College Announces Dean's Challenge Award Winners

College Announces Dean's Challenge Award Winners

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has announced fourteen student winners of the 2018-19 Dean’s Challenge Awards. These awards recognize students, both graduate and undergraduate, who have excelled while making academically challenging choices in their education. The recipients of the awards receive a stipend, funded by the generosity of friends of the college, to assist with their educational expenses.

For 2018-19, the college’s Dean’s Challenge Award winners are:

Doctoral degree candidates

  • Joshua Catalano - History
  • L. Caitlin Kanewske – Criminology, Law and Society
  • Ally Patterson – Psychology, Applied Developmental Concentration
  • Caitlin Turpyn – Psychology, Clinical Concentration

 Master's degree candidates

  • Kristin Carpenter – Psychology, Applied Developmental Concentration
  • Jennifer Pocai – MAIS, Higher Education Concentration

Bachelor's degree candidates

  • Madeline Brawley, Psychology,
  • Dejza Brower, Global Affairs
  • Nikaela Busekrus, History
  • Isaias Cruz, Religious Studies
  • Fatma Gdoura, Economics
  • Sonakshi Negi, Psychology
  • Bennett Shoop, Integrative Studies
  • Aryelle Young, Creative Writing

Shannon Davis, the college’s interim senior associate dean, applauded the awardees. “This award recognizes those students demonstrating excellence in the classroom while making challenging academic choices,” she says. “It is exciting to see the research of consequence, entrepreneurial projects, and transformative partnerships that our students are undertaking – all while maintaining the highest of academic standards.”

Vita Vock, the college’s associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs, highlighted the contributions of the undergraduate awardees. “These students have established themselves as leaders at Mason and in the local area, demonstrating the breadth of ways innovative learning strengthens both our students and our community.”

The awardees were honored at a lunch with Interim Dean Robert Matz, Interim Senior Associate Dean Davis, and Associate Dean Vock in May.