Awards for Academic Excellence

Faculty and 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.

2025 Recipient
Dr. Joyce Rain Anderson
Department of English

Dr. Anderson’s work in higher education spans 32 years, 16 of which have been at BSU, and encompasses a range of activities: professor of English, writing program co-administrator, coordinator and professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, faculty associate for the Pine Ridge Initiative, faculty associate to the Office of Institutional Diversity, and many others. The awards committee found Dr. Anderson to be exceptional in all categories - teaching, service, and scholarship - with significant publications across the years, many competitive conferences, and invited speaker roles. There is a consistency of character that shines throughout her work, never wavering for those in need. Everything that she has done has been transformational for the BSU community and the students she serves. She is a fierce advocate for students and for the indigenous community; BSU is a different and better place because of her.

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 scholarship papers or creative works. The scholarship must be published or presented during the previous academic year.

2025 Recipients

Dr. Donald Padgett
Department of Biological Sciences

Nominated by a colleague for the book New Jersey Aquatic Plants, the awards committee was impressed by the in-depth knowledge that Dr. Padgett brings forth in this book, one of many in a series that he has been working on for locations across the northeast United States. For him to have covered all 152 known New Jersey aquatic species, including those that are endangered and rare, shows his expertise and dedication to bringing this knowledge to the general public. The attention to detail in the drawings and photographs, many of them his own, are elements that make this book stand out as an interdisciplinary text relevant to a wide audience.
 

Dr. Christina Hodel
Department of Communication

Nominated for the book Disney Channel’s Extraordinary Girls: Gender in 2000s Tween Sitcoms, Dr. Hodel’s book examines the portrayal of female protagonists in Disney Channel sitcoms between 2001-2011. The committee commended the immense depth of knowledge and research needed to accomplish the analyses presented in the book. The project required the study of hundreds of hours of television episodes, alongside a close examination of magazine commentary, web-based discussions, and interviews Dr. Hodel conducted with the shows’ writers.
 

Dr. Joseph Schwab
Department of Psychology

Nominated for the article “Flourishing in a binary world: The creation of transgender alternative narratives” in Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, Dr. Schwab’s article comes from a long line of scholarly work that he has produced on this topic. This research study was undertaken to better understand the varieties of alternative narratives transgender individuals create for themselves. This is timely and important work in today’s political climate. Even more impressive is the inclusion of a student co-researcher, Alan Stamper, G’24, who participated in the data collection, analysis, and authorship of the manuscript through his honors thesis work.

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 scholarship 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.

2025 Recipient
Dr. Maura Rosenthal
Department of Health Sciences & Kinesiology

Dr. Rosenthal received this award for the project “In a League of Their Own: Women’s Physical Education and Sport at Bridgewater State University.” Dr. Rosenthal’s place-based research project will have a direct impact on the BSU campus and local community. Her letter of recommendation from the women who donated historical baseball and other sports memorabilia was compelling, and combined with her use of BSU archival resources and librarian collaboration elevated this project for the awards committee. She has been working for many years on making the history of women’s sport, including the women’s baseball artifacts that she is focused on in this project, come alive for her students. This award will allow Dr. Rosenthal to move her work into the community through a more tailored public website, partnerships with high schools, and the possibility of a formally published board game at the end of the project.

Presidential Award for Distinguished Part-Time Teaching

This award recognizes excellence in teaching by part-time faculty who have taught part-time at BSU for at least six consecutive semesters, including the spring semester in which the award is presented. 

2025 Recipient
Dr. John (Bebo) Shiu
Department of Music

The awards committee was impressed by Dr. Shiu’s interdisciplinary ability to expand students’ minds to the cultural elements of music and history within a single class. His courses cover topics that expose students to minoritized populations and diverse cultures around the world, and care is taken to create “safe spaces” for students to think, respond, and discuss complex socio-economic, religious, and political issues. Student recommendations revealed an educator who is deeply involved in the well-being of his students. The classroom experience created by Dr. Shiu allows students to thrive as learners, express themselves freely, and “grow personally and professionally.” Dr. Shiu’s contributions to the greater BSU community are immeasurable. One could easily get a sense from his nomination materials and testimonials how Dr. Shiu is not only an exceptional educator, but a valuable contributor/member of the greater BSU community.

Presidential Award for Excellence in Collaboration to Improve Teaching

This award recognizes innovation in the development of teaching programs that meet well documented need(s) and have significant impact. It is presented annually to a pair or team. Pairs and teams must be led by a full-time faculty member who demonstrably does the majority of the work. Additional team members may include staff, part-time BSU faculty, and/or full-time BSU faculty and librarians, and all team members must be serving in their role during the spring semester of the award year.

2025 Recipients

Dr. Michele Meek, Department of Communication
Carol Crosby, Career Services and Internship Program

Life Design @ BSU is influencing campus across many departments, courses, and divisions. Highlighting career development beginning in the first semester or year at BSU, it provides an important foundation and necessary skill building for students. Evidence suggests broad transformations for students beyond their initial introduction to the program, with the impacts of the program growing extensively in just a few short years.
 

