The Graduate School honored students, faculty, and staff at its annual awards reception on March 26 in the Graduate Life Center.

The event was held during Graduate Education Week and recognized master’s and doctoral degree students as well as staff and faculty mentors from across Virginia Tech’s campuses and programs for their work.

Award winners included the graduate students of the year and students who received awards recognizing excellence in service and teaching as well as outstanding dissertation and thesis awards. Outstanding master’s  degree and doctoral students and faculty mentors chosen by each college also received honors. Although the specific criteria for these awards is set by each college, the overarching criterion for all nominations is demonstrated excellence in one or more areas of the university’s tripartite mission of teaching, research, and outreach.  

The Graduate School honors an outstanding A/P faculty or staff advisor or mentor, recognizing the many and diverse ways in which staff and A/P faculty contribute to the development and support of graduate students.

Graduate Student of the Year and Service Excellence Awards

  • Graduate Student of the Year: Master’s: Onyinye Mbanefo, human development, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Graduate Student of the Year: Doctoral: Amy Hagen, geosciences, College of Science
  • Graduate Service Excellence Award: Bryce Burrell, doctoral student in agricultural and Extension education, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Thesis and Dissertation Awards

  • Outstanding Dissertation Award in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM): Xueyao Zhang, civil engineering, College of Engineering
  • Outstanding Dissertation Award: Social Science, Business, Education, and Humanities (SSBEH): Panita Chatikavanij, science and technology studies, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award in STEM: No nominations received
  • Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award in SSBEH: Chrishma Perera, geography, College of Natural Resources and Environment

Teaching Awards

  • Graduate Teaching Excellence: Instructor of Record Excellence Award: Elhom Gosink, doctoral student in social, political, ethical, and cultural thought, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
  • Graduate Teaching Excellence: Assistant Award: Esther Oyedele, doctoral student in geosciences, College of Science

Outstanding Doctoral Students Awards by College

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Mary Ali Oliver, animal and poultry sciences
  • College of Architecture, Arts, and Design: Jun Yang, architecture and design research
  • College of Engineering: Md Doulotuzzaman Xames, industrial and systems engineering
  • College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences: Andreza Jorge, social, political, ethical, and cultural thought
  • College of Natural Resources and Environment: Sahra Svensson-Hoglund, sustainable biomaterials (iPh.D.)
  • College of Science: Mathew Bloomfield, biological sciences
  • Pamplin College of Business: Sabrina Salome, accounting and information systems
  • Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: Chelsea Cereghino, biomedical and veterinary sciences
  • Interdisciplinary doctoral student: Venus Azamnia, science and technology studies

Outstanding Master's Students Awards by College

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Will Hernández, crop and soil environmental sciences
  • College of Architecture, Arts, and Design: Name withheld, architecture
  • College of Engineering: Nichole Dorn, civil engineering
  • College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences: Zoe Brooks, history
  • College of Natural Resources and Environment: Zachary Sherman, geography
  • College of Science: Hailey Van Vorce, psychology
  • Pamplin College of Business: Joseph Lowe, information technology
  • Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: Mikhala Stafford, public health

Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award, AP faculty and staff

  • Betty Wilkins, graduate program coordinator, Department of Physics

Outstanding faculty mentors

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Shawn Askew, professor, School of Plant Environmental Sciences
  • College of Architecture, Arts, and Design: Thomas Tucker, associate professor, School of Visual Arts
  • College of Engineering: Brian Lattimer, professor and department head, Mechanical Engineering, Nicholas and Rebecca Des Champs Chair
  • College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences: Philip Yaure, assistant professor, philosophy
  • College of Natural Resources and Environment: Randy Wynne, professor, forest resources and environmental conservation
  • College of Science: Josef Uyeda, associate professor, biological sciences
  • Pamplin College of Business: David Townsend, associate professor, management
  • Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: James Weger-Lucarelli, associate professor, biomedical sciences and pathobiolgy

For more information about the awards, visit the Graduate School’s awards and honors webpage.

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