Awards for Academic Excellence

Faculty/Librarian Lifetime Achievement Award

This annual award is intended to honor distinction in the full range of faculty and librarian professional roles achieved over the span of an individual’s career at Bridgewater State University.

2024 Recipient
Dr. Edward Deveney
Department of Physics, Photonics and Optical Engineering

Dr. Deveney’s work in higher education spans 29 years, 25 of which have been at BSU, and encompasses a range of activities: grant principal investigator, student mentor, published scholar, author for multiple BSU publications, invited speaker, accomplished educator, television and radio guest, department and graduate chairperson, and more! His nominator and colleague, Dr. Thaya Paramanathan, described how, when he interviewed at BSU, he was “blown away by the advanced lab facilities” that Dr. Devaney had developed, comparable to top research institutions, and was a major impetus in his decision to accept a position here. Dr. Deveney was the founder of the Photonics and Optical Engineering major, the first engineering program at BSU. The committee admired how Dr. Devaney has not only changed the scope of what we are able to do in physics at BSU, but has positioned BSU’s programs to continue beyond him, propelling the university forward in this dynamic and exciting field.

Class of 1950 Distinguished Faculty Research Award

The Class of 1950 Distinguished Faculty Research Award was created through an endowment established by the class on the occasion of its 50th reunion. This award is presented annually to full-time faculty members or librarians and recognizes two distinct categories of work, published books (monographs, edited volumes, textbooks, etc.) and scholarly papers or creative works, both published or presented during the previous year.

2024 Recipients

Dr. Sidita Kushi
Department of Political Science

Nominated by her department chair for the book Dying by the Sword: The Militarization of US Foreign Policy. The committee was impressed by the well-rounded and in-depth scholarship of Dr. Kushi’s published book. It explores the US’s evolving foreign policies across eras, blending historical narratives and new data patterns to ring the alarm on the US’s rising global kinetic diplomacy and militarism. Dr. Kushi’s book was much anticipated in her field and delivered in its promise, as it was recognized as one of the “Best Books of 2023” in the Foreign Affairs and War on the Rocks booklist.

Dr. Samuel Serna-Otálvaro
Department of Physics, Photonics & Optical Engineering

Nominated for the article “Free-Form Micro-Optics Enabling Ultra-Broadband Low-Loss Off-Chip Coupling” in Laser & Photonics Reviews. Dr. Serna-Otálvaro’s article has raised the bar for excellent work in photonics at BSU and elsewhere. This research paper has garnered significant national and international attention from scientists and researchers at major research institutions. The innovations outlined in the article have not only been academically recognized but are also patent protected. Specifically, the innovation addresses a critical industry challenge of creating efficient, broadband, alignment-tolerant, and scalable packaging solutions employing Two-Photon Polymerization (TPP) lithography. Dr. Serna is listed as the corresponding author on the publication, which is the most prestigious position on the team- a team that includes MIT and SUNY Polytechnic Institute researchers.

Presidential Fellowship Award

This highly competitive annual award affords a faculty member the opportunity to focus exclusively on research for an entire academic year. In addition to two semesters of course release time, recipients are granted a budget of up to $10,000 to pay for travel expenses, equipment, books or other related materials. Preference is given to faculty members who have an original proposal for research or creative activity, whose scholarly work is poised for significant growth and who have a carefully designed plan for the use of their release time. Upon completion of the fellowship year, the awardee is expected to present a public lecture or presentation to the campus community.

