First-Year Experience Awards
Each year, First-Year Experience invites the University community to
submit nominations for the following awards which recognize excellence in the teaching and
mentoring of first-year students at Georgia Southern University:
- Outstanding
Advocate for First-Year Students
- FYE Peer Leader of the Year
The First-Year Experience Advisory Council selects the recipients, who
receive a plaque and travel to an FYE or other professional
conference (Outstanding Advocate winners) or $100 (Peer Leader). The awards are funded by First-Year Experience and Phi Eta Sigma, the
first-year student honor society.
Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students
The Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students award recognizes individuals who have
made significant contributions to the academic and/or personal lives of
first-year students. The award can recognize any faculty or staff
member (except previous winners or full-time staff in the FYE office); the
nominee does not have to have taught FYE 1220 or FYE 1410.
In 2013, students and colleagues nominated 35 faculty and staff members
to be recognized as an Outstanding Advocate for
First-Year students:
- Susan Cason (Academic Success Center)
- Michelle Crummey (Writing & Linguistics)
- Dr. William Eaton (Literature & Philosophy)
- Dr. Olivia Edenfield (Literature & Philosophy)
- Dr. Henry Eisenhart (Human Ecology)
- Christopher Elliott (Sociology & Anthropology)
- Dr. Brian Feltman (History)
- Dr. Bob Fernekes (Library)
- Jaynie Gaskin (Geology & Geography)
- Dr. Chris Geyerman (Communication Arts)
- Dr. Hemchand Gossai (Literature & Philosophy)
- Kerry Greenstein (Dean of Students' Office)
- Dr. Giuseppe Gumina (Chemistry)
- Dr. Eric Hall (History)
- Michael Johnson (student staff, University Housing)
- Erin Jordan (Health & Kinesiology)
- Dr. Chris Kadlec (Information Technology)
- Dr. Eric Kartchner (Foreign Languages)
|
- Stacy Kluge (Center for Teaching, Learning & Scholarship)
- Dr. Jason LaFrance (Leadership, Technology & Human Development)
- Kendria Lee (Library)
- Erin Murk (Writing & Linguistics)
- Nathan Palmer (Sociology and Anthropology)
- Ria Ramoutar (Cheminstry)
- Warren Riles (First-Year Experience)
- Susan Roach (College of Business Administration)
- Dr. Rachel Schwartz (Writing & Linguistics)
- Dr. Joyya Smith (Educational Opportunity Programs)
- Susan Smith (Writing & Linguistics)
- Mallary Taylor (Writing & Linguistics)
- Chris Thompson (COE Student Success Center)
- Michael Wiggins (Accountancy)
- Leigh Ann Williams (Writing & Linguistics)
- Dr. Brent Wolfe (Human Ecology)
- CJ Yow (Writing & Linguistics)
|
|
In 2013, the FYE Council made two awards: one for a faculty member
and one for a staff member or administrator.
2013 Faculty Recipient
The
2013
Faculty Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students is Leigh Ann
Williams, a Visiting Instructor in Writing and Linguistics. Ms.
Williams teaches English Composition I and English Composition II.
One of her nominators wrote, "Throughout my high school and
middle school years, I have loathed English classes. I hated to
write, read, and grammar was my worst enemy. Professor Williams
changed this. . . . She helped me understand grammar . . . and she
gave me feedback on essays in a way I could understand. She was
always willing to help, always. She knew everyone in the class, and
she made a point to connect [to] the students in the classroom. I
nominate her because she is the reason I love to write. A professor
who can teach students to be passionate about their work is the
greatest gift a student can ever receive. I am very thankful for
that." A colleague of hers wrote, "Everything that I
know of Ms. Williams speaks to her commitment to her students, her
interest in them, her desire for them to succeed, and her excitement
about being in a college classroom."
Provost Dr. Jean Bartels, Dean Dr. Curtis Ricker and Department Chair
Dr. Phyllis Dallas presented the award to Ms.
Williams during one of her ENGL 1102 classes in Spring 2013.
She is pictured above with her students in that class.
|
|
|
2013 Staff/Administrator Recipient
The 2013 Staff Outstanding
Advocate for First-Year Students is Chris Thompson, Director of
College of Education's Student Success Center Success Center.
