FAU Celebrates 52nd Annual Honors Convocation Awardees

FAU


By brittany sylvestri | 4/14/2021

Florida Atlantic University President John Kelly and Provost Bret Danilowicz today announced the recipients of the 52nd annual Honors Convocation awards. The celebration recognizes the University’s most outstanding students and faculty.

“Honors Convocation is a longstanding and important tradition,” said Danilowicz. “Even if we can’t all be together, this remote ceremony will allow us to spotlight the academic excellence of our best faculty and students.”         

Awards and recognition include nine University scholars, the Distinguished Student award, the University Club Merit award, the Phi Kappa Phi scholar, the Stan and Renee Wimberly scholar, the Undergraduate Researchers awards, the Student-Athletes of the Year awards, Prestigious Fellowship, and the Fraternity and Sorority scholars. Faculty honors include the FAU Alumni Association’s Degree of Difference Award, Researchers and Scholars of the Year awards, Teaching and Advising awards, as well as the Distinguished Mentor of the Year in Undergraduate Research award, and the Presidential Awards for Engaged Faculty.

The winner of the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award is determined by FAU students. This year’s recipient is Danielle Groton, Ph.D., assistant professor of social work in the College of Social Work and Criminal Justice.Groton’s area of expertise is on homelessness, particularly related to how health disparities and employment opportunities impact women experiencing homelessness. In only her fourth year as an assistant professor, she has already been named Social Work Educator of the Year for Palm Beach County.

2021 Florida Atlantic University Honors Convocation Awardees

University Scholars

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters        Sarah Hipps
College of Business                                                  Kevin Figueroa
College of Education                                                 Angeline Mendoza
College of Engineering and Computer Science        David Navarrete
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College                              Reece Humphreys
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing                        Caroline Brodi
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science                    Starr Warner
College of Social Work and Criminal Justice            Mariya Josiah 

Distinguished Student Award

Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing                        Mary Doan

Fraternity and Sorority Scholars

Alpha Delta Pi Sorority                                               Kayla Radaker
Alpha Psi Lambda National Fraternity, Inc.               Luis Argueta Pulido

Phi Kappa Phi Scholar

College of Engineering and Computer Science        Brandyn Nutter

Student-Athletes of the Year

Beach Volleyball                                                        Erica Brok
Soccer                                                                       Daniel Skistad

University Club Merit Award

Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College                              David Harbaugh

Stan and Renee Wimberly Scholar

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science                    Daniel Gil Valenzuela

Undergraduate Researchers of the Year

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters        Maria Gabriela Esquivel
College of Business, Allen E. Smith Awardee           Daniela Rivera-Cintron                                 
College of Engineering and Computer Science        Julie Deshommes
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College                              Alyssa Payne
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine                   Darian Peters
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing                        Caroline Brodi
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science                    Angel Rodgers
College of Social Work and Criminal Justice            Erika Stone 

Prestigious Fellowship

Gilman Scholarship Award                                        Jeanne Astremon

Alumni “Degree of Difference” Award

Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine                   Lisa Martinez, M.D.

University Researchers of the Year

Janet Robishaw, Ph.D., Professor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Jianning Wei, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Johanna Kowalko, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Scholars of the Year

Ramesh Teegavarapu, Ph.D., Professor
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Anil Bilgihan, Ph.D., Associate Professor
College of Business

Nicholas Baima, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching

Angela Nichols, Ph.D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Deborah Searcy, Ph.D., College of Business
Myeongsub Kim, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science 
Mary Ann Leavitt, Ph.D., Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing

Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Advising

Gili Rabone, College of Business
Tamsyn Carey, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Nicole Alderson, Undergraduate Studies

Distinguished Mentor of the Year in Undergraduate Research

James VanZwieten, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science

Presidential Awards for Engaged Faculty

David Devraj Kumar, Ph.D., College of Education
Patricia Gustafsson, College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
Precious Skinner-Osei, Ph.D., College of Social Work and Criminal Justice

The Distinguished Teacher of the Year

Danielle Groton, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Social Work
College of Social Work and Criminal Justice

-FAU-

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