Annual Awards

The College of Education & Human Development Annual Awards recognize the achievements of faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the College. Make a nomination in the categories listed below. Alumni award nominations are due October 15 and student, staff and faculty award nominations are due November 1st.

55th Annual College of Education & Human Development Awards

View Award Recipients

Alumni Awards

Alumni award nominations may be submitted online or via mail using the nomination form starting July 1st. Nominations are due October 15th. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Faculty and Staff Awards

Outstanding Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Awards recognize how faculty and staff go above and beyond to embody the College of Education & Human Development values of diversity, cultural competence, equity and inclusion. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Outstanding Staff Award was established to recognize, celebrate, and reward exceptional individual achievements of staff within the University of Missouri College of Education & Human Development. This award is a prestigious honor and recognizes leadership and service excellence that enables the College of Education & Human Development to fulfill its mission and achieve its goals. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Outstanding Teaching Faculty Awards recognize and celebrate College of Education & Human Development faculty members whose teaching practice represents our college’s core values and overriding goal to advance teaching, learning, and the field of education. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

  1. Outstanding Teaching: Faculty with six or more years of teaching experience at the college level as a non-tenure or tenure-track faculty member in the College of Education & Human Development. 
  2. Outstanding Early Career Teaching: Faculty with fewer than six years of teaching experience at the college level as a non-tenure or tenure-track faculty member in the College of Education & Human Development. 

The Faculty Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award recognizes individuals whose research or other scholarly activity has significantly affected practice, policy, theory, or the research of others. One award is presented in each of two categories per year. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

  1. Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award – Early Career – Full-time faculty or staff within the College of Education & Human Development who has less than ten (10) years of research experience since completion of their terminal degree. The individual must be engaged in research as part of their responsibilities.
  2. Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award – Full-time faculty or staff within the College of Education & Human Development who has eleven (11) or more years research experience since completion of their terminal degree.  The individual must be engaged in research as part of their responsibilities.

Graduate Advisor/Mentor of the Year is awarded to an individual who has made positive contributions to the experience of graduate students in the MU College of Education & Human Development through service as an advisor and mentor. ***Current College of Education & Human Development graduate students are the only individuals able to submit a nomination. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

The Outstanding Engagement and Outreach Awards honor a person, group, program, or organization for outstanding contributions enhancing the lives and learning of children, families and communities through engagement and outreach. There are two award categories, Internal and External. One award will be presented to an individual within the College of Education & Human Development and the other to an person, group, program or organization outside the University. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Student Awards

Outstanding Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Awards recognize how undergraduate and graduate students go above and beyond to embody the College of Education & Human Development values of diversity, cultural competence, equity and inclusion. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year – The award recognizes outstanding achievement in leadership among undergraduate education students. Over the course of their MU undergraduate careers, candidates should have made leadership contributions, displayed professionalism, and served the academic community and/or field. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Graduate Student Leader of the Year recognizes outstanding achievement in leadership among education graduate students. Over the course of their MU graduate career, candidates should have made leadership contributions, displayed professionalism, and served the academic community and/or field. Departments and schools are limited to two nominees per award. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Outstanding College Teaching – Graduate Student Award recognizes outstanding achievement in instruction among education graduate students who have had a substantial role in the instruction of courses (e.g., instructor, teaching assistant, online instructor, etc.). Over the course of their MU graduate teaching career, candidates should have made contributions to student learning, displayed teaching effectiveness, and shown willingness to help students. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Departments and schools are limited to two nominees per award. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

Outstanding Research & Scholarship – Graduate Student Award recognizes outstanding research achievement among education graduate students. Candidates should have established a strong and clear record of scholarship, including independent and collaborative research and dissemination activities, while a student at MU. Individuals may be nominated for more than one CEHD award each year but are only eligible to receive one per year. Departments and schools are limited to two nominees per award. Click here for more information and to submit a nomination.

2024 Award Recipients

  • Outstanding Professional Staff Award – Steve Adams
  • Commitment to IDE – Melissa Hauber-Özer
  • Outstanding College Teaching ward – Early Career,Jessica Rodrigues
  • Outstanding College Teaching Award – Lisa Goran
  • Outstanding Graduate Advisor/Mentor – Danielle Oprean
  • Commitment to IDE – Undergraduate Student, Alexandra Hart
  • Commitment to IDE – Graduate Student, Adrianna González Ybarra
  • Commitment to IDE – Staff, Jackie Schneller
  • Outstanding Leadership – Undergraduate, Lucy Barber
  • Outstanding Leadership – Graduate Student, Katherine Graves
  • Outstanding College Teaching – Graduate Student, Shannon Dier
  • Outstanding Research & Scholarship – Graduate Student, Avelina Rivero
  • Outstanding Research & Scholarship – Early Career,Tyler Smith
  • Outstanding Research & Scholarship – Melissa Stormont
  • Outstanding Engagement & Outreach – Internal Award, Stephanie Walter
  • Alumni Outstanding Early Career –  Madeline Licocci, BS Ed `19
  • Alumni Professional Achievement – Christine Koerner, BS Ed `08
  • Honorary Alumni Award – Mike Alden, Retired Mizzou Athletic Director
  • Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award – Kyung Ae Park, M Ed `85, PhD `90
  • Friend of the College – John BS `70 and Deborah Bradley

2023 Award Recipients

  • Friend of the College: Jolene Schulz
  • Alumni Achievement, Lifetime: Kathy Steinhoff
  • Alumni Achievement, Professional: Shawn Woodhouse
  • Alumni Achievement, Early Career: Amanda Minear 
  • Outstanding Engagement & Outreach – External: Eryca Neville
  • Outstanding Engagement & Outreach – Internal: Kale Monk
  • Outstanding Research and Scholarship – Faculty: Erica Lembke
  • Outstanding Research and Scholarship – Faculty, Early Career: Jessica Rodrigues
  • Outstanding Research and Scholarship – Graduate Student: Matthew Ogan
  • Outstanding College Teaching, Faculty: Greg Sullivan
  • Outstanding College Teaching, Faculty, Early Career: Danielle Oprean
  • Outstanding College Teaching, Faculty Advisor/Mentor: Rob Petrone
  • Outstanding College Teaching, Graduate Student: Emily Charvat 
  • Outstanding Student Leadership, Graduate: Hanamori Skoblow 
  • Outstanding Student Leadership, Undergraduate: Allaire Pigg
  • Outstanding Professional Staff: Amy Adam
  • Outstanding Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity, Faculty: Linda Helmick 
  • Outstanding Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity, Graduate Student: Monica Romero
  • Outstanding Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity, Undergraduate Student:Tom Aviram