Annual awards celebrated across the University

Congratulations to everyone across Ohio University for your hard work and dedication this year. Find the 2023-24 student, staff and faculty awardees college listed below by their academic unit. 

Chillicothe Campus

Outstanding Graduates

• Mary Basham, Bachelor of Science in Applied Management
• Riley Black, Bachelor of Science in Education - Early Child Education
• Braiden Collins, Bachelor of Science in Education - Early Child Education
• Alysia Cunningham, Bachelor of Science in Education- Middle Childhood Social Studies and Language Arts
• Kristel Dombrowski, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• McKenzie Evans, Bachelor of Science in Education- Middle Childhood Social Studies and Language Arts
• Stacia Francis, Bachelor of Science in Education- Middle Childhood Math and Language Arts
• Gabie Hamm, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Thomas Hill, Bachelor of Science in Business
• Tiara Leisure, Bachelor of Science in Education- Early Childhood Intervention Specialist 
• Sara Marcinko, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing 
• Mackhia McCloskey, Bachelor of Science in Business
• Kameron Reed, Bachelor of Science in Education- Middle Childhood Math and Science
• Zach Richardson, Bachelor of Science in Education- Science and Social Studies
• Natalie Rolfe, Bachelor of Science in Education - Early Child Education
• Sharon Rose, Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
• Delanie Schobelock, Bachelor of Science in Education - Integrated Language Arts
• Jazmyn Sharp, Bachelor of Science in Education - Early Child Education
• Danielle Sheets, Bachelor of Science in Social Work
• Christopher Smith, Associate in Applied Science - Law Enforcement Technology
• Seth Spencer, Associate in Applied Business - Computer Science Technology
• Nick Stanley, Bachelor of Science in Education - Middle Childhood Math and Science
• Haley Wright, Bachelor of Science in Social Work

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Eastern Campus

Outstanding Student Awards

• Alyssa Betts, Bachelor of Science in Education – Middle Childhood Education
• Sierra Bettes, Bachelor of Social Work
• Nicholas Nolan, Bachelor of Science in Applied Management and Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies
• Shayla Schuster, Bachelor of Science in Education – Early Childhood Education
• Addyson Terek, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  

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The College of Health Sciences and Professions

2024 Dean's Recognition Awards, students

Student Organization Awards

• Taryn West - Student Social Work Association at Ohio University Zanesville; junior; Outstanding Contributor to a Student Organization - Positional Leader Award
• Ryan Swann - Student Nursing Association at Ohio University Southern; senior; Outstanding Contributor to a Student Organization - Positional Leader Award
• Halley Booth - Ohio University Southern Student Nursing Association; senior; Outstanding Contributor to a Student Organization: Unsung Hero Award

CHSP Dean’s Outstanding Student Research Award

• Byrnadeen Farraye; graduate student; Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award

Outstanding First-Year Student

• Emily Gareau; freshman; Outstanding First-Year Student

2024 Outstanding Graduates

School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness

• Amaya Turner; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Caroline Brandes; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Nicole Powers; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Abigail Weir; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Zoe Ryan; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Lexi Marshall; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Isabelle Horning; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Carter Luckring; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Melissa Antalek; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Stacy Shawhan; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Emily Roberts; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Byrnadeen Farraye; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award

Department of Interdisciplinary Health Studies

• Adrian Trobridge; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Dorcas Mgadla; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences
• Megan Gerard; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Jenna Ober; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Kassy Hickman; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Morgan Brown; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Felesha Wright; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Audra Phillips; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award

School of Nursing

• Amanda Ison; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Kerbon Heath; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Rece Gimperling; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Olivia Thomas; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Journey Poindexter; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Jacob Portem; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Department of Social and Public Health
• Mallory Menz; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Ky Sweet; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Mady Shiplett; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Kelly Erb; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Abby Smith; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Katie Whitman; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Anna Senkmajer; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
  Sydney Dawson; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Rebecca Romero; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Debra Stewart; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Jacqueline Asare; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Lorna Ziehm; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award

Department of Social Work

• Emma Berentz; senior; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Emmanuel Agyei Poku; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award
• Kristina Kulkovit; graduate student; 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award

Faculty awards

Advancing Scholarship in Research and Education ( ASPIRE) Awards 

• Rachel Bican; assistant professor - Physical Therapy
• Michele Courtney; associate Clinical Professor - Physical Therapy
• Melissa Anderson; assistant professor - Applied Health Sciences and Wellness
• Cory Cronin; associate professor, Social and Public Health

CHSP Excellence in Online Teaching Award

• Karen Perta; assistant clinical professor, Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences

CHSP Faculty Research and Creative Activity Award

• Dustin Grooms; professor, RCS, Physical Therapy; Faculty Research and Creative Activity Award

Excellence in Teaching in the College of Health Sciences and Professions Award

• Tiffany Arnold; assistant professor of instruction, Social and Public Health

CHSP Inspirational Teaching Award

• Chao-Yang Lee; associate professor, Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences

Lee Cibrowski Faculty Advising and Mentoring Award

• Rebecca Meier; associate Clinical Professor, Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences

Outstanding Learning Community Award

• Eric Johnston; assistant professor of instruction – Social Work

Outstanding Teacher

• Leah Vensil; social worker, assistant professor of social work instruction; Outstanding Teacher