2024 Recipient
Dr. Paul Rubinson
Department of History

Recommended by the awards committee for the project “Mistress of the Sciences, Asylum of Liberty: Human Rights and American Science from the 1790s to the 1970s.” Dr. Rubinson’s goal for this project is to finish researching and writing a book manuscript that he has already begun. The book showcases American scientists’ participation in the human rights movement of the 1970s, preceded by a tradition of activism that began in the earliest days of the United States. In the 1790s, American scientists embedded the discipline of science with the freedoms and human rights enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, hailing the United States as the “Mistress of Sciences, as well as the Asylum of Liberty.” In the 1930s, a new generation of American Scientists worked to rescue their Jewish peers from Nazi Germany, a movement so influential that the rights of scientists were later enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  American scientists’ embrace of the Helsinki Final Act and the defense of their Soviet peers in the 1970s demonstrates the endurance of human rights as a core value in science for more than two centuries. Beyond his scholarly goal, the Presidential Fellowship will also provide Dr. Rubinson with time to prepare and plan workshops, guest lectures, and presentations on the subject of science and social justice in the United States, which will be delivered to interested classes and extracurricular audiences on campus, in our region, and beyond. As Dr. Rubinson notes, “Today, the social justice imperative has never been more central to the project of student learning and success. In this context, my historical research project possesses a particular relevance for scholars and students, a voice that will assert the longstanding connection between the pursuit of scientific knowledge and basic human rights.” The committee recognized the importance of this topic, its contribution to the social justice learning of our campus, and the benefits that a year-long fellowship could provide toward finishing his book.

Presidential Award for Distinguished Teaching

This award recognizes outstanding performance and/or innovation in teaching at either the undergraduate or graduate level. It is presented annually to no more than two Bridgewater State University faculty members who have taught as full-time faculty at the university for at least four years.

2024 Recipients

Dr. Rachel Navarre
Department of Political Science

Dr. Navarre was nominated by colleague Dr. Melinda Tarsi. Members of the committee visited Dr. Navarre’s class during a “workshop day” and were impressed by her dynamic and active classroom. This was a research methods course, which Dr. Navarre explained was a new course in the program of study and she was one of the first in her department teaching it. She strived for a balance of conveying important information and providing ample time for students to practice with each other and, with her support, through small group work and relevant, civics-based, authentic examples. One of her mentees noted how, “Dr. Navarre helped me to care even more about social justice, gave me the drive to rectify outdated institutions, and instructed me with the proper guidance to be an active citizen.” As one of Dr. Navarre’s goals for her students is to develop practical political and civic skills, it was obvious in the class sessions visited and through the nomination letters that this was happening throughout her courses.

Dr. Caroline Stanley  
Department of Psychology

Dr. Stanley was nominated by colleagues Dr. Michelle Mamberg and Dr. Lisa Litterio. Visiting Dr. Stanley’s class, the awards committee was struck by the thoughtfulness in which she conducted her class sessions and the overall structure of her courses. Class sessions were organized by providing detailed descriptions of where students had come from in their learning and where they were headed. The class was divided into learning activities that enabled students to talk with partners, in small groups, and with the whole class. The concepts were difficult both emotionally and academically, but Dr. Stanley had clearly created a safe space and there were always hands in the air ready to share ideas. As one of her former students explained, “To this day, former classmates and I discuss what we learned in her classroom, how amazing of a professor she was, and how impactful her lessons were in our current roles as mental health providers. Her willingness to incorporate my ideas into our class made me feel both heard and seen.” The awards committee was impressed by the degree of differentiation that Dr. Stanley offers to her students. Due to the emotional nature of the material she teaches, she recognizes that certain topics and even assignments could trigger past trauma or cause undue stress on the mental health of her students. As such, she offers multiple options for completing assignments if the main assessment offered feels troubling to a student.

Presidential Award for Distinguished Full-Time Temporary Faculty Teaching

This award recognizes excellence in teaching by full-time temporary faculty who have taught as a full-time temporary faculty member at BSU for at least three of the last six years. The award is presented annually to a faculty member, currently serving a full-time temporary role.

2024 Recipient
Professor Angelina Cummings
Department of Health and Kinesiology

Nominated by colleague Dr. Misti Neutzling, Prof. Cummings is known to have challenging yet inspiring courses and is committed to delivering quality learning experiences for her students. She strives to have a fair and honest classroom with varied learning experiences. She understands that it is her responsibility to inspire her students and push them to critically think about their health and lifestyle choices and also their content learning.  As one of her students reflected on her experience with Prof. Cummings, she realized how she “wouldn’t just give everyone the answer to the questions on our labs if they asked. Instead, she would make you stop and think about it and understand it for yourself. The satisfaction for a student is cool when you figure it out on your own. In my experience, not every [professor] does it like that. But in my opinion, she’s one of the few doing it the right way.”

