AOFYE Award and Research Grant Recipients

Excellence Awards and Research Grant Recipients

2019 Award and Grant Winners:

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Haley Finerman – University of Southern California

2017 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner 
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition 
Nina Daoud – University of Maryland, College Park 
“Portraits of the (In)visible: Examining the Interactions of Race, Religion, and Gender for Black Muslim Women in College”

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Danielle Bestfelt - Bellarmine University

Outstanding Graduate Student
John Gettemeyer - Fort Hays State University

Outstanding New Professional
Cara Wiebel - University of Iowa

Outstanding Experienced Professional (5-10 years)
Niki Fjeldal - Pace University

Outstanding Program/Project
Hispanic College Institute (HCI) - Fort Hays State University

2016 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Amber Manning-Ouellette, Ph.D. (Iowa State University)
A WiSE Approach: How Service-learning Effects First-Year STEM Women

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Joe Patzelt - Bellarmine University   

Outstanding Graduate Student
Jacob Patrick - Fort Hays State University

55th Anniversary Award
Michael A Post - Mount St. Mary's University

Outstanding New Professional
Gena Alfonso - Colorado State University-Pueblo

Outstanding Experienced Professional (11+ years)
Karen Homolka - Illinois College

Outstanding Program/Project
Venture Camp: Base Camp - Texas A&M University  

2015 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Victoria Svoboda (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse), Sergio Perez (University of Wisconsin-River Falls), & Megan LaFontaine (University of Wisconsin-River Falls)
Affirming Familial Support Systems for Multicultural Students

Oustanding Undergraduate Student
Nico Bartulski - Portland State University

Oustanding Graduate Student
Monica Hanna - Rutgers University

Outstanding New Professional
Alexandra Robie - University of Arizona

Outstanding Experienced Professional (5-10 years)
Jody Burke - Marine Institute of Memorial University

Outstanding Experienced Professional (11 years or more)
R. Jason Cottrell - North Carolina Central University

Outstanding Program/Project
Faces of #NYUWelcomeWeek - New York University

Outstanding Collaborative Initiative
Engaged Living Program - Furman University 

2014 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Elizabeth Stoll Turton - Miami University of Ohio
First Generation Students at a Four Year Residential Institution: Navigating Home and School

Oustanding Undergraduate Student
Amanda Picket - Friends University

Outstanding New Professional
Emily Krechel - UC Berkeley

Outstanding Experienced Professional (5-10 years)
Edward Wright - Mount St. Mary's University

Outstanding Experienced Professional (11 years or more)
Michael Post - Mount St. Mary's University

Outstanding Program/Project
Supplemental Orientation Program for LGBTQ Students - Rutgers University

Outstanding Collaborative Initiative
Privateer Plunge - University of New Orleans

2013 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Melissa Korduner - Louisiana State University
An Extended Orientation Program’s Impact on Student Satisfaction and Retention

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Lucia Sanchez - University of Idaho

Outstanding Graduate Student
Alyssa LaPatriello - Rutgers University

Outstanding New Professional
Brandy Propst - University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Outstanding Experienced Professional (5-10 years)
Melissa Korduner - Louisiana State University

Outstanding Experienced Professional (11 or more years)
Janelle Simmons - North Carolina Central University

Outstanding Program/Project
Dual Degree Program - Governors State University

Outstanding Collaborative Initiative
Schedule for Success - University of Arizona

2012 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Lauren Schudde
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Making It to the Second Year: How Financial Constraints and Daily Experiences During the First Year of College Impact Persistence for Low-Income Students

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Luke Bretscher

Outstanding Graduate Student
Courtney Holder

Outstanding New Professional
Tricia Kennedy

Outstanding Experienced Professional (5-10 years)
Patty Witkowsky

Outstanding Experienced Professional (more than 10 years)
Dr. Henrietta Harris

Oustanding Collaborative Initiative
American University

2011 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Annemarie Vaccaro and Barbara Newman
University of Rhode Island
How First-Year Students from Under-Represented Groups Develop a Sense of Belonging

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Andrew Dinett - The University of New Orleans

Outstanding New Professional
Natalie Gempesaw-Pangan - American University

Outstanding Experienced Professional (4-10 years)
Amy Arbino-Wylie - Northern Kentucky University

Outstanding Project/Program
The One Project - University of Maryland-College Park

Outstanding Collaborative Initiative
The Student Success Program - Guilford College

2010 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winners
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Jennifer Hodges and Christopher Tankersley
University of Akron
An Orientation Leader Training Course as a Catalyst for Self-Authorship Development

Outstanding Undergraduate Students
Jon Buchalski - Rutgers University

George Anthony King - University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Outstanding Graduate Student
Matt Skirven - The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Outstanding New Professional
Danielle Morgan - Salem State College

Outstanding Experienced Professional
AnnMarie Williams - University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Outstanding Project/Program
The Super Fantastic Ultra Extreme Rutgers Challenge - Rutgers University

Outstanding Collaborative Initiative
Student Access, Transition and Success Programs - Purdue University

2009 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Dr. Jan Lloyd
University of South Florida Polytechnic
Transfer Orientation: Are Online Orientations Effective?

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Brett Hornsby - University of New Orleans

Outstanding Graduate Student
Halston Campagna - Purdue University

Outstanding New Professional
Maria Duckett - Hofstra University

Outstanding Experienced Professional
Betsy O. Barefoot - Policy Center on the First Year of College

2008 Award and Grant Winners:

AOFYE Research Grant Award Winner
Co-Sponsored with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Sara Connolly, Ph.D 
Kaplan University
New Student Orientation in Online Education

Outstanding Undergraduate Student
Katherine Young - Northern Illinois University

Outstanding Graduate Student
Michael Mason - Kent State University

Outstanding New Professional
Bart A. Swecker - University of Alabama at Birmingham

Outstanding Experienced Professional
Aja Holmes - Georgetown University