Faculty, Staff & Student Recognition
Jae Basiliere, assistant professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies, received the PRISM award from the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center for making a positive impact on the LGBTQIA+ community. Jae will also serve as a mentor for the 2019 Student Summer Scholars Program.
Krista Benson, assistant professor of liberal studies, received the Faculty Engagement Award from the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center for making a positive impact on the LGBTQIA+ community. Benson, Cáel Keegan, assistant professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies and liberal studies, and Laurence José, associate professor of writing and director of digital studies, received Teaching Innovation Grant from the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center for their project, "It's Not Just a Game: Effective Video Game Pedagogy."
Chelsea Best, digital studies minor, won the Outstanding Undergraduate Intern of the Year award from the GVSU Career Center for her work with GVSU Human Resources Health and Wellness.
Miranda Bryan, a double major in religious studies and political science with a minor in women, gender, and sexuality studies, received the Jean Enright Scholarship for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Jen Cathey, office coordinator of the general education program, completed the Boston Marathon on April 15th. This was Jen's 5th Boston Marathon and her 15th marathon overall. Go Jen!
Abhi Ghosh, assistant professor of religious studies and liberal studies, received a Catalyst Grant for Research and Creativity from the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence for his project, "Bhaktivinoda, Christianity, and Western Philosophy."
Carol "Griff" Griffin, director of the General Education Program and professor of biology; Wendy Burns-Ardolino, director of the Master's Program in Social Innovation and professor of liberal studies; and Ellen Schendel, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of writing, gave a presentation, "Striving for Inclusive Excellence in a General Education Program: Examining Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Student Learning," at the American Association for Colleges and Universities' conference on Creating a 21st Century General Education.
Alexis Hansen, a double major in psychology and biomedical science with minors in LGBTQ Studies and chemistry, received the 2019 Outstanding LGBTQ+ Paper/Project Award for her project, "Developing a Transcartohistoriography.”
Elizabeth Kilbourne, part-time faculty of liberal studies, gave a presentation, "Moving Adventures for Design," at the Interaction Design School at Umea University in Umea, Sweden.
Sarah King, associate professor of liberal studies and religious studies, and Amy McFarland, assistant professor of food and agricultural studies in the Honors College, received a $30,000 grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion for their project, “Growing Diversity,” which will connect the Sustainable Agriculture Project and teaching religious diversity.
Cameron Jones, Frederik Meijer Honors College student, was selected as a finalist for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Award, the nation's most prestigious domestic award for undergraduate students. Jones, Grand Valley's second-ever Truman finalist, was selected from among 840 applications from 346 colleges and universities.
Tova Jones, Accelerated Leadership Program student, was awarded a scholarship from Positive Black Women at the annual Women's Commission Awards Ceremony.
Chelsea Ortiz, '17 (women, gender, and sexuality studies), received the Outstanding LGBTQ+ Graduate Award. Ortiz is pursuing a Master of Education in College Student Affairs Leadership. She also currently serves as a graduate assistant in the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center.
Ruth Ott, a double major in women, gender, and sexuality studies and political science, received the Academic Excellence Award in women, gender, and sexuality studies. She also served as president of Iota Iota Iota National Honor Society. Ruth has been admitted to the University of Michigan’s Master of Science in Information Program for next year.
Bonnie Peterson, Accelerated Leadership Program student, received the Unsung Hero Award from the Women's Commission at the Celebrating Women Awards. Bonnie positively impacts Grand Valley State University and the surrounding community from behind the scenes, as well as improves the lives of others through generous acts of kindness.
Marilyn Preston, assistant professor of liberal studies, was selected to serve as a mentor of the 2019 Student Summer Scholars Program.
Santos Ramos, assistant professor of liberal studies, received a Laker Extramural Proposal Development Fund from the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence for his project, “Mexican Food from Michoacán to Michigan."
Melanie Shell-Weiss, chair and associate professor of liberal studies, wrote a chapter, “The Power of Narrative: A Practical Guide to Creating Decolonial, Community-Based Projects,” published in the book Intergenerational Relations and Intergenerational Education. She also wrote an article, “Good Intentions: Grappling with Legacies of Conflict and Distrust Surrounding a Native American History Project One Generation Later,” published in Oral History Review.
Ellen Siemon, Accelerated Leadership Program student, received the Liberal Studies Academic Excellence Award at the Student Awards Convocation.
David Stark, professor of history and coordinator of Latin American Studies, wrote an article, “A Professionalizing Priesthood: The Cathedral Chapter of San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1650-1700,” published in Catholic Historical Review.
Kayla Wheeler, assistant professor of area and global studies, received a Catalyst Grant for Research and Creativity from the Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence for her project, "Fashioning Black Islam: Race, Gender, and Belonging in the Ummah."
Brynn Wilfong, women, gender, and sexuality studies major and LGBTQ studies minor, received a Student Summer Scholars Grant through the Office of Undergraduate Research for their project, “The Hidden Cost of Gaycation: Queer Cross-Class Contact in Rural Resort Towns." Brynn also serves as a student assistant in the shared WGS/ENS Office.
