite facing serious health challenges. He has set himself apart and his determination and resilience are truly inspiring.”

As he looks forward to graduating, he also looks ahead to pursuing a career in medicine.

“When I first enrolled at KSU, my family and I weren’t sure if I’d be able to complete even one semester,” said Schwartz, who grew up in Marietta. “There were many times I couldn’t do things most students take for granted.”

Schwartz’s accomplishments were achieved while navigating an exhausting regimen of out-of-state medical travel for highly specialized care in cities such as New York, Charlotte, Houston, and Pittsburgh — all while maintaining his studies and extracurricular commitments, according to one of his doctors, neurologist Melanie Alarcio.

And, Schwartz was able to take a challenge, his OCD, and channel it in a productive way into his studies and campus involvement.

Schwartz earned a 4.0 GPA during his first semester and continued his momentum in consecutive semesters.

He graduates with a perfect GPA, published research, honors from the Keeping Sights Upward Journey Honors College, and scholarships including NASA’s and Rockland Immunochemicals’ Joy Cappell Scholarship, awarded after his national-winning video essay on CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.

“I was surprised to learn that my essay was chosen over graduate-level submissions from Dartmouth, UCLA, and the University of Georgia,” Schwartz said.

“Ari embodies all of KSU’s core values: intellectual rigor, leadership, inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and a genuine drive to serve others. He is also one of the most humble and principled individuals I have encountered in my career,” said Premila Achar, associate professor of biotechnology in the College of Science and Mathematics.

Schwartz’s leadership extended beyond academics. As vice president and treasurer of the KSU Clay Studio Society, he worked to make the organization accessible to all students. As a learning assistant for fellow biology students, he went beyond formal duties — attending study hours, learning student names, and offering feedback to improve teaching strategies.

Through NASA’s Scholars Program, Schwartz led STEM workshops for underrepresented high school students and conducted research on natural antifungal agents to protect Georgia’s peanut crops. His work on clove oil’s potential to inhibit Aspergillus flavus culminated in a peer-reviewed manuscript that was recently published in the American Chemical Society Omega Journal and an abstract published in the Georgia Journal of Science. He also presented at four national and regional conferences.

“Some of my proudest moments at KSU were representing Owl Nation at four different national and regional science conferences and sharing our research with broader academic communities,” he said.

After graduation, Schwartz plans to attend medical school and become a cardiologist.

“My health journey showed me how critical accurate diagnoses can be,” he said. “If my story inspires even one person not to give up, every hardship will have served a greater purpose.”

– Story by Gary Tanner
   Photos by Darnell Wilburn

 

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.