As part of its ninth annual Academic and Creative Excellence (ACE) Festival, 91¶ĚĘÓƵ held its 17th annual Authors’ Reception and Award Presentation on Thursday. The ceremony, hosted by the Provost’s Office in Old Commons Grounds (University Commons 177), celebrated the university’s Excellence in Teaching Award winners.

The awards honor three outstanding educators who exemplify excellence in teaching across four dimensions: impact on students, effective teaching practices, subject knowledge, and continual growth. This year’s recipients are:

• Dr. Ryan Good (professor or associate professor category)
• Dr. Kathryn Howard-Ligas (assistant professor or instructor category)
• Kevin Carini (adjunct faculty category)

Dr. Ryan Good
Associate professor of urban studies and director of the 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Washington Semester

Professor Good’s teaching extends far beyond the classroom. He invites students into the lived realities of Washington D.C., helping them critically engage issues of race, space, and inequality. His deep knowledge of the region, combined with intentional course design, creates transformative learning experiences. Students describe “eureka moments” that reshape how they understand the world and their place in it. Ryan is reflective in his teaching, constantly refining his approach, and deeply committed to his students’ academic, professional, and personal growth. Simply put, he is the heart of the program.

“Not only does he work hard to prepare lessons that get students to think critically about what they are seeing in the city, he brings the city to them,” a colleague wrote. “They visit key organizations and events so that they can experience the real D.C. and gain deep insights about this city’s issues and how residents are overcoming them.”

“Ryan is enthusiastic about Washington and all the lessons it has to offer young minds,” another colleague wrote. “He loves this place. And he helps students to fall for it as well. A good number of our alums end up staying here afterwards or returning at a later point to live and work here.”

“Ryan would be the first to say that teaching and learning is a dance, and he is only a partner in their process, but I would say that he lays down the right tune and tempo and steps for them to succeed,” wrote another.

Dr. Kathryn Howard-Ligas
Assistant professor of psychology

Students consistently speak to Professor Howard-Ligas’s dynamic presence in the classroom. Her ability to balance interactive learning with deep disciplinary knowledge makes her courses both engaging and accessible. Drawing on her background in theater, she brings energy and clarity to complex psychological concepts. More importantly, she is intentional about connection, ensuring students feel supported, seen, and able to succeed.

“I appreciate the ways Kathryn connects with her students and ensures they have the support they need,” a colleague wrote. “Kathryn has been a great addition to the psychology department and has felt like a steady presence during all the transitions that the psychology department has endured.”

“Dr. Ligas is the most energetic teacher I have ever come across,” a student wrote. “Early morning classes are not for the weak but she speaks with such enthusiasm that it keeps you engaged throughout the class. And I genuinely love how she makes us do a ton of group activities, which to me, are a great way to learn. She also has great mastery over psychology concepts and clears all confusion and doubts with absolute clarity.”

Kevin Carini
Adjunct faculty in natural sciences

Students describe Professor Carini as deeply caring, engaging, and committed to their success. Even in challenging moments, he meets students with understanding and encouragement. His classroom is one of respect and energy, where learning physics becomes interactive, creative, and even joyful. Whether incorporating students into problem-solving or bringing humor into complex concepts, he creates an environment where students feel both challenged and supported.

“He takes time to listen and actually wants to see us succeed,” one student wrote. “In the classroom, he always incorporates the students into learning by writing his own problems with our names in them or making silly noises while crossing out variables to keep us interested and focused. He brings a positive and enthusiastic attitude to the classroom and 91¶ĚĘÓƵ.”

In addition to the teaching awards, Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs, recognized three faculty members who reached significant milestones at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ this year:

• Dr. Hongtao Li has been awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor
• Dr. Timothy Seidel has been promoted to full professor
• Dr. Kristopher Schmidt has been promoted to full professor

Student writing awards

The ceremony recognized recipients of 91¶ĚĘÓƵ’s First-Year Writing Awards, given to first-year students for their “excellent research papers.” The recipients are:

• First place: Ash Dixon for “The Environmental and Economic Effects of Fast Fashion”
• Second place: Monica Ehrenfels for “Assessing the 15-Minute City: Walkability in Modern Urban Spaces”
• Third place (tie): Malia Yoder for “Protecting our Forests: The Fight Against Deforestation” and Joshua Henkel for “AI Among Students”

Student academic awards 

The winners of 91¶ĚĘÓƵ’s student academic awards were also announced at the event. Dr. Michael Horst, dean of Behavioral, Health and Natural Sciences, and the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, presented the awards.

Behavioral, Health and Natural Sciences

• The Judy H. Mullet Award for Psychology Internship Excellence: Hollyn Miller
• The Galen R. Lehman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research in Psychology: Lauren Kauffman and Leah Frankenfield
• Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student: Malachi Peachey-Stoner
• Outstanding Senior Biology Student: Maria Longenecker
• Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research: Maria Longenecker
• Natural Sciences Award for Exceptional Service: Sophia Nguyen and Dulce Shenk Zeager
• Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student: Lisa Zimmerman and Mara Zimmerman
• Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student: Ethan Neufeld 
• Outstanding Senior in Engineering: Levi Stutzman
• Outstanding Senior Environmental Science Student: Madelynn Hamm and Jenna Oostland
• Outstanding Senior in Computer Science: Rebekah Copeland
• Outstanding Senior in Mathematics: Katie Tanous

Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Music

• Outstanding Student in Music: Naomi Kratzer and Eli Stoll
• Excellence in Musical Leadership: Jacob Nissley

