Graduate Students Complete Training

Graduate students who completed two specialized training programs in teaching were recognized April 22.

Thirty-one students completed the Certificate of Accomplishment in Teaching and 18 took part in Preparing the Professoriate. Provost Larry Nielsen thanked them for devoting time to learning how to teach effectively. Nearly 70 of their colleagues, friends, family members, faculty and staff attended an ice cream social to celebrate.

Both programs are part of the Graduate School’s Preparing Future Leaders (PFL) initiative, designed to offer training, support, and professional development experiences for graduate students. More than 2,100 graduate students have taken professional development workshops and seminars since PFL was established in 2007, said Dr. Duane Larick, dean of the Graduate School.

Certificate of Accomplishment in Teaching recipients are Amit Awekar, Computer Science; Eric Bancroft, Mathematics; Erin Bancroft, Mathematics; Dr. Geoffrey Bell, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; Steve Bernacki, Plant Biology; Karen Bliss, Mathematics; Christian Casper, Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media; Jeff Dalton, Liberal Studies; Jeremy Green, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; Janine Haugh, Mathematics; Andrea Hunt, Sociology and Anthropology; Brenda Johnson, Zoology; William Johnstone III, Zoology; Ali Kefeli, Industrial and Systems Engineering; Taylor Krohn, French; Lucas Layman, Computer Science; Louis Levy, Mathematics; Hosun Lim, Textiles; Brandon Mayes, Computer Science; Colleen Munro-Leighton, Chemistry; Kylie Parrotta, Sociology and Anthropology; Ryan Pekarek, Horticultural Science; Christin Phelps, Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media; Brandon Puckett, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; Leigh Samuel, Technical Communication; Scott Sink, Forestry; Derek Sollenberger, Computer Science; Summar Sparks, English; Stephanie Teixeira-Poit, Sociology and Anthropology; Lisa Tichavsky, Sociology and Anthropology; Robert Watson, Mathematics; Stacy Weiss, Curriculum and Instruction; and Li Yang, Industrial Engineering.

Preparing the Professoriate fellows are Ali Kefeli, Industrial and Systems Engineering; Alex Capaldi, Mathematics; Amy Gaffney, Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media; Angela Shores, Counselor Education; Bilgen Yuncu, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering; Callie Prater, Entomology; Cary Rivard, Plant Pathology; David Padgett, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Eric Tucker, Chemistry; Jessica Springer, Industrial and Systems Engineering; Joseph Burdis, Mathematics; Katie Liszewski, Mathematics; Mary Bridget Kustusch, Physics; Matthew Krachey, Zoology and Biomathematics; Michael Allocca, Mathematics; Dr. Shawn Holmes, Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education; Dr. Travis Breaux, Computer Science; and Tarek Aziz, Civil Engineering.