The Washington State University Division of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement (DAESA) celebrated the recent accomplishments of more than 80 faculty, staff, and students at an April 22 event where over 20 types of awards were presented.
“It’s a pleasure to recognize those who made a difference this year to student success, programs in our division and beyond, and WSU,” said William B. Davis, vice provost for academic engagement and student achievement. “Awardees honored at our event truly stand out for their accomplishments.”
Most awards presented are from DAESA and its programs, which include the Academic Success and Career Center (ASCC), the Office of Assessment for Curricular Programs (ACE), the Office of Academic Engagement (OAE), the Distinguished Scholarships Program, First-year Programs’ Common Reading Program and First-year Focus Learning Communities, the Office of Undergraduate Research, and the Writing Program and its Writing Center. Joining DAESA at the ceremony were three partner programs: The Alumni Centre to present its Top Ten Seniors awards, the WSU Emerita/Emeritus Society to present its awards and grants to undergraduate researchers, and the WSU Teaching Academy to present its outstanding publication and teaching-a-large class awards.
A recording of the ceremony on YouTube shows all presentations.
DAESA Division-wide Awards
DAESA Awards
The DAESA Excellence Awards, honoring those whose exceptional contributions to the division, its programs, and student success made a significant difference throughout the year, were presented to:
- Israel “Izzy” Gutierrez, ASCC program assistant, in the classified staff category
- Lisa Johnson Shull, WSU Writing Program associate director, in the administrative/professional category
- Beverly Makhani, DAESA communications and marketing director, in the administrative/professional category
The Richard G. Law Excellence Award for Undergraduate Teaching, honoring UCORE/general education faculty who help undergraduates progress toward achieving WSU Learning Goals and Outcomes. It was presented to:
- Hillary Mellinger, assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology,
- Jesse Spohnholz, professor in the Department of History
The Smith Teaching and Learning Grants were awarded to proposals that addressed one or more of the “Eight Principles of Effective Teaching” outlined by the University of Texas’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Awardees are:
- Jason Brouillard, assistant professor of pharmacotherapy at WSU Spokane for the project titled, “Utilizing Student Feedback to Inform Instruction and Align Active Engagement to Improve Long-term Retention of Mental-Health First-Aid Skills Training”
- Gunjan Gakhar, associate professor of biological sciences at WSU Vancouver, for the project titled, “Microbial Connections: Integrating Science, Community, and Interdisciplinary Learning Through Fermented Foods”
- Dave Kim, professor and coordinator of mechanical engineering at WSU Vancouver, for the project titled, “Development and Implementation of Gen A-I Ethics for Writing Assessments in Two (2) Distinct Course Models”
- Brenna Miller, assistant professor of history at WSU Pullman for the project titled, “Identity, Diversity, and Upheaval: Teaching Human Choice and Historical Empathy Through Southeastern Europe, 1870-1970”
- Lori Nelson, assistant professor of biology at WSU Tri-Cities for the project titled, “Redesigning BIOL 372 Labs to Incorporate Independent Research Experiences”
- Jessica Perone, assistant director of the Center for Civic Engagement, and Doug Call, senior vice provost and Regent’s Professor, both at WSU Pullman, for the project titled, “Community-Engaged Scholars Faculty-Development Program”
- Tahira Probst, professor of psychology at WSU Vancouver, for the project titled, “From Struggles to Success: Creating ‘Statistics Sam’, An A-I-powered Tutor for Personalized and Adaptive Learning in Undergraduate Statistics”
Academic Success and Career Center (ASCC) Awards
ASCC’s Employer of the Year Award recognizes a company or organization that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to supporting WSU students through a strong and active partnership with ASCC. Recipients of this award consistently go above and beyond to provide meaningful educational and employment opportunities, helping students build their career readiness and professional confidence. The awardee maintains an ongoing engagement in ASCC programming that reflects a deep investment in the success of future professionals. The recipient is:
- Techtronic Industries, North America (TTi)
ASCC’s CRLA Peer Tutor Certification is awarded to students who obtained more than 10 hours of training through a UNIV 497 course and accumulated more than 25 hours of active tutoring of students. Awardees are:
- Asterion Bork, a tutor for one semester
- Gabe Clark, a tutor for two years
- Jaehong Lee, a tutor for one year
- Hannah Medley, a tutor for one year
- Peter Riley, a tutor for one year
The Office of Assessment for Curricular Effectiveness (ACE) Awards
The ACE Assessment Champion Award honors faculty and staff members who promote meaningful undergraduate program assessment efforts that support student learning. The recipient of this award is:
- Samantha Swindell, psychology professor and associate dean for undergraduate studies in the College of Arts and Science.
Office of Academic Engagement (OAE) Awards
The OAE Staff Excellence Award, presented to a team member whose exceptional contributions advanced student success, and who exemplifies the characteristic spirit of the OAE community. The awardee is:
- Maja Gillespie, director of College Affordability Programs
The OAE’s CRLA Peer Educator Award, earned by undergraduate staff who have met qualifications and enhanced their knowledge, skills, and capabilities in supporting their peers.