Presidential Award for Distinguished Part-Time Faculty Teaching

This award recognizes excellence in teaching by part-time faculty who have taught part-time at BSU for at least eight of the last twelve semesters, counting the spring semester the award is presented. 

2024 Recipients

Dr. Richard Brabander
Department of History

Nominated by colleague Dr. Renee Somers, the committee was impressed by the ease in which Dr. Brabander integrates modern gaming experiences into learning history. One of his students noticed this as well, that “capturing the attention of students in the digital age is increasingly difficult… Despite this, Dr. Brabander was able to engage his students with game-based learning in efforts to immerse students in time periods studied and provide an environment where open discussions regarding course topics was welcomed.” This way of learning fits Dr. Brabander’s goals of enticing his students to appreciate history and rethink common assumptions about it. He is also considerate of his students’ needs, teaching accountability for mistakes and missed assignments by allowing students choices in how they make up points for those mistakes.

Dr. Wendy Rockne
Department of English

Nominated by colleague Dr. Lisa Litterio, Dr. Rockne is a collaborative and dedicated faculty member who has worked diligently within the first-year writing program to ensure every class is a valuable learning experience for her students. She encourages questions, offers group assignments and tasks, inspires intellectual curiosity, and expects students to express their thoughts and opinions to show they are thinking critically about course content. Due to her effectiveness as an educator, Dr. Rockne has been asked to teach some of the more difficult writing courses within the English department. Dr. Rockne also reads placement essays for incoming students and contributes to workshops held for first-year writing faculty, showing that she is part of a team working toward the betterment of writing for our students.

Dr. Reneé Somers
Department of English

Nominated by colleague Dr. Richard Brabander, Dr. Somers is described as a gifted teacher who expertly weaves her exceptional scholarly knowledge with her dedication to student learning. The value her department places in her knowledge of the content and care for students is clear from the extensive range of courses she has taught for English, from first year introductory English through upper-level courses for majors. A recent student pointed out that “her constructive feedback and personalized attention to our assignments were both encouraging and illuminating, fostering a learning environment where intellectual risk-taking and creativity were not just allowed but celebrated,” particularly for students from marginalized backgrounds.

Racial Justice, Equity, and Inclusion Emerging Leader Faculty and Librarian Award

In recognition that the work of racial equity and justice is life-long, this award recognizes tenure-track faculty and librarians who have made demonstrable progress contributing to or participating in work that has resulted in infusing racially equitable tenets and practices into their teaching, research, creative work, librarianship, advising and other activities, and who through their own assessment view their work in this area as emerging and poised for growth and development.

2024 Recipient
Dr. Sheena Manuel Rancher
Department of Special Education

Dr. Sheena Manuel Rancher infuses equity-minded practice into all aspects of her faculty contributions. In her application, Dr. Rancher wrote eloquently about the personal and professional journey she is engaged in to continuously reflect on her work and infuse it with the racial equity tenets and practices. In writing about her teaching practices, Dr. Rancher wrote that “I create a BRAVE discussion space for my students to think and speak critically about the world they live and learn in” as the students engage with the curriculum and learn the skills necessary to teach all students that they will serve over their teaching careers. In her collaborative work with colleagues in the College of Education and Health Sciences, Dr. Rancher shared “we come to the table boldly sharing our biases, successes, and missed opportunities. We hope to leave the room empowering others to do the same.” In research and creative work, Dr. Rancher works to advance anti-racist and equity-minded objectives through her endeavors; undoubtedly this work will aid students in her classroom -- and many others -- on their journey to becoming equity-minded teachers. Dr. Rancher has an active advising and mentoring portfolio as she supports students in her department, student athletes on the football team, and members of the D’Afrique Dance Team; she wrote about her desire to work with students and help them “be seen” and expand “their presence on campus.” Dr. Rancher’s commitment was clear as she wrote that equity-mindedness “guides me while studying, learning, and countering inequities.”

