Promoting Excellence at UTSA: Awards for Outstanding Students, Faculty, Staff, and Programs

In an ongoing effort to promote excellence within our graduate community, The Graduate School is proud to announce a series of awards for students, faculty, staff, and academic programs here at UTSA. Please visit the links in each category below to learn more about nomination criteria, deadlines, and more.
Students
The Graduate School is pleased to announce a new series of Graduate Student Awards. Up to 24 awards across three categories (Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, Outstanding Thesis Award and Outstanding Non-Thesis/Capstone/Project Award, and Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award) will be made annually. Each award includes a $2,000 honorarium and a citation presented during Graduate Student Appreciation Week. For full information, please click here.
Faculty and Staff
The Graduate School is pleased to announce a new series of Graduate Faculty and Staff Awards. Each award includes a $2,000 honorarium and a citation presented during Graduate Student Appreciation Week. Categories include Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, Outstanding Graduate Advisor of Record Award, and Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator Award. For full information, please click here.
Programs
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the call for nominees for the annual Graduate Program Awards. Two awards will be granted. Each award includes a $5,000 honorarium for the program and a citation presented during Graduate Student Appreciation Week. Descriptions of the awards and the nomination process are below. For full information, please click here.
2022 Promoting Excellence Award Winners
College Excellence Awards
College of Education and Human Development
Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation
Dr. Lina Martín Corredor, Culture, Literacy, and Language
Outstanding Thesis
Luis Marín, Bicultural Studies
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
Madelyn Duffey, Counseling (for teaching in REGSS)
Outstanding Graduate Mentor
Dr. Iliana Alanís, Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching
Dr. Curtis Brewer, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Outstanding GAR – Master’s
Dr. Felicia Castro-Villarreal, Educational Psychology
Dr. Heather Trepal, Counseling
Outstanding Program Coordinator
Jo Ann Jones, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
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Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design
Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation
Syed Hasib Akhter Faruqui
Outstanding Thesis
Katherine Johnson
Outstanding Non-Thesis / Capstone Project
Adebayo Dave Ogunlana, Mechanical Engineering
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
Ehsan Vafaeihosseini, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management
Outstanding Graduate Mentor
Dr. Vikram Kapoor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management
Dr. Yufang Jin, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Outstanding Program Coordinator
LiPing Bien, Dean's Office
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College for Health, Community and Policy
Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation
Dr. Colton Daniels, Applied Demography
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
AJ Delgado, Applied Demography
Outstanding Graduate Mentor
Dr. Shelby Scott, Psychology
Dr. Heidi Rueda, Social Work
Outstanding GAR – Master’s
Dr. Patricia Jaramillo, Public Administration
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College of Sciences
Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation
Dr. Xueling Zhang, Computer Science
Outstanding Thesis
Jordan Arnold, Geology
Outstanding Graduate Mentor
Dr. Jianwei Niu, Computer Science
Outstanding Program Coordinator
Janice Marshall, Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
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Alvarez College of Business
Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation
Dr. Qiang “Kris” Zhou, Marketing
Dr. Bingxuan Guo, Marketing
Outstanding Non-Thesis / Capstone Project
Lauren Wilson, Data Analytics
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
Mo Fallah, Finance
Outstanding Graduate Mentor
Dr. John Wald, Finance
Dr. Richard T. Gretz, Marketing
Outstanding GAR – Master’s
Dr. Dan Davied, Marketing
Outstanding GAR – Ph.D.