One
of her nominators wrote, "Mrs. Thompson was my Goal Setting FYE
teacher this semester. She is one of the most caring teachers I have
ever had in all my schooling years. She was constantly asking us how
we were doing and if there was anything she could help us with. She
. . . challenged us to think, explore, and find out who we really
were. I got to know some of my classmates very well through the
activities and class work we did. She taught us to embrace the
differences in our lives and accept each other without judgment."
Her dean wrote in support that she "works tirelessly to support the
success of first-year students" and that she "has engaged the
Center's staff in professional learning that targets strategies to
support first-year students."
Provost Dr. Jean Bartels and Assistant Provost Alan Woodrum
presented the award at a leadership meeting of the College of
Education. She is pictured here with them. |
| |
Previous Winners
- 2012 (Faculty): Dr. Padmini Shankar, Associate Professor,
Health and Kinesiology
- 2012 (Admin/Staff): Mike Czech, Assistant Director, Academic
Success Center
- 2011 (Faculty): Dr. Trey Denton, Professor, Marketing
- 2011 (Admin/Staff): Patrice Buckner, Assistant Dean of
Students and Director of Student Conduct
- 2010 (Faculty): Dr. Bridget Melton, Assistant Professor, Health
and Kinesiology
- 2010 (Admin/Staff): Ms. Jodi Middleton, Assistant Director, Office of Student Leadership
and Civic Engagement
- 2009 (Faculty): Dr. Dan Czech,
Associate Professor, Health and Kinesiology
- 2009 (Admin/Staff): Bob Frigo,
Assistant Director, University Honors Program
- 2008 (Faculty): Jessica Orvis, Assistant Professor and
Director of General Chemistry
- 2008 (Admin/Staff): Janet O'Brien, Director, Academic
Success Center
- 2007: Dr. Michelle Cawthorn, Assistant Professor, Biology
- 2006: Dr. Donna Saye,
Assistant Professor, Mathematics
- 2005: Kellie Pickett, Coordinator of New Student and Parent Programs
|
FYE Peer Leader of the Year
 The FYE Peer Leader of the Year award recognizes a peer leader
who works in harmony with his or her FYE 1220 faculty member to
provide a quality classroom experience while engaging students in
the overall University community and serving as a positive role
model.
The 2013 recipient is Sam Ivey, a
junior Biology major.
In
Fall 2011 and 2012, he worked with Dr. Abby Brooks. Dr. Brooks
wrote in nomination: "Oh how Sam is outstanding, let me count the
ways" and then preceded to enumerate them specifically.
She noted the way he made connections with all students, but
particularly those who struggled. He served as a mentor and
support for students and a real asset to Dr. Brooks as she taught.
Sam, a former SOAR leader, participated in the "Who Will You Be?"
readers theater in late April. Afterwards, Dr. Brooks and
Alicia Howe, FYE's Assistant Director for Intervention and Peer
Education made the presentation to Sam to applause from his
colleagues. Those pictures didn't turn out very well, but
above is one of Sam (third from left, holding the award) with
friends who came to
support him, including both outgoing and incoming SGA presidents (Dominque
Quarles, second from the right, and Garrett Green, far left).
|
|
|
|
|
|
2013 Peer Leader of the Year Nominees
- Madeline Bunn
- Virginia Byrd
- Hannah Costabile
- Tyler Daniel
- Chelsea Hodge
- Sam Ivey
- Ty Jacobs
- Samantha Kitchens
- Faith Kuhn
- Samantha Marzullo
- Haley McKenzie
- Denitria Pollard
- Ty Von Plinksy
|
Previous Winners
- 2012: Matt Kempton, senior Middle Grades Education major
- 2011: Ansley Callanan, senior English major
- 2010: John Kile, senior Political Science major
- 2009: Brandi Heath, junior Chemistry major
- 2008: Erin Rice, senior Psychology major
- 2007: Synovia Edwards, senior Psychology major
- 2006: Amanda Fischer, senior Biology major
- 2005: Abby Lynes, senior Human Resources
|
|
|
|