Dr. Robert A. Daniel Award for Racial Justice, Equity, and Inclusion

This award recognizes tenured faculty and librarians who have made demonstrable progress infusing racial equity into their work and through their own assessment view their efforts as having substantive impact. This award is intended to recognize these efforts and highlight the leadership of faculty and librarians in the racial equity and justice efforts at BSU. This award carries the name of the late Dr. Robert A. Daniel, an artist and pioneering educator, who was the first African American professor hired at BSU. He helped launch the university’s scholarship for African American students which was renamed in his honor when he retired after 30 years.

2024 Recipient
Dr. Uma Shama
Department of Mathematics

For the past 36 years, Dr. Uma Shama has supported the success of Bridgewater State University’s students with an emphasis on ensuring the success of minoritized students. In describing her teaching she writes, “once students enroll at BSU, it is our duty to teach students to be successful in their learning and attain their goals regardless of whatever their needs are. . . . We need to be creative and innovative in providing our students with the best possible holistic experience to be successful. We need to continuously improve in our strategies so every student at Bridgewater has equal access to the best education to be successful” without any equity gaps. This ethos of supporting the success of all students through equity-minded practices is evident in Dr. Shama’s description of her teaching and mentoring of students. Dr. Shama’s commitment to racial equity is also evident in her long history of service to the university in which she prioritized equitable student success. As one of the co-founders of the Center for the Advancement of Research and Teaching (CART) in 1992, Dr. Shama worked to ensure that faculty and librarian colleagues would be able to benefit from grants and programs focused on issues of diversity. Her contributions in the area of racial justice, equity and inclusion also include participating as a faculty leader on BSU’s Project Compass grant, serving as Faculty Fellow for Equity-minded Retention, filling the role as the inaugural Faculty Director of the Racial Equity and Justice Institute, and serving as Faculty Fellow for the National Science Foundation AGEP project focused on equity-minded practices to support faculty in the STEM disciplines serving our students.For the past 36 years, Dr. Uma Shama has supported the success of Bridgewater State University’s students with an emphasis on ensuring the success of minoritized students. In describing her teaching she writes, “once students enroll at BSU, it is our duty to teach students to be successful in their learning and attain their goals regardless of whatever their needs are. . . . We need to be creative and innovative in providing our students with the best possible holistic experience to be successful. We need to continuously improve in our strategies so every student at Bridgewater has equal access to the best education to be successful” without any equity gaps. This ethos of supporting the success of all students through equity-minded practices is evident in Dr. Shama’s description of her teaching and mentoring of students. Dr. Shama’s commitment to racial equity is also evident in her long history of service to the university in which she prioritized equitable student success. As one of the co-founders of the Center for the Advancement of Research and Teaching (CART) in 1992, Dr. Shama worked to ensure that faculty and librarian colleagues would be able to benefit from grants and programs focused on issues of diversity. Her contributions in the area of racial justice, equity and inclusion also include participating as a faculty leader on BSU’s Project Compass grant, serving as Faculty Fellow for Equity-minded Retention, filling the role as the inaugural Faculty Director of the Racial Equity and Justice Institute, and serving as Faculty Fellow for the National Science Foundation AGEP project focused on equity-minded practices to support faculty in the STEM disciplines serving our students.

Dr. V. James DiNardo Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Bridgewater Alumni Association established this award in 1984 in honor of Dr. V. James DiNardo, executive vice president and professor emeritus. The award is presented to a full-time faculty member whose contributions include mastery of subject matter, enthusiastic teaching style and personal attention to students.

2024 Recipient
Dr. Hui Zhang
Department of Communication Studies

Dr. Zhang is an outstanding scholar and a superb teacher. Her work at Bridgewater and abroad offers substantial testimony to her active involvement in the advancement of knowledge. Dr Zhang’s care, attitude, and meaningfulness along with the relationship building and effective communication she has with her students is a large part of her teaching style. Dr. Zhang’s demonstration of student-related achievements, coupled with her commitment to scholarship, would appeal to Dr. DiNardo, who for years was Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Bridgewater and was noted for that same high level of commitment, and more importantly, her dedication to her students and their success.

