Grad students receive Dean's Citation Awards

The Graduate School recognized 56 graduate students with Dean's Citation Awards during a celebration April 20 in Loosemore Auditorium on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. 

Jeff Potteiger, dean of The Graduate School, gave recipients a certificate of recognition and a graduate honors cord for their outstanding academic performance.

Graduate students can be nominated by faculty and staff members, advisors, a graduate program director, a department chair or a school director. The nominees are reviewed by the dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with others involved in graduate education; final selections are made by the dean.

During the ceremony, members of the Graduate Student Organization recognized four faculty members.

A list of award recipients is below. For more information on graduate studies, visit gvsu.edu/gs. 

Academic Excellence in the Degree Program 

Seidman College of Business

     David J. Schlaudt, Business Administration

College of Community & Public Service

     Amanda K. Fecker, Health Administration

     Brady D. Selner, Public Administration

     Whitney D. Ehresman, Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership

     Cassandra L. Kiger, Social Work

College of Education

     Rebecca K. Spangler, Literacy Studies

     Lauren K. Robinson, School Counseling

Padnos College of Engineering & Computing

     Juan Carcamo Zuluaga, Computer Information Systems

     Shreya S. Paithankar, Medical & Bioinformatics

College of Health Professions

     Rebecca S. Kuster, Physical Therapy

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Justin E. Wegner, Biology

     Colin J. Jones, Biostatistics

     Rebecca M. Mitchell, Cell & Molecular Biology

     Rachel L. Lopez, Communications

     Ying Feng, English

     Kathleen M. Spoelman, School Psychology

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Emily M. McCloskey, Nursing-Doctorate

     Nichole L. Schmidt, Nursing-Masters

Outstanding Master's Thesis 

College of Community & Public Service

     Christina E. Ledezma, Criminal Justice

College of Education

     Irma Y. Ramirez, Higher Education

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Angela M. Kujawa, Biology

     Sarah E. Thompson, Cell and Molecular Biology

     Molly A. Stabler, English

Outstanding Final Project 

College of Community & Public Service

     James D. Crocker, Health Administration

     Liza J. Felix, Social Work

College of Education

     Sara J. Karsten, Instruction and Curriculum

     Steven R. Plominski, Literacy Studies

Padnos College of Engineering & Computing

     Kristoffer J. Hain, Computer Information Systems

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Brooke A. Armistead, Cell & Molecular Biology

     Dustin C. Moore, Communications

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Kathryn L. Ellens, Nursing-Doctorate

     Casie N. Sultana, Nursing-Masters

Outstanding Publication 

Padnos College of Engineering & Computing

     Nick A. Dipisa, Engineering

Excellence in Service to the Community or Profession 

College of Community and Public Service

     Tori R. Wasylk, Health Administration

     Ash M. Herald, Social Work

College of Education

     Amina A. Mohamed, Literacy Studies

     Shannon C. Mazey, School Counseling

Padnos College of Engineering & Computing

     Alissa M. Smith, Engineering-Biomedical Engineering

     Kyle A. Dinger, Engineering-Mechanical

College of Health Professions

     Austin P. Cammire, Physical Therapy

     Hannah C. Napolillo, Public Health

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Kristy C. Lewis, Cell & Molecular Biology

     Abigayle K. Sladick, Communications

     Mireille Ukeye, School Psychology

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Mark A. Contreras, Nursing-Doctorate

Excellence in Leadership and Service to GVSU

Seidman College of Business

     Richa Bhurtel, Business Administration

College of Community & Public Service

     Heather E. Kehoe, Health Administration

     Samantha J. Rose, Social Work

College of Health Professions

     Kathryn E. Collins, Physical Therapy

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Roslyn E. Vashon, Cell & Molecular Biology

     Sarah J. Kooienga, English

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Christina A. Winkelman, Nursing-Doctorate

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion at GVSU

College of Community and Public Service

     Yesica Ramirez-Perez, Social Work

College of Health Professions

     Erica N. Little, Physical Therapy

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     John K. Dekock, Nursing-Doctorate

Excellence in Sustainability 

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

     Emily A. Kindervater, Biology

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Katelyn M. Gettel, Nursing-Doctorate

3-Minute Thesis Competition Winner 

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Kathryn L. Ellens, Nursing-Doctorate

Graduate Student Association Faculty Awards 

Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award 

Seidman College of Business

     Denise de la Rosa, Accounting

College of Community and Public Service

     Jamie Langlois, Social Work

Kirkhof College of Nursing

     Sandra Spoelstra, Nursing

Outstanding Teaching Award 

College of Education

     Sean Lancaster, Educational Technology