6 TXST students receive Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award in 2026 competition

Six Texas State University students in The Graduate College have received the Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award in the 2026 competition.

The $1,000 award helps active Phi Kappa Phi members fund post-baccalaureate professional development pertaining to their graduate studies, including costs associated with doctoral dissertations, continuing education, career development and travel expenses for teaching, research and/or learning.

Nationally, 155 students from 89 chapters were selected for the Love of Learning Award this year. TXST tied with Texas Tech for the second-highest number of awards among all initiating chapters.

The 2026 awardees include:

• Sonia Akter (alum), master’s student in civil engineering
• Myriah Allen, doctoral student in applied anthropology
• Shuvo Brahma, doctoral student in materials science, engineering and commercialization
• Ashley Carrington, doctoral student in educational and community leadership
• Omkar Devlekar, doctoral student in mathematics education
• Emma Giacomello, doctoral student in applied anthropology 

Giacomello is the sole national recipient of the named Margaret and Peter Dzwilewski Love of Learning Award, established in 2025, which recognizes a top-performing student across any discipline who exemplifies lasting curiosity, resilience and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Since The Graduate College began offering external funding advising services in 2016, nearly 60 TXST graduate students have received this competitive external award.

Visit The Graduate College’s Love of Learning Award page to view TXST recipients from the past five years.