Star Murphy Graduate Ellie Stevenson Establishes Her Legacy
The Murphy Institute is proud to recognize Ellie Stevenson ’25, who has not only distinguished herself as the top graduate in Political Economy but has also made Tulane history. Ellie achieved the exceedingly rare "triple crown" by winning the William Wallace Peery Medal, Tulane’s top undergraduate academic honor; the Karlem Riess Award, presented to the top Phi Beta Kappa inductee; and the Charles H. Murphy Prize, awarded to the top graduating seniors in Political Economy. This remarkable feat has only occurred one other time in Tulane's history.
A testament to her exceptional academic prowess, Ellie graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She is a dual-degree double major in Political Economy and Chemistry, having written two senior theses—one for each program—and even published a paper in Mathematics.
Ellie's impact extended far beyond Political Economy. In the Chemistry Department, she received the American Chemical Society Outstanding Senior Award and the William L. Alworth Award in Biological Chemistry, building on previous wins including the Ann Hero Northrup Prize in Chemistry (2023) and the Royal Society of Chemistry Certificate of Excellence Award (2024).
Beyond her demanding academics, Ellie demonstrated strong leadership across campus, serving as Vice President of Wall/Paterson Community Government, a Wave Leader, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law fraternity. She also contributed as a teaching assistant in the General Chemistry Lab, a Site Lead Intern for Tulane’s Ethics Bowl Program, and engaged in community outreach with Tulane Chemistry and Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans.
With the option of pursuing either medical or law school, Ellie has chosen Yale University School of Law for her next chapter. She plans to continue her multidisciplinary approach, stating, "Building on my experiences in biochemistry research, I plan to explore how the law can serve as a bridge between scientific innovation and societal impact, whether through policymaking, regulatory work, or intellectual property law."
