Dena Navarroli Receives Skookum Award at Western New England University

2014 Jun 13

Dena Navarroli of Gilbert, AZ, was recently named a recipient of the Skookum Award, an honor presented by Western New England University's Alumni Association. The Skookum is awarded to students who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in all their endeavors: academics, co-curricular activities, sports, and community service. "Skookum" is the Native American Chinook Indian word meaning "excellence." Navarroli was one of 15 outstanding senior students to receive the award.

Majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Bioinstrumentation, Navarroli is learning how to improve machines and devices used in the diagnosis process, like MRI, PET and CAT scanners. Through the field of Engineering, Navarroli has had her research, which focused on automating the process for cultivating bacteria, published. Navarroli is heavily involved with the arts at Western New England, having an Internet Movie Database credit for a documentary that screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Navarroli has also helped the growth of the campus improv troupe, Improv on the Rocks, and the Stageless Players. Upon graduation, Navarroli hopes to work for a company that specializes in bioinstruments for cancer treatment.

Western New England University is a private, independent, coeducational institution founded in 1919. Located on an attractive 215-acre suburban campus in Springfield, Massachusetts, Western New England serves 3,800 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs are offered through Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, Pharmacy, and the School of Law.