The Office of Development and Alumni Relations is now accepting nominations for its two annual alumni awards: the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Emerging Leader Alumni Award. Each award will recognize the incredible accomplishments of our alumni, whether they are seasoned professionals or newer to their careers.
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award will be presented to a Marsal Family School of Education alum who has made significant contributions to their profession, and whose accomplishments exemplify leadership, innovation, and passion for advancing the field of education.
Please note: after such wonderful and diverse applications last year we decided to separate this award into two categories:
1. Distinguished Alumni Award for Primary/Secondary Education
2. Distinguished Alumni Award for Postsecondary Education
- Criteria
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- Marsal Family School of Education alumni with more than 10 years of professional experience are eligible for the Distinguished Alumni Award.
- Nominees hold collaboration in high regard, and have demonstrated their dedication to building meaningful partnerships within their profession.
- Eligible candidates have been recognized for their professional achievements by their peers and/or colleagues.
- Eligible candidates have demonstrated a commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the Marsal Family School of Education.
- Marsal Family School of Education alumni, faculty, and staff may nominate an individual for the Distinguished Alumni Award. Students of alumni who have been uniquely impacted by the mentorship or instruction of a Marsal Family School of Education graduate, as well as colleagues of alumni, are also welcome to submit nominations for this award.
Emerging Leader Alumni Award
The Emerging Leader Alumni Award will be presented to an alum with fewer than 10 years of professional experience after completing their degree at the Marsal Family School of Education. This award will champion alumni who are early in their careers and demonstrate a commitment to the profession of education. Nominees will show potential for continued leadership, and a passion for equity and justice in the field of education.
- Criteria
-
- Marsal Family School of Education alumni with fewer than 10 years of professional experience are eligible for the Emerging Leader Alumni Award.
- Nominees have demonstrated their commitment to education and have a record of outstanding accomplishments and leadership since completing their degree. These achievements may include exemplary work in the classroom or administration, impactful research, and/or demonstrating commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the Marsal Family School of Education.
- Marsal Family School of Education alumni, faculty, and staff may nominate an individual for the Emerging Leader Alumni Award. Students of alumni who have been uniquely impacted by the mentorship or instruction of a recent Marsal Family School of Education graduate, as well as colleagues of alumni, are also welcome to submit nominations for this award.
Submit a nomination
All nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of Marsal Family School of Education faculty, staff, and alumni, who will cast their votes for one candidate in each category. Award recipients will be announced in the fall, and will be invited to campus to receive the award.
Recipients
- 2021
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Emerging Leader Alumni Award Winners
- Dr. Brian Burt (PhD ’14)
Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin - Travon Jefferson (ABEd ’16)
Social Studies teacher, Houston, Texas
Distinguished Alumni Award
- Dr. Ann Austin (AM ’82, PhD ’84)
Interim Dean and Distinguished Professor, College of Education at Michigan State University - Dr. Alycia Meriweather (ABEd ’95, TeachCert ’95)
Deputy Superintendent of External Partnerships, Enrollment, and Specialty Programming at Detroit Public Schools Community District - Dr. Laura Perna (MPP ’92, PhD ’97)
Vice Provost for Faculty, GSE Centennial Presidential Professor of Education, and Executive Director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy (AHEAD) at the University of Pennsylvania
Centennial Scholar Award
The committee has also given a special honor this year—the Centennial Scholar Award—to a member of the SOE community whose life's work embodies the school's mission and its highest ideals.
- Dr. Lin Chu Wong (AM ’80, PhD ’90)
Retired educator
Read more about the recipients
- Dr. Brian Burt (PhD ’14)
- 2022
-
Emerging Leader Alumni Award Winners
- Jessica Cañas (AM ’14)
Senior Manager of Community Engagement at Kids First Chicago
Distinguished Alumni Award
- Alicia Baturoni Cortez (AB ’95)
Integration Manager in NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement for the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) - Laura I. Rendón (PhD ’82)
Professor emerita at the University of Texas-San Antonio, and Public speaker affiliated with SpeakOut-The Institute for Democratic Education and Culture
- Jessica Cañas (AM ’14)
Connect with us
Questions
Location
Office of Development and Alumni Relations
Room 1005
610 East University Ave, Suite 1005
Ann Arbor, MI 48109