Dr. Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo, Information Systems and Cyber Security
Outstanding Program Coordinator
Cara Jones, Office of Graduate Studies and Research
Jim Aviles, Office of Graduate Studies and Research
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College of Liberal and Fine Arts Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation Dr. Rebecca Friedel, Anthropology
Outstanding Thesis Jamie Gillis, Geography
Outstanding Non-Thesis / Capstone Project Anahita Younesi, Art
Outstanding Graduate Mentor Dr. Walter Wilson, Political Science Dr. Matthias Hofferberth, Global Affairs
Outstanding GAR – Master’s Andrea Aleman, MA - Political Science, Global Affairs, & Geography
Outstanding GAR – Ph.D. or Terminal Degree Libby Rowe, Master's in Fine Arts
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Program Excellence Awards
Outstanding Enrollment Growth in a Master’s Program
Winners
Master’s in Business Administration (MBA)
MS in Cybersecurity Science
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Innovation in Doctoral Program Admissions
Winner
PhD in Information Technology
Honorable Mention
PhD in Biomedical Engineering
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Innovation in Master's Program Admissions
Winner
MS in Biomedical Engineering
Honorable Mention
MS in Business
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Graduate Student Professional Development Mini-Grant Program
Applied History: Career Paths for Alternative – Academic Historians
Cristobal Lopez, History
Rebecca Gonzalez, History
Dr. Omar Valerio-Jimenez, History
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Combating Contributors to Graduate Student Well-being Problems
Kaytlin West, Psychology
Dr. Michael Baumann, Psychology
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2020 Promoting Excellence Award Winners
Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertation
- Dr. Lori Barkwill Love, Anthropology
- Dr. Nancy Castellon, Counseling
- Dr. Stephanie Hernandez, Applied Demography
- Dr. Mohsen Jozani, Information Systems and Cyber Security
- Dr. Ricardo Ramirez, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Dr. C. Vance Thompson, Chemistry
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Outstanding Thesis
- Diane L. Goettsch-Melendez, Mechanical Engineering
- Rebecca Nunu, Geology
- Corby Sidebottom, Health and Kinesiology
- Ananda Tomas, Political Science
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Outstanding Non-Thesis/Capstone Project
- Tapsya Nayak, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- David Robinson Jr., Urban and Regional Planning
- SGT. Joseph Samuel, Music
- Reisa Widjaja, Management Science and Statistics
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Outstanding Graduate Mentor
- Dr. Nehal I. Abu-Lail, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Engineering
- Dr. Nazgol Bagheri, Political Science and Geography
- Dr. Michael Baumann, Psychology
- Dr. M. Kathryn Brown, Anthropology
- Dr. Vincent B. Canizaro, Architecture
- Dr. Raymond Choo, Information Systems and Cyber Security
- Dr. Mark Giles, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Dr. Claudia Garcia-Louis, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Dr. Chunjiang Qian, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Dr. Johnelle Sparks, Applied Demography
- Dr. Keying “Key” Ye, Management Science and Statistics
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Outstanding GAR – Master’s
- Dr. Evangeline “Vangie” Aguilera, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Dr. John Alexander, Architecture
- Dr. Dan Davied, Master’s of Science, Business; Master’s of Business Administration
- Dr. Jamie McDonald, Communication
- Dr. Derek Plantenga, Social Work
- Dr. Jennifer Smith, Environmental Science
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Outstanding GAR – Ph.D.
- Dr. Jamon Halvaksz, Anthropology
- Dr. Wei-Ming Lin, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Dr. Corey Sparks, Applied Demography
- Dr. Ram Tripathi, Applied Statistics
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Outstanding Program Coordinator
- Susan Allen, Computer Science
- Lisa Ho, Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence
- Caron Kiley, Office of Graduate Studies and Research
- Shandra Rinckoard Bigler, Environmental Science and Ecology
- Janie Marshall, Psychology
- Khanh Nguyen, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Tara Thompson, History/Academic Advising
- Mary Tutor, COLFA Dean’s Office
- Diane Wood May, Architecture
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Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Colton Daniels, Sociology
- Samantha Galvan, Marketing
- Emily Myers, Music
- Shantayan (Kinu) Panda, Applied Statistics
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Innovation in Ph.D./Terminal Degree Program Admissions
- Winner: Master of Fine Arts – Studio Art
- Honorable Mention: PhD in Culture, Literacy and Language
Outstanding Growth in a Master’s Program
- Winner: Master of Arts in Global Affairs
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Innovation in Master’s Degree Program Admissions
- Winner: Master of Arts in School Psychology
- Honorable Mention: MS in Business
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