The Lord Botetourt Medal

Connie G. Ryu ’25 - 2025 Award Recipient

The Lord Botetourt Medal is presented each year to the undergraduate student who has most distinguished him or herself in scholarship during their time at William & Mary. In 2025, this singular honor is awarded to Connie G. Ryu.

Ms. Ryu graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, with a minor in sociology. She accomplished a perfect 4.0 GPA. In the words of an advisor, “The most amazing thing about Connie is her goodness and use of her scholarship to encourage and uplift others.”

A Monroe Scholar who made the Dean’s List every semester, Ms. Ryu plans to attend medical school after graduation. Colleagues and advisors praised her “keen inquisitive personality” and courage to research “something completely new.”

Ms. Ryu has been a near-constant presence in the research lab. Mentored by Dr. Shantá D. Hinton, she investigated the pseudophosphatases MK-STYX and STYXL2. Ms. Ryu trained other lab members in tissue culture, transfection, Western blotting, immunoprecipitation and phosphatase activity assays. She presented her research at Cell Bio 2024 and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025 Annual Meeting. Already the coauthor of two manuscripts, Mr. Ryu anticipates submitting her own manuscript for publication.

In summer 2023, Ms. Ryu received a competitive national internship with Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. She conducted independent clinical research and shadowed physicians in maternal-fetal medicine, pathology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Ms. Ryu supports her peers as an undergraduate TA for molecular biology and a confidential advocate for The Haven. She advocates for patients and works as a medical scribe at the Lackey Clinic. She led the Korean American Student Association, wrote for the William & Mary Alumni Magazine and actively participated in Alpha Phi Omega Nu Rho. The Korean American Scholarship Foundation awarded her the Korean Honors Scholarship for her academic achievements and service to others.

Nominators described Ms. Ryu as humble and kind. When asked about the best part of her winter break, she said, “I’ll be happiest to reconnect with my younger brother… He teaches me so much.” William & Mary is proud to honor Connie Ryu for her excellence in scholarship and character.