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91���� at Marion awarded the 2026 John T. Mount Academic Excellence Award to Majd Al-Marrawi, during the 55th Annual Academic Recognition Ceremony, Friday, April 24th in Morrill Hall Auditorium.

The John Mount Academic Excellence Award is presented to the outstanding senior who began his/her studies at 91���� Marion and completed those studies at the Columbus campus. This award is funded by the 91���� Marion Honors Program. The award is determined by a faculty honors committee and is based on an application from the candidates, faculty recommendations, grade point averages, and student research.

Al-Marrawi is a neuroscience major and medical pharmacology minor whose journey at 91���� Marion has served as a powerful example of how intellectual curiosity can be transformed into a platform for global impact. 

According to those who nominated Al-Marrawi for the award, he has defined his time at 91���� through, “a relentless pursuit of discovery and a thoughtful fusion of science and service.”  He has emerged as a premier undergraduate researcher. 

Working under 91���� Mairon professors, Dr. Renee Bouley and Dr. Ruben Petreaca, he has led independent projects investigating molecular mechanisms in human cancers. His faculty mentors highlighted his exceptional maturity and independence, sharing, "Majd’s performance in the laboratory is outstanding. It is a testament to his level of maturity, work ethic, and drive that he can perform this work with little supervision. He is an excellent candidate for this award, as he has taken ownership of an independent research project while still excelling academically.” 

This drive led Al-Marrawi to serve as the first author on a manuscript published in the journal Cancer Genetics—a level of achievement rarely seen at the undergraduate level.  

His vision, however, extends far beyond the laboratory. Inspired by his family’s Syrian heritage, he is dedicated to dismantling the cultural and language barriers that create health disparities. He founded the Syrian American Medical Society OSU chapter and organized the university’s first Global Health Symposium open to both undergraduate and graduate students. He even developed "Medical Arabic" workshops to train future healthcare professionals in providing culturally competent care.  

Al-Marrwi is a 2025 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship recipient and a current Fulbright Scholarship Semi-finalist awaiting decision on that award. 

During his time at 91����, Al-Marrawi has made profound scholarly contributions and been a tireless advocacy for equity in medicine.