Dean’s Recognition Awards

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences was pleased to celebrate and welcome this year’s award winners, their nominators and guests at a luncheon on May 1. The annual awards provide an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the excellence, leadership, and contributions of our faculty, staff, and students. Award nominations are accepted from faculty, staff and students each Spring.

Congratulations to this year’s Dean’s Recognition Award winners!

Research

• Early Achievement Research Award: recognizes early-career faculty, (tenure track) holding the rank of Assistant who have demonstrated an impressive level of independent achievement (e.g., extramural funding, publications, intellectual property, collaborative research, etc.) in their career, including prior work as a graduate student and postdoc, through extraordinary accomplishments, service, and leadership both internal and external to the college and university.
  Winner: Dr. Ana DiGiovanni (Psychology)
• Sustained Research Productivity Award: recognizes those who have maintained high level productivity throughout their career.
  Winner: Dr. Yasemin Besen Cassino (Sociology)

Teaching

Teaching awards recognize individuals who demonstrate excellence in pedagogy and educational impact, including innovative teaching practices, strong student engagement, mentorship, and meaningful contributions to curriculum development.

• Professor Yahui Olenik (Adjunct – World Languages and Cultures)
• Professor Sarah Ghoshal (Teaching Faculty – Writing Studies)
• Dr. Martina Santia (Assistant Professor – Political Science and Law)
• Dr. Sulochana Asirvatham (Professor – Classics and General Humanities)

Service

• Administrative Service Staff Award: recognizes staff for exceptional performance, dedication, problem-solving, and commitment to the university’s mission, often highlighting professionalism, improving services, fostering a positive environment, and making significant contributions beyond their regular duties.
  Winner: Madison Kranis (Program Coordinator, Global Center on Human Trafficking)
• Student Service Staff Award: recognizes staff who have provided outstanding service to individual students or student groups on a consistent basis, whether through personal advising, development of programs, or improvements to university systems and policies that affect students.
  Winner: Jen Wilenta Moriarty (Coordinator for Graduate Advancement, Psychology)
• Student Mentoring Award (1 award for Staff and 1 for Faculty): recognizes individuals demonstrating exceptional guidance, support, and dedication to fostering the academic, professional, and personal growth of students.
  Staff Winner: Julia Loken (Student Success Specialist, CHSS Student Success Center)
  Faculty Winner: Dr. Manuel Gonzalez (Psychology)
• Campus Engagement and Service Award (1 award for Staff and 1 for Faculty): recognizes active participation in the life of the college and the university, such as by demonstrating exceptional service to the college, their department, the university, their scholarly community, and the broader community.
  Staff Winner: Ashlee Martellacci (Student Affairs and Community Engagement Coordinator, Global Center on Human Trafficking)
  Faculty Winner: Dr. Sangeeta Parashar (Sociology)
• Dean’s Student Advisory Board Service Award
  Winner: Jina Aziz, Undergraduate Student; Major: Psychology and Medical Humanities
• Dean’s College and University Citizen Award
  Winners: Dr. Kathleen Loysen (World Languages and Cultures) and Dr. Jason Williams (Justice Studies)