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By Kelsey Kendall

The second annual Monarch Milestone recognition events on April 8 celebrated the ongoing efforts by ���ϲ����� faculty and staff to support students and uphold Monarch values. 

“���ϲ����� boldly stands as a dynamic engine of progress in the region thanks to our exemplary faculty and staff and their consistent commitment and drive for excellence,” said ���ϲ����� President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. “Through Monarch Milestones, we proudly recognize their hard work and collectively celebrate their accomplishments that benefit our students and the greater Hampton Roads community. I want to personally congratulate each of this year’s awards recipients.”

Among the award recipients was Lt. Col. Brandon Shah (B.S. ’07), who received the Nina Brown Distinguished Faculty Service Award posthumously for his commitment to the University and his students, shown in his final moments when he was fatally wounded on March 12. His wife, Katherine Shah, accepted the honor on his behalf. 

“Brandon really saw everyone at ���ϲ����� as family,” Katherine Shah said. “In the way that you all have embraced us and the things that you have done, we really are grateful.”

Cathy Lewis, community engagement liaison and emcee at the luncheon and dinner programs, added that Lt. Col. Shah’s legacy “reminds us that at the heart of this University is its people and the many ways they choose to serve, lead and make a difference.” 

The Monarch Values Awards, introduced last year, recognizes faculty and staff who go above and beyond in their jobs daily.

The following classified staff were awarded the Monarch Values Awards: 

• Monarch Accessibility Award: Rachael Friedenberg, Digital Transformation and Technology;
• Monarch Collaboration Award: Maite Wilson, Academic Affairs;
• Monarch Excellence Award: Cory Hooper, Administration;
• Monarch Global Engagement Award: Ajay Gupta, Academic Affairs;
• Monarch Inclusion Award: Evette Brooks, Student and Campus Life;
• Monarch Innovation Award: Liza Flores, Academic Affairs; and
• Monarch Respect Award: Ghislain Racicot, University Advancement.

The University also recognized Lori Barrett, Academic Affairs, with the Customer Relations Employee of the Year Award, and Georgea “Gea” Carroll, Administration, with the Rising Monarch Award, which recognizes an outstanding staff member who hasbeen with the University for less than two years. 

The following faculty members were awarded the Monarch Values Awards:

• Monarch Accessibility Award: Victoria Martin, Ed.D., Student and Campus Life;
• Monarch Collaboration Award: Rick French, Athletics;
• Monarch Excellence Award: Stephanie Smaglo, Administration;
• Monarch Global Engagement Award: Christine Nickel, Ph.D., Digital Transformation and Technology;
• Monarch Inclusion Award: Millicent Lee, Ed.D., Talent Management and Culture;
• Monarch Innovation Award: Sylvia Ameen, University Advancement; and
• Monarch Respect Award: Chief Garrett Shelton, Student and Campus Life.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award, the highest honor from SCHEV, was granted to Margaret Mulholland, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences. Other faculty awards included:

