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Graduate Awards

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Graduate Awards

Graduate Awards

The philosophy department holds yearly awards for its graduate students to recognize outstanding Research, Teaching, and Service. A jury made up of both faculty and students decides on the recipients. The nomination period typically opens in January and runs until February 25th of each year. Undergraduate students are encouraged to nominate graduate instructors. Following this period, anyone who has been nominated can submit a formal application. For more information, refer to Awards Information and Nomination Form.

To view the Penn State University and College of the Liberal Arts Graduate Student Awards Information please visit the Awards Information Page

2024 Graduate Award Winners

Daniel Calzedillas-Rodriguez
Daniel Calzadillas, Excellence in Service
Tiesha Cassel
Tiesha Cassel, Excellence in Teaching, Mellon Just Transformations Dissertation Fellowship Award
Andrew Domzal
Andrew Domzal, Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award, Mellon Just Transformations Dissertation Fellowship Award
Corinne Lajoie
Corinne Lajoie, Alumni Association Dissertation Award
Julianne Mann
Julianne Mann, Denise Haunani Solomon Outstanding Teaching Award for Graduate Students, Dissertation Award—Research and Graduate Studies Office, Sparks Fellowship Award
Michelle Meeks
Michelle Meeks, Excellence in Service, Mellon Just Transformations Dissertation Fellowship Award
Gerald Nelson Jr.
Gerald Nelson, Jr., Sparks Fellowship Award
Marie-Anne Perreault
Marie-Anne Perreault, Kockelmans Outstanding Achievement Award
Iziah Topete
Iziah Topete, Denise Haunani Solomon Outstanding Teaching Award for Graduate Students
Jules Wong
Jules Wong, Excellence in Research, Forrest S. Crawford Graduate Fellowship in Ethical Inquiry

2023 Graduate Award Winners

Erika Grimm, Excellence in Teaching
Zinhle ka’Nobuhlaluse, Excellence in Teaching
Jules Wong, Excellence in Service
Ashley Lamarre, Excellence in Research
Susanna Zhang, Excellence in Research
Maria Bermudez, Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award
Sarah Carey, Denise Haunani Solomon Outstanding Teaching Award
Iziah Topete, Kockelmans Outstanding Achievement Award

2022 Graduate Award Winners

Mérédith Laferté-Coutu, Excellence in Research and Penn State Alumni Association Dissertation Award
Kevin Cedeño-Pacheco, Excellence in Research
Julianne Mann, Excellence in Teaching
Maria Bermudez, Excellence in Teaching
Sarah Carey, Excellence in Service
Cynthia Marrero-Ramos, Martin Award
Jerome Clarke, Denise Haunani Solomon Outstanding Teaching Award for Graduate Students
Corinne Lajoie, Raymond E. Lombra and Roberta Lombra Outstanding Graduate Research Award

2021 Graduate Award Winners

Corinne Lajoie, Excellence in Research
Cynthia Ramos, Excellence in Teaching
Jerome Clarke, Excellence in Teaching
Ashley Lamarre, Excellence in Service
Nicole Yokum, Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award
Kevin Cedeño-Pacheco, Joseph J. Kockelmans Award for Outstanding Achievement

2020 Graduate Award Winners

Mercer Gary
Mercer Gary accepted the Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Award in Research.
Nicole Yokum
Nicole Yokum accepted the Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Award in Teaching.

Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Awards:

Mercer Gary, Excellence in Research — with an Honorable Mention to Corinne Lajoie
Nicole Yokum, Excellence in Teaching
Tiesha Cassel, Excellence in Service — with an Honorable Mention to Ashley Lamarre

Corinne Lajoie
Corinne Lajoie received an Honorable mention for Excellence in Research
Ashley Lamarre
Ashley Lamarre received an Honorable mention for Excellence in Service.

2019 Graduate Award Winners

Nicole Yokum
Nicole Yokum accepted the Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Award in Service.
Michael "Rawb" Leon-Carlyle
Michael "Rawb" Leon-Carlyle accepted the Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Award in Teaching.

Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award:

Tano Posteraro

Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Awards:

Tiffany Tsantsoulas, Excellence in Research
Michael “Rawb” Leon-Carlyle, Excellence in Teaching
Nicole Yokum, Excellence in Service

2018 Graduate Award Winners

College of the Liberal Arts STAR Award:

Daniel Smith

Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award:

Kristopher Klotz

Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Awards:

Emma Velez, Excellence in Research
Samuel Gault, Excellence in Teaching
Eyo Ewara, Excellence in Service

2017 Graduate Award Winners

2017GradStudentAwardWinners
Graduate Award Winners William Paris (left) and Edward O'Byrn (right) pose with fellow grad student Emma Velez

College of the Liberal Arts STAR Award:

Daniel Smith

Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award:

William Paris
Edward O’Byrn

Department of Philosophy Graduate Student Awards:

Romy Opperman, Excellence in Research
Kristopher Klotz, Excellence in Teaching 
Tiffany Tsantsoulas, Excellence in Service