Dr. Heidi Bean, Department of English
Dr. Kimberly Davis, Department of English
Dr. Lisa Litterio, Department of English
Dr. Allyson Ferrante, Department of English

English and Humanities Career Readiness Development is an important initiative that is guiding students throughout their English major to consider a variety of career opportunities. The program has infiltrated multiple courses within the English department. It has already impacted many students and is structured to work seamlessly within the major. Professional development for faculty members is enabling its expansion to even more courses within English and additional humanities programs.

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

Acknowledging that the efforts of racial equity and justice are 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.

2025 Recipients

Dr. Francisco Alatorre
Department of Criminal Justice

In describing his work and leadership at Bridgewater State University, Dr. Francisco Alatorre wrote, “If I could encapsulate my journey at BSU as an instructor in two words, I would say: ‘compassion’ and ‘humility.’” His commitment to equitable student success was poignantly on display when he shared about the students he mentors and supports; it is clear Dr. Alatorre blends both excellence and equity into his work with students. Dr. Alatorre emphasizes equitable student success in his teaching, advising, mentoring, service and scholarship as he works with his students, his colleagues, and himself to help ensure that we all aspire and achieve a more racially equitable campus.
 

Dr. Jacquelynne Boivin
Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Dr. Jacquelynne Boivin advances racially equitable student success through her work with the Elementary and Early Childhood Education students she serves, as well as the students these aspiring teachers will someday teach. The approach Dr. Boivin utilizes in her teaching, advising, service and scholarship for racially equitable student success is illustrated through her recently co-authored book Unpacking Privilege in the Elementary Classroom: A Guide to Race and Inequity for White Teachers. Dr. Boivin infuses her work with the realities of the inequities facing students from underserved communities, but also with hope and actionable strategies instructors can take to advance equitable change in and out of the classroom. 

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 acknowledge these efforts and highlight the leadership of faculty and librarians in their 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.

2025 Recipient
Dr. Kevin Duquette
Department of Counselor Education

Dr. Kevin Duquette has centered equity-mindedness into all aspects of his faculty work at Bridgewater State University. Dr. Duquette informs his teaching and advising with the tenets and practices of racial and other forms of equitable student success. Dr. Duquette also emphasizes the study and advancement of equity practices within the field of Counselor Education through his publications and presentations. He has served as a faculty leader supporting his colleagues in equity-minded practice in roles in his department, the Office of Teaching and Learning, and in the Division of Student Success, Equity and Diversity. Dr. Duquette aptly described his work and deep commitment to equity-minded practice in all that he does: “I’m always looking for ways to center equity work.”

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.

2025 Recipient
Dr. Jacqueline Anderson
Department of Mathematics

Dr. Jacquelyn Anderson is a dedicated and passionate professor who demonstrates a strong commitment to her students' success. Nominated by a student, she is praised for her empathy, responsiveness to student feedback, and use of alternative learning platforms tailored to individual needs. She connects mathematics coursework to other disciplines, such as political science, and fosters student growth by encouraging reflection on both successes and mistakes. Dr. Anderson’s mentorship, personalized assistance for students, and unique initiatives like a course on Politics and Math highlight her dedication. Supported by a detailed endorsement from faculty, she is most deserving of the DiNardo Award due to her exceptional teaching and care for students.

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.

2025 Recipients

Dr. Ellen Ingmanson
Department of Anthropology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Nominated by colleague and chairperson Dr. Diana Fox, Dr. Ingmanson is able to identify students’ unique interests and help those interests blossom into careers, making deep and lasting connections with her students that last a lifetime. It was clear to the awards committee that Dr. Ingmanson goes above and beyond traditional advising by imparting her wisdom, mentorship, and calm presence to her students in ways that create a positive departmental culture.

Dr. Xiangrong Liu
Department of Management & Marketing, Ricciardi College of Business

Nominated by a student in the management major, one of the hallmarks of Dr. Liu’s approach is eliminating barriers and ensuring her students have access to opportunities, such as conferences, that will lead to future growth and learning. Dr. Liu’s deep knowledge of management operations and systems allows her to provide tailored guidance to students based on their interests and career goals. Dr. Liu shows genuine interest and investment in each student’s success who she interacts with.

Dr. Jennifer Mead
Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, College of Education and Health Sciences

Dr. Mead has worked tirelessly across campus during the past few years bringing attention to holistic advising and the Advising Network. It is clear that she offers a personal touch to each interaction she has with students. She has extended advising to become a form of service and scholarship, and this shows in her depth of knowledge of campus resources and student and faculty needs surrounding advising. She has forged partnerships for advising with the Academic Achievement Center and across campus in ways that few faculty have previously done.

Dr. Thayaparan Paramanathan
Department of Physics, Photonics, and Optical Engineering, Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics

Dr. Paramanathan was nominated by a group of students and colleagues. It was clear to the committee that Thaya’s advising goes well beyond typical course advising. The students described how throughout their time at BSU, Thaya was not only an advisor but also a mentor, even for students who were not members of his research team. Positive relationships with his students are at the forefront of Thaya’s interactions with them, and his advice, advising, and mentoring travel with them long after they leave BSU.