Each year, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences presents the Dr. Devon T. Wade Mentorship, Service, and Advocacy Award to a master’s or doctoral student for their exceptional commitment to scholarship, teaching and mentorship, and service. Established in 2018, the award honors the work of the late Dr. Devon T. Wade, whose research as a PhD student in sociology focused on racial and class inequality in educational settings, and the effects of incarceration on families and children. In addition to his scholarship, Devon Wade was a committed advocate for underrepresented students in the academy.
The 2026 recipient of the Devon T. Wade Award is Mariah Ramos (PhD Candidate, Chemistry). Ramos was selected for this award on the basis of her achievements as a researcher in synthetic chemistry, her dedicated mentorship of students who are first in their family to attend a four-year college or who are from underrepresented groups, and her transformative leadership in fostering an inclusive scientific community at Columbia.
A first-generation Mexican American student, Ramos earned her bachelor’s degree, graduating cum laude from St. Mary’s University while managing the dual demands of school and family. Her commitment to service also included creating opportunities for under-resourced immigrant communities, high school students facing challenges, and children in foster care. She has continued this commitment at Columbia as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair for Women in Chemistry and through her leadership on the Departmental Climate and Culture Committee. In her recommendation letter, Professor Makeda Tekle-Smith wrote that Ramos’s “dedication to service, mentorship, and community building has had a profound and lasting impact on our department.”
Ramos’s commitment to supporting emerging scholars is matched by her academic achievements, including a first-author publication in Synthesis. Her advisor, Professor Tomislav Rovis, commended her “infectious enthusiasm” and “fearless” approach to learning. In her acceptance remarks, Ramos spoke about the impact of Dr. Wade’s legacy, noting that she and Wade were both McNair scholars whose work focused on the communities they come from. “Advocacy and service are not only in large acts that get awards, but also in the smallest acts of kindness of every day,” said Ramos. “I believe that is where Devon and I, and anyone else who works to make others’ lives better, align.”
Please join the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in congratulating Mariah Ramos.
