Honors & Awards

2006-2007

A Winning Dissertation

Congratulations again (see below) to Dr. Ivan Harrell (Ph.D., 2006) whose dissertation "Using Student Characteristics to Predict the Persistence of Community College Students in Online Courses" was selected for the “Cited for Excellence” award of the Council for Study of the Community College (CSCC). Dr. Harrell will receive a plaque from the CSCC at its 2007 Conference in Tampa.

NASPA GLBT Knowledge Community recognizes FSU Dissertation

Recent doctoral graduate Grahaeme Hesp is the recipient of the 2007 NASPA GLBT Knowledge Community Doctoral Research Award for his study, "Out of the Closet and on to Fraternity Row: An Ethnographic Study of Heterosexism and Homophobia in a College Fraternity Community." The award will be presented at the NASPA/ACPA Joint Meeting in Orlando . Dr. Hesp is a 2006 graduate of the program and former Associate Director of the Hardee Center.

Outstanding Greek Advisor of the Year

Master’s program alumnus Jame’l Hodges, Coordinator of Greek Life at Cal Poly Pomona, received the Outstanding Greek Advisor of the Year Award at the 59th Annual Western Regional Greek Leadership Conference in recognition of his high ideals and values while serving as a positive change agent on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona as well as within the Western Region. The conference was held March 1-4 in Burlingame , CA .

FSU Master's Students win at SROW.

Congratulations are in order for 1st year masters student Mandy Hamilton. Mandy and her teammates Michelle Wolf and James Beach of Winthrop University won “Best in SROW” Graduate/Professional program at the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop held in Tallahassee in March for their presentation "Beyond Bubblegum, Hula Hoops, and Roller Skates: Making Orientation Leader Training Memorable." This award qualifies them to present at the National Orientation Directors Association Conference in Dallas , TX next October. Second place went to FSU 1st year higher education masters student Nick Zappatelli and Alex Sanchez for their presentation "The Formula for a Fantastic & Fulfilling Freshmen Foundation (with Funyuns)."

Higher Education Winners

Congratulations to the team of master's students Jillian Bracken, Anna Hobby, & Bryan Schlein! They took 1st place in the 6th Annual StudentAffairs.com Virtual Case Study Competition. In addition to the honor they will receive a monetary award and their case study will be published in the StudentAffairs.com April 2007 e-journal.

FSU Grad Receives ACPA Emerging Professional Award

Juan R. Guardia (MS, 2001) has been selected as a 2007 Annuit Coeptis Emerging Professional by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Three senior professionals and five emerging professionals are honored with the award each year.The Annuit Coeptis award commemorates the life and work of Dr. Philip Tripp. The Latin phrase annuit coeptis reflects Professor Tripp’s optimism for the future of the profession by suggesting that the gods have smiled upon that which we have begun. Juan currently serves as Director of Multicultural Affairs at Florida State. Prior to returning to Tallahassee, he worked for George Mason University in Virginia and completed his Ph.D. at Iowa State University.

A Mosaic of People and Events in the History of Valdosta State University ’s Business Operations, 1906 to 2006.

Congratulations to doctoral student Michael Black who has written A Mosaic of People and Events in the History of Valdosta State University ’s Business Operations, 1906 to 2006. This reference work is a brief account of the business operations of Valdosta State University , emphasizing past and present employees in the Division of Finance and Administration. Publication of this work coincides with the beginning of VSU’s Centennial Celebration. With over 270 pages and 300 pictures, the first section concentrates on staff and departmental history while the second section contains many employees’ recollections about their experiences, their departments, and their co-workers at Valdosta State.

Congratulations to masters student Rachel Navarre!

At the 2006 National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) Conference in Salt Lake City , Utah Rachel received a case study award for Outstanding Problem Solving.

Congratulations to Ivan Harrell, (Ph.D. in Higher Education, 2006) winner of the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA) 2006 Dissertation of the Year Award!

Dr. Harrell will be presented with a plaque and monetary award at the SACSA conference in November where he will also present research from his dissertation, "Using Student Characteristics to Predict the Persistence of Community College Students in Online Courses" at a concurrent session.

2005-2006

Congratulations to recent masters graduate Nancy Donovan

Nancy's review of Rebekah Nathan’s, "My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student" was recently published in Education Review: A Journal of Book Reviews. You can read the review at http://edrev.asu.edu/brief/july06.html#7.

Congratulations to Higher Education masters student Reagan Ellis!

Reagan and her team partner from Miami of Ohio won the Graduate Student Case Study Competition at the 2006 Ohio College Personnel Association Annual Meeting in Columbus, OH.

FSU Professor and Higher Education Program Alumna Releases New Book

Dr. Angela Sehgal, an August 2002 graduate of the Higher Education program has just co-authored, with Kim Ortloff, a book entitled, "Where It Hurts and Why: How to Gain Control of Your Pain." This book gives readers information on how to take control of their pain, while being proactive during their recovery. Dr. Sehgal is also a faculty member in the FSU College of Human Sciences in the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences. She also serves as the curriculum coordinator for the Athletic Training/Sports Medicine education program.