• A. Rufus Tonelson ’33 Faculty Award: Tian Luo, Ph.D., STEM Education and Professional Studies;
• Excellence in Advising, Advising Administrator Role: Reneldo Randall, Center for Advising Administration and Academic Partnerships;
• Excellence in Advising, Advisor Primary Role: Teri Tuller, ���ϲ�����Global;
• Excellence in Advising, Faculty Advisor Role: Jessica Huffman, Ph.D., Sociology and Criminal Justice;
• Excellence in Advising, New Advisor Role: Chelonda Walker, Center for Advising Administration and Academic Partnerships;
• Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award: Jay Walker, Ph.D., Economics;
• Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Achievement Award:
  • Justin Haegele, Ph.D., Human Movement Studies and Special Education; and
  • Sandeep Kumar, Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering;
• J. Worth Pickering Administrator of the Year Award: Megan Mize, Ph.D., Academic Affairs;
• Kate Broderick Award for Excellence in Inclusive Education: Robin Flanagan, Mathematics and Statistics;
• Monarch Professional Award: Staci Kohen, Academic Affairs;
• ���ϲ����� Alumni Association New Faculty Award: Rhett Epler, Ph.D., Marketing;
• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, Classroom Award: Helen Peluso, English;
• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, Laboratory Award: Subodh Toraskar, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering;
• University Adjunct Teaching Award: Joy Kelly, Educational Leadership and Workforce Development;
• University Award for Faculty Mentorship: Kristi Costello, Ph.D., English;
• University Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor: Venkat Maruthamuthu, Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering;
• University Distinguished Teacher Award:
  • Shelly Beaver, Rehabilitation Sciences;
  • Elaine Murphy, Ph.D., Psychology; and
  • Shahin Nayyeri Amiri, Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering;
• University Doctoral Mentoring Award:
  • Michelle Fowler-Amato, Ph.D., English;
  • Emily Goodman-Scott, Ph.D., Counseling and Human Services;
  • Kristin Heron, Ph.D., Psychology;
  • Oleksandr Kravchenko, Ph.D. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering;
  • Jay O’Toole, Ph.D., Management;
  • Mariana Szklo-Coxe, Ph.D., Health, Behavior and Policy Management; and
  • Eric Walters, Ph.D., Biological Sciences;
• University Professor Award:
  • Mark Rehfuss, Ph.D., Counseling and Human Services; and
  • Balša Terzić, Ph.D., Physics.

“Monarch Milestones recognizes the tremendous talent, expertise and service of our faculty and staff,” said September Sanderlin, vice president for Talent Management and Culture. “Through these awards, we celebrate our newest Monarchs and some of our most senior — some with more than 40 years of service. We are grateful for each of them and wish them a hearty congratulations.” 

The University also celebrated its faculty and staff that hit important milestones in their time as Monarchs. 

The following staff were recognized for their years of service: 

Five years: Andrew Applewhite, Ubachukwu Asiegbu, Charllissa Askew, Danyale Benn, Naomi Brillhart, T’Re Brown, Khalid Bueshi, Lisa Copeland, Patrick Curry, Christopher Davis, Aaron Edwards, Alannis Pauline Flores, Ralfella Folston, Zachary Godwin, Kristy Hammonds, Stacy Harden, Duncan Holterhaus, Nimit Johri, Brian Kane, Juan Maizonet, Teresa Mariner, Rekita Nichols, Erin Osarczuk, Robert Peabody, Tineka Porter, Attahir Rabiu, Linda Reveron, Priya Arvind Singh Sengar, and Amber Watson.

10 years: Nicholas Adu Gyamfi, Mark Anthony, Pamela Banks, Lori Barrett, Melissa Brothers, William Chambers, Arlethia Clay, Angela Cowell, Claudia Crenshaw, Jenifer Daniels-Knuuti, Denise Foster, Lisa Foye, James Gibbons, Dorothea Harris-King, Brenda Houck, Ronnie Justice, Tyler Moore, Marta Muselik, Corey Peters, Nortoya Reid, Stacy Rothwell, Moriah Wall, Shelika Whitfield, Arielle Wimbrough, and Gregory Wooldridge.

15 years: Sommer Alexander, Keitha Boone, Mary Crepeau, Scott Daffron, Ananias Dowe, Ulice Hopson, Manasa Lingamaneni, Thomas Madison, Heidi Morris, Hardy Peedin, Kevin Sariri, Delvina Scruggs, and Jason Silverstein.

20 years: Danielle Achterfeld, Delores Bright, Rita Church, Urjita Dani, Sarah Daniel-Ash, Todd Dergenski, Jennifer Ellis, Tommy Evans, Jane Fiesta, Gregory Flick, Christopher Jones, Robert Kline, Deanna Kroner, Freida LaGrone, Holly Lucas, Robert Miltenberger, Shirlene Pettaway, Robin Samuel, Annette Schmidt, and Robert Stone.

25 years: Jacqueline Alexander, Charles Brown, Mark Guilford, Annette Guzman-Smith, Willa Jones, Todd Marville, Margaret Oliver, and Gerry Reyes.