Exemplary Use of Technology in Teaching Award

The Award for the Exemplary Use of Technology in Teaching Award focuses on technology innovations in teaching by full-time, full-time temporary or part-time faculty in their face-to-face, online and HyFlex courses.

2024 Recipient
Professor Shawn Connor
Department of English

Recommended by the awards committee for his innovative integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence into his English instruction. His approach, marked by creativity and inclusivity, has significantly enhanced student learning outcomes, engagement, and success. By demonstrating the adaptability of AI across various disciplines, Professor Connor’s work stands as an exemplar of the transformative power of generative AI in higher education.

Faculty and Librarian Award for Excellence in Academic Advising

This award recognizes excellence by full-time tenure-track, full-time tenured, and full-time temporary faculty members and librarians for their academic advising of students in the Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics, College of Education and Health Sciences, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Ricciardi College of Business. This award also recognizes excellence in academic advising by any faculty member in the College of Continuing Studies and College of Graduate Studies who is engaged by the college in that capacity.

2024 Recipients

Dr. Allyson Ferrante
Department of English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Dr. Ferrante was nominated by a colleague, Dr. Heidi Bean from the English Department. Dr. Ferrante regularly has students in her office, whether working together on course assignments, discussing topics from class, seeking advice, or simply sitting and filling out an application with her guidance. She is often heard telling her students what opportunities are available on campus and how to interact professionally with others to get what they may need. Dr. Ferrante created an advising “bootcamp” geared toward first generation, immigrant, and Pell-eligible students to help them succeed. As Dr. Bean noted, “Dr. Ferrante’s approach [to advising] has been unique and humbling. She is one of the most devoted advisors and mentors of BSU students you’ll ever meet.”

Dr. Stephanie Jacobsen
Department of Management & Marketing, Ricciardi College of Business

Dr. Jacobsen was nominated by colleague and chairperson, Dr. Jakari Griffith, from the Management and Marketing Department. One of the hallmarks of Dr. Jacobsen's approach is her keen understanding that meaningful engagement with students extends beyond the confines of the classroom. She uses an innovative approach called "Advising Touch Points." By reaching out more frequently to students throughout the semester beyond the standard advising communications, she has successfully facilitated a higher level of student engagement.  Her commitment to student success through advising is evident in her development of helpful individualized discussion points for each advisee, ensuring that critical aspects, such as math placement, minors, internships, career options, honors, campus organizations, transfer credits, and total credit requirements are thoroughly discussed to ensure students walk away with a deep understanding about their next academic steps.

Dr. Saritha Nellutla
Department of Chemical Sciences, Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics

Nominated by a student, Jackson Wentworth, and a staff colleague in Second Language Services, Lou Ann Falls, it was clear to the committee that Dr. Nellutla’s advising goes well beyond typical course advising. Lou Ann explained that she interacts with Dr. Nellutla often due to her dedication to helping multilingual students find the resources they need to succeed. Jackson noticed her desire to help and stated, “She takes a holistic view of her advisees’ academic, professional, and career goals, working closely with each student to develop personalized plans that consider their unique strengths, interests, and aspirations.”

Dr. Sheena Manuel Rancher
Department of Special Education, College of Education and Health Sciences

Dr. Rancher was nominated by a colleague, Dr. Emily Spitzman from the TESOL Department. Dr. Rancher works to remove barriers to her students’ success by sharing detailed information about navigating the major, passing MTEL exams, grant opportunities, and resources on campus (even walking with students to these places that will help). Dr. Rancher co-created two advising courses with colleagues that focus on Appreciative Advising, a model that promotes a welcoming environment highlighting advisees’ assets, assisting them with career planning, and fostering growth mindset.

Dr. Pam Szczygiel
School of Social Work, College of Graduate Studies

Nominated by graduate student and military veteran Jason Silva, the committee admired Dr. Szczygiel’s empathy toward the unique situations that her graduate students may find themselves in due to their stage in life. Jason noted how Dr. Szczygiel worked with him to create a strategic plan for navigating the Masters in Social Work after time away from the program. He explained, “She was more than willing to give me any help I may need being back in school after an absence…[and] to advocate for me to succeed.”