Level Two certification was presented to:
- Mikayla Fristad, advisor in the College Affordability Programs
- Ausha Smith, advisor with Teacher Prep SSS
- Camael Turner, advisor with Passport to College
Level One certification was presented to:
- Shay Boyd, advisor with Veterans SSS
- Alana Brunton, advisor with Veterans SSS
- Deanna “Dezi” Buenrostro, mentor with Dare to Dream
- Joana Campos Maldonado mentor with Cougs Rise
- Koryn Damiano, advisor with Passport to College
- Matthew Endicott, advisor with College Affordability Programs
- Alex Godinez, mentor with Dare to Dream
- Emily Gomez, mentor with Cougs Rise
- Ramon Hernandez, project assistant with Cougs Rise
- Vicente Hernandez, mentor with Cougs Rise
- Stevie Kouassi Lenoir, mentor with Cougs Rise
- Brittney Lemke, advisor with College Affordability Programs
- Isai Mendoza, mentor with Dare to Dream
- Alita Mendez Tellez, mentor with Cougs Rise
- Miriam Padilla Castaneda, mentor with Cougs Rise
- Samantha Pederson, advisor with Teaching Prep SSS
- Alex Roaf, advisor with College Affordability Programs
- Tatum Scacco, advisor with College Affordability Programs
- Liam Ufkes, advisor with STEM SSS
- Spencer Young, advisor with Veterans SSS
The inaugural OAE Research and Mentor Program (RAMP) Partnerships Award, recognizing student researchers and their mentors for exceptional contributions, was presented to:
- Student Samuel Toompas and mentor Jarren Bricco, graduate student in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Stephanie Pajares Mejia and mentor Abigail Cortez, assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Hannah Flaig and mentor Elodie Wendling, assistant professor in the Department of Sports Management
- Seth Barrett and mentor Baily McCulloch, graduate student in the School of Biological Sciences
The inaugural OAE Partner in Excellence Award, honoring institutional and community partners whose collaboration strengthens the office’s mission to increase academic engagement, persistence, and degree attainment for historically excluded Cougs was presented to:
- Daryl Deford, assistant professor in the Program in Data Analytics, faculty partner to OAE’s STEM SSS program, and RAMP faculty mentor and mentor coordinator
Distinguished Scholarships Program
The Distinguished Scholarships Program‘s Distinguished Scholarships Ambassador Award is given to those who make valuable contributions to the program and support the many student applicants that it serves. The awardee is:
- Karen Weathermon, director of First-Year Programs
First-Year Programs Awards
The Common Reading Excellence Award, recognizing exceptional efforts around the use of the year’s shared text of the Common Reading Program—How the Other Half Eats—to create dialogue within and beyond classrooms on topics raised in the book. The awardee is:
- Martha Flores, registered dietician for WSU Dining Services
The Learning Communities Excellence Award is presented to First-Year Focus living-learning community faculty and staff for collaborative and significant efforts to help entering first-year students make meaningful connections with their peers and faculty, and with new ideas and experiences they encounter at college. The awardees are:
- Kyle Morgan, residential Education director for Northside Hall
- Valeria Perez, residential Education director for Global Scholars Hall
University Common Requirements (UCORE) Award
The UCORE Ambassador Award is given to members of the UCORE Committee in recognition of significant and sustaining conrributions to the general education system for WSU undergraduates. The awardee is:
- Lisa Johnson Shull, associate director of the WSU Writing Program
Office of Undergraduate Research Award
The Recognition of Excellence in Support of Undergraduate Research Award from the Office of Undergraduate Research recognizes those who support students’ mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities in unique and important ways. This year’s awardee is:
- Michael Konkel, professor in the School of Molecular Biosciences
Writing Program Awards
The Writing Program’s Harold and Jeanne Rounds Olsen Award for Outstanding Contributions to Writing Center Initiatives, recognizing the efforts of experienced writing consultants in the Undergraduate Writing Center who serve as mentors to their colleagues. Those recognized are:
- Jacob Garrett who has been with the center two years
- Emma Louise Miller with the center two years
- Akira Park with the center four years
- Jada Rome with the center four years
- Aiden Skylstad with the center two years
Partner Awards
WSU Alumni Association’s Top Ten Senior Awards
These university-wide awards on behalf of the WSU Alumni Association and its Student Alumni Ambassadors to 10 seniors cover five categories. The official award presentations are a featured segment of the DAESA Awards Ceremony. The Top Ten Seniors are profiled on a WSU webpage.
Emerita/Emeritus Society Awards
The WSU Emerita/Emeritus Society presented two types of awards to undergraduates involved in research. The WSU Emerita/Emeritus Society’s Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Award in four categories recognizes and encourages students to strive for scholarly excellence. The WSU Emerita/Emeritus Society’s Undergraduate Research Grant in Arts and Humanities supports original undergraduate scholarship.
WSU Teaching Academy Awards
The WSU Teaching Academy presented two awards to educators at the ceremony. The Outstanding Publication in the Scholarship of Teaching in Higher Education and the Teaching Academy Award for Excellence in Teaching a Large Class Award. A third award, the Teaching Conference Registration Award, was presented in January.
Media contacts:
Beverly Makhani, Director of Communications and Marketing, makhani@wsu.edu