30 years: Chevella Baker, Arlinda McGruder, Lourena Miles-Sawyer, Panayiotis Pitsielis, Chantel Ross, and Dwight Williford.

35 years: Tracey Bowry.

40 years: James Johnson and Linda Meyers.

45 years: Jenett Anderson.

The following faculty were recognized for their years of service:

20 years: Tamara Barnes, Academic Affairs; Daphne Bell, Digital Transformation; Chrisie Brown, Athletics; Eva Clarke, Psychology; Wendell Cruz, Student and Campus Life; Shirshak Dhali, Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Norou Diawara, Ph.D., Mathematics and Statistics; Tal Ezer, Ph.D., Ocean and Earth Sciences; Jennifer Fish, Ph.D., Women and Gender Studies; Anthony Garcia, English; Andrew Gordus, Ph.D., World Languages and Cultures; Lesley Greene, Ph.D., Chemistry and Biochemistry; James “Mike” Hall, D.M.A. F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music; Katherine Hammond, Communication and Theatre Arts; Zhi Hao, Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Etta Henry, Finance; Jennifer Hudson, Digital Transformation and Technology; Timothy Kidd, Political Science and Geography; Jiang Li, Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Nathan Luetke, Engineering Technology; Jingdong Mao, Ph.D., Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dimitrie Popescu, Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Jesse Richman, Ph.D., Political Science and Geography; Karen Sanzo, Ed.D., Academic Affairs, Yuzhong Shen, Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Michael Stacey, Ph.D., Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics; Michael Stein, Ph.D., Accountancy; Robert Strozak, Mathematics and Statistics; Virginia Tucker, Ph.D., English; and Michele Weigle, Ph.D., Computer Science.

25 years: Craig Bayse, Ph.D., Chemistry and Biochemistry; Joshua Behr, Ph.D., Research and Economic Development; Shari Davis, Mathematics and Statistics; Michael Dean, Academic Affairs; Kirk Dewyea, Digital Transformation and Technology; Kenneth Fitzgerald, Art; Dionicia Mahler-Rogers, Ph.D., Student and Campus Life; Pinky McCoy, Ph.D., Chemistry and Biochemistry; Nora Noffke, Ph.D., Ocean and Earth Sciences; John Nunnery, Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Workforce Development; Steven Risch, Academic Affairs; Leslie Terrell-Payne, Digital Transformation and Technology; and Colm Whelan, Ph.D., Physics.

30 years: Ian Balitsky, Ph.D., Physics; Kim Bullington, Ph.D., Educational Leadership and Workforce Development; Kent Carpenter, Ph.D., Biological Sciences; Robert Case, Ph.D., Human Movement Studies and Special Education; Betty Rose Facer, World Languages and Cultures; Kiran Karande, Ph.D., Marketing; Karen Meier, Administration; Suzanne Morrow, Psychology; Manuela Mourao, Ph.D., English; Derek Nobriga, Academic Affairs; Stacie Raymer, Ph.D., Speech-Language Pathology; Peter Schulman, Ph.D., World Languages and Cultures; Ingrid Whitaker, Ph.D., Sociology and Criminal Justice; and Lynn Wiles, Ph.D., Professional Nursing.

35 years: Annette Finley-Croswhite, History and Nola Nicholson, Academic Affairs.

40 years: Thomas Alberts, Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace; Nancy Klein, Ph.D., F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music; Elizabeth Monk Turner, Ph.D., Sociology and Criminal Justice; Stephan Olariu, Ph.D., Computer Science; and Christopher Osgood, Ph.D. Biology Sciences.

45 years: Vinod Agarwal, Ph.D., Economics; Desmond Cook, Ph.D., Physics; and Bruce Rubin, Ph.D., Finance.

50 years: Frances Hassencahl, Ph.D., Communication and Theatre Arts.

Dennis Gregory, Ed.D., an associate professor in educational leadership and workforce development, received a special recognition for earning a Pillar of the Profession award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, an organization focused on professionals in student affairs. Lewis said this award acknowledges the impact of his work and transformational teaching as he prepares to retire after 25 years at ���ϲ�����.