Ivan Allen College Celebrates Students, Faculty, and Staff

Posted April 26, 2023

The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts community celebrated the end of the 2022-23 academic year at the John Lewis Student Center Atlantic Theater on April 26.

The event featured opening remarks by Kaye Husbands Fealing, dean and Ivan Allen Jr. Chair, and an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding students, faculty, and staff. 

It was a time for reflection and celebration as the College community recognized the achievements and contributions of its members over the past academic year.

Congratulations to our 2023 award recipients and the entire Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts community on another successful academic year.

 

Student and Legacy Awards 

Ivan Allen Jr. Legacy Awards  

• Undergraduate: Natasha Valluri, School of Literature, Media, and Communication 

• Graduate: Zinet Kemal, School of Public Policy 

• Faculty: Willie Pearson, Regents’ Professor, School of History and Sociology 

 

Academic Excellence Award for Graduating Seniors  

• School of Economics: Apueela Wekulom 

• School of History and Sociology: Jacob Young 

• Sam Nunn School of International Affairs: Isabelle Yara Nassar 

• School of Literature, Media, and Communication: Ariel Watson 

• School of Modern Languages: Angela Howard 

• School of Public Policy: Divali Legore 

 

Graduate Student Research Conference Sessions Winners 

• Session 1: Zhuoqi Helen Dong, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs 

• Session 2: Kallysta Jones, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs 

• Session 3: Ricardo Martínez, School of Literature, Media, and Communication 

 

Outstanding Student Leadership Awards 

• Undergraduate Student Advisory Board President: Lily Kachmar, School of History and Sociology 

• Graduate Student Advisory Board Co-Lead: Ben Wills, School of History and Sociology  

 

Buzz Awards for Staff & Academic Professionals 

Buzz Award for Administrative Service   

• Brittany Skanes, administrative professional III, School of History and Sociology 

• Debra White, administrative professional III, School of Economics 

 

Buzz Award for Impact to our Community    

• Priti Bhatia, director of facilities and capital planning, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts  

• Jillann Hertel, senior academic professional, School of Literature, Media, and Communication 

  

Buzz Award for Student Support  

• Frances Baumgartner, satellite counselor, Counseling Center 

 

Buzz Award for Spirit of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts  

• Camille Liverpool, career educator, Career Center 

 

Faculty Teaching Awards 

Tenured/Tenure-Track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards  

• Richard Barke, associate professor, School of Public Policy  

• Narin Hassan, associate professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication 

 

Non-tenure-track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards   

• Danielle Geary, senior lecturer, School of Modern Languages 

• Aselia Urmanbetova, academic professional, School of Economics 

 

Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award 

• Rachel Whitlark, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs 

• Ida Yoshinaga, assistant professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication 

 

Faculty Research Awards 

Silver Star Awards, honoring first-time grants of more than $50,000, distinguished grants, or prestigious fellowships.   

• Andrew Buskell, visiting assistant professor, School of Public Policy  

• Lelia Glass, assistant professor, School of Modern Languages   

• Salimah LaForce, research scientist II, Center for Advanced Communications Policy  

• Sherie M. Randolph, associate professor, School of History and Sociology  

 

Gold Star Awards, recognizing “cumulative grants of $250,000 within five years of the first grant.”   

• André Brock, associate professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication 

• Lindsey Rose Bullinger, assistant professor, School of Public Policy  

• Margaret E. Kosal, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs  

• Neha Kumar, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs  

• Cassidy R. Sugimoto, Tom and Marie Patton Chair and professor, School of Public Policy 

 

Million Dollar Club, recognizing faculty who secure “at least one million dollars in external research and have external funding in the current year.” 

• Omar Asensio, assistant professor, School of Public Policy  

• Michael Best, professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs  

• Marilyn A. Brown, Regents’ Professor, School of Public Policy  

• Jason Borenstein, principal academic professional, School of Public Policy  

• Sarah Farmer, research scientist I, Center for Advanced Communications Policy  

• Brad Fain, Regents’ Researcher and executive director, Center for Advanced Communications Policy  

• Ute Fischer, research scientist II, School of Literature, Media, and Communication  

• Seymour E. Goodman, professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs  

• Allen Hyde, assistant professor, School of History and Sociology  

• Natalie Khazaal, associate professor, School of Modern Languages  

• Gordon Kingsley, associate professor, School of Public Policy  

• Aaron Levine, associate dean for research and outreach, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts   

• Brian Magerko, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication  

• Janet Murray, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication  

• Nathan Moon, principal research scientist, Center for Advanced Communications Policy  

• Juan Carlos Rodriguez, associate professor, School of Modern Languages  

• Phil Shapira, part-time professor, School of Public Policy  

• Adam N. Stulberg, Sam Nunn School Chair and professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs  

 

Faculty Excellence in Research Awards 

• Casey Wichman, assistant professor, School of Economics  

• Sherie Randolph, associate professor, School of History and Sociology  

• Fei-Ling Wang, professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs  

• Brian Magerko, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication  

• Stéphanie Boulard, associate professor, School of Modern Languages  

• Omar Asensio, assistant professor, School of Public Policy  

 

Special Acknowledgements  

Departing Leaders  

• Lt. Col. David Cumings, commanding officer and professor of the practice, Air Force ROTC   

• Lt. Col. Clifford Woodburn, officer-in-charge and professor of the practice, Army ROTC  

• Hanchao Lu, interim chair, School of History and Sociology  

• David Shook, interim chair, School of Modern Languages