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Student Thesis Awards

• Maddi Raisch, senior, HTC Business, 2024 Outstanding Professional or Creative Thesis Award
• Alesha Davis, senior, HTC English and HTC Journalism, 2024 Outstanding Publishable Manuscript Thesis Award
• Emily Sudnick, senior, HTC Biological Sciences, 2024 Outstanding Traditional Thesis Award
• Ellie Abbott, senior, HTC Music, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Emma Bhatt, senior, HTC English and Sociology, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Deontae Brown, senior, HTC Anthropology, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Anna Crabtree, senior, HTC Environmental Studies, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Megan Handle, senior, HTC Social Work, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Jailei Maas, senior, HTC Studio Art and HTC Art History, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Isabel Nissley, senior, HTC Journalism, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention
• Aoife Zuercher, senior, HTC Chemistry and HTC Mathematics, 2024 Outstanding Thesis Honorable Mention

Faculty Awards

2024 Outstanding Tutor of the Year

• Dr. Jenny Shadik, Associate Professor and Social Work Department Chair, College of Health Sciences and Professions
• Dr. Haley Duschinski, Professor of Anthropology in Law, Justice & Culture, and Director of the Center for International Studies, College of Arts and Sciences

Outstanding Thesis Mentor of the Year

• Dr. Ronan Carroll, Associate Professor & Graduate Chair, College of Arts and Sciences

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Lancaster Campus

Outstanding Student Awards

• Alexis Anderson – Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood and Elementary 
• Maggie Bailey – Bachelor of Science in Communication 
• Bailey Bennett – Bachelor of Science, Psychology 
• Emily Blankenship - Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood and Elementary 
• Laura Branham – Associate in Arts 
• Caitlyn Byers – Bachelor of Social Work 
• Brianne Chambers – Bachelor of Applied Human and Consumer Sciences 
• Carla Craaybeek – Bachelor of Science in Business 
• Jessica Dickey – Bachelor of Science in Health, Health Services Administration 
• Riley Garrett - Caitlyn Byers – Bachelor of Social Work 
• Hannah Harrison - Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood and Elementary 
• Kayla Henderson – Associate in Arts 
• Thomas Hill - Bachelor of Science in Business 
• Tessa Hunter - Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood and Elementary 
• Jennifer Nichols - Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood and Elementary 
• Emma Perks - Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood and Elementary 
• Simon Pokrandt - Bachelor of Science in Communication 
• Hannah Rockwell - Associate in Applied Science, Medical Assisting Technology 
• Gabrielle Stephens - Bachelor of Science in Health, Health Services Administration 
• Skye VanGundy - Bachelor of Social Work 
• Rilea Waite – Associate in Science 

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The Russ College of Engineering and Technology

The faculty awards for the Russ College were presented during an end-of-year celebration held April 12. 

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View a full, searchable list of Scripps College awards winners.

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Southern Campus

Outstanding Student Awards

• Leah Bailey – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Mary Brady – Associate in Applied Science, Human Services Technology
• Shelby Cornell – Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education
• Kata Crizer – Bachelor of Arts, History
• Joey Cyrus – Bachelor of Criminal Justice
• Lauren Dunsmore – Associate in Science
• Robert Elkins – Bachelor of Social Work
• Kaitlyn Foster – Bachelor of Arts, Social Work
• Rylee Galloway – Bachelor of Science in Business, Business Studies
• Eli Lucas – Bachelor of Technical and Applied Studies
• Ragin Marcum – Bachelor of Science in Education, Middle and Childhood Language Arts and Social Studies
• Debbi Smith – Associate in Applied Science, Associate in Nursing
• Grant Stephens – Associate in Applied Science, Electronic Media
• Andrew Wright – Associate in Arts, Social Science Emphasis

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Zanesville Campus

On April 16, Ohio University Zanesville held its annual honors recognition ceremony, celebrating outstanding achievements across various disciplines. The event highlighted exceptional students in programs from Communication Studies to Social Work, with special awards given for spirit, achievement, academic improvement, and service.

These awards include the following:

Outstanding Student Award

Nominations are solicited each year from faculty and administration for outstanding students in a particular major or program at Ohio University Zanesville.

Communication Studies: Averee Vaughn

• Early Childhood Education: Caylee King
• Middle Childhood Education: McKenzie Deeks
• Nursing (BSN Program): Laken Griffith 
• Nursing (ADN Program): Lilli Young
• Social Work: Haley Ellis

Michael Kline Spirit Award

Awarded to students nominated by faculty, administration or staff who have persevered in their studies in the face of conditions,  contingencies or obstacles which would easily have led them not to do so.  

• 2024 Michael Kline Spirit Award: Yvonne Moore

Ohio University Zanesville Special Achievement Award

Awarded to students nominated by faculty, administration or staff who have contributed something unique to the Ohio University Zanesville campus or to their own communities above and beyond what might be expected of a student.

• 2024 Ohio University Zanesville Special Achievement Award: Madison Hartman

Linn Academic Improvement Award

Annual monetary award of $1,000 to students nominated by faculty, administration or staff to the most improved student at Ohio University Zanesville.  Payable at the end of the spring semester.

• 2024 Linn Academic Improvement Award: Travis Hupp

Gene Steeves Outstanding Veteran Award

Award was established in memory of an Ohio University Zanesville student and awarded to students nominated by faculty, administration or staff who exemplifies outstanding service to the campus  community.  

• 2024 Gene Steeves Outstanding Veteran Award: Rain Reeves

Ohio University Zanesville continues to take pride in fostering an environment where students thrive academically and professionally. These awards underscore the diverse and inspiring paths taken by students to excel in their academic and personal lives at Ohio University Zanesville.  

Congratulations to all of the recipients!

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