On Friday, June 20, 2025, the Irene Bailey Open Air Theater came alive with applause, music, and emotion as the Deree community gathered for the 2025 Student Awards Ceremony. The annual event was a tribute to student excellence and made even more meaningful this year as part of the 150-year anniversary of The American College of Greece.
The ceremony honored the exceptional achievements of more than 50 students across 21 diverse award categories. Friends, family, faculty, and peers gathered to celebrate not only individual excellence but also the enduring values that have shaped ACG for a century and a half.
Christina Drakonakis, Associate Dean of Students, served as Master of Ceremonies, leading the evening’s program. Lucy Kanatsoulis, Associate Vice President for Enrollment and Students, and David G. Horner, ACG President, gave opening remarks, emphasizing the College’s commitment to excellence and student success.
Throughout the evening, academic deans and program heads presented awards such as the Outstanding Graduating Student, Graduate Student Leadership, International Honors, Artistic Achievement, and Stavros Niarchos Foundation Scholar, each highlighting the unique accomplishments of this year’s recipients.
New awards made their debut, including the Kathimerini Award, honoring excellence in journalistic writing on timely issues such as misinformation and media literacy. Meanwhile, honors recognizing Community Service, Global Citizenship, and Diversity Advocacy reflected Deree’s continued commitment to civic engagement, inclusion, and social responsibility.
A highlight of the evening was a captivating performance of Pat Ballard’s “Mister Sandman” by Deree students Iris Koskina, Sofia Fazeli, Tony Manes, Nickos Tzinakos, Sophia Karasso, and Ilida-Anna Linardou, under the artistic direction of Leslie Jones and Maira Milolidaki, with technical support from Nassos Sopilis.
The ceremony culminated with the presentation of the College Life Leadership Award and the Deree Spirit Award by President David G. Horner, who honored the recipients for their unwavering commitment to the values of Deree.
As part of ACG’s sesquicentennial year, this year’s Student Awards Ceremony served as a powerful reminder of how generations of students have shaped and continue to shape the college’s legacy.
Congratulations to all 2025 award recipients!