Business and Leadership

• Outstanding Business Administration Senior: Sarah Prroj
• Outstanding Business Analytics Senior: Erik Wilkinson
• Outstanding Accounting Senior: Guadalupe Tenorio Ramirez
• Outstanding Achievement Award: Fadi Michael
• Outstanding Marketing Senior: Zazkia De la Vega
• Exceptional Research in Business and Leadership: Roumany Sefin
• Exceptional Service Award: Zazkia De la Vega
• Exceptional Leadership Award: Ben Knutsson

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

• CatiAdele Slater for the dedicated organizing work as a graduate assistant, particularly the D.C. field trip
• Hannah Gilman for the innovative work advancing peacebuilding and conflict transformation tools in education through your practicum
• Toya Fernandez for the innovative work on restorative justice and racial healing, particularly bringing the Sankofa Circles to 91¶ĚĘÓƵ
• Mercy Francis-Harris for your dedicated, thoughtful and quality work in all your classes
• Tyler Stanley for the dedicated work developed in all your classes, particularly PAX 509

Undergraduate Teacher Education

• Virginia Scholars Award in Undergraduate Teacher Education: Arelys Martinez Fabian

Authors’ Reception

The event showcased faculty and student scholarly works published since Jan. 1, 2025. Featured authors included:

Faculty

Ann Schaeffer, associate professor of nursing; James M. Yoder, professor of biology; Bryce Van Vleet, assistant professor of psychology; Mary Ann Zehr, assistant professor of rhetoric and composition; Wendell J. Shank, instructor of Spanish; Carol Grace Hurst, associate professor of social work; David F. Evans, professor of history and intercultural studies; Jacob Alan Cook, assistant professor of Christian ethics; Doug Graber Neufeld, professor of biology; Kathryn Mansfield, adjunct faculty for Center for Justice and Peacebuilding; Stephanie Day Powell, assistant professor of Hebrew bible; Timothy Seidel, associate professor of community and international development; Mark Metzler Sawin, professor of history; Debbi DiGennaro, instructor of social work; Heike Peckruhn, associate professor of religious studies; Jeff Copeland, professor of biology; Paula Ditzel Facci, assistant professor of peacebuilding; Dr. Cherelle Johnson, instructor of business and leadership; Benjamin Bergey, associate professor of music; Mary Sprunger, professor of history; Daniel Showalter, professor of mathematics; Benjamin J. Guerrero, assistant professor of music; and Steven David Johnson, professor of Visual and Communication Arts.

Students

Ash Dixon, first-year psychology major; Monica Ehrenfels, first-year music major; Joshua Henkel, first-year sociology major; and Malia Yoder, first-year natural sciences major; as well as the authors and artists of The Phoenix (2025), which was edited by Alexis Lewis and Zoey Mongold.

First-year student Monica Ehrenfels and junior Micah Wenger, both music and peacebuilding majors, provided music for the authors’ reception.

Photos by Aric Berg and Jon Styer/At Ease Design & Consulting

“This event is about lifting one another up,” said Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development. “Coaches, faculty, staff, and fellow students all took the time to nominate these students for these awards.”

Kyle Remnant, adjunct director of the 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Wind Ensemble, emceed the program. He announced each student’s name, noted who had nominated them, and shared the reason they were selected for each award. Recipients received a $2 Common Grounds Coffeehouse gift card.

And now, the awards…

Academic Champions

This award is for people who excelled academically or contributed significantly to the academic success of others.

Recipients: Leah Palmieri, Thalia Salinas, Ezekiel Awkward, LaToya Fernandez, and Sophia Armato.

Amazing Leadership

This award is for those who provided significant leadership across campus.

Recipients: Alex Belisle, James Powell, Jacob Sankara, Kaylin Ozuna, Marie Spaulding, Arelys Martinez Fabian, and Leah Frankenfield.

Enthusiastic Encouragers

This award is for those who encouraged and supported others in meaningful ways. “I know this isn’t a complete list because I see examples of it all across campus,” Remnant said. “We have so many, and it’s awesome.”

Recipients: Shavia Davis, Alberto Weaver, Lauren Kauffman, Daeman Odom, José Gabriel Meléndez, Hannah Gilman, Kristen Andersen, Esme Martin King, Kiyah Mata, Rosa Martin Fonseca, Leah Frankenfield, and Lawson Kauffman.

Movers and Shakers

This award is for those who helped to shift campus culture for the better.

Recipients: Fiker “Fifi” Yigzaw, the 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Outdoor club, the 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Soccer Club, Malia Bauman, and Leah Beachy. 

Create-Your-Own awards

“There are many things happening on campus that don’t fit into any box we’ve already created,” Remnant said. “So coaches, teachers, and friends made their own awards to better reflect the kind of awesomeness some of our students show.”

Daisy Buller received the I’m Going to Make Myself an Athlete Even if it Kills Me Award in recognition of her commitment to “do everything possible” as a triathlete to make the 2025 NCAA National Championships. “Ten thousand yards of swimming each week, too many 50- to 100-mile bike rides, too much running, and lots of strength sessions led to Daisy placing 12th at East Regionals and leading 91¶ĚĘÓƵ to a sixth place finish at Nationals,” Coach Bob Hepler wrote in his nomination.

Logan Boyd received the Most Valuable Non-SGA Senator Senator Award. “Logan has been an amazing presence in SGA meetings,” wrote an anonymous nominator. “Logan did not run for student government this semester, but has shown up to numerous meetings and provided helpful insight and been a fun presence in meetings.”

Renae Benner and Isaac Greenleaf received the Planetarium Professionals Award from an anonymous nominator. “Renae and Isaac have been working for weeks to keep improving the planetarium in the Suter Science Center, which is not an easy project, and they are killing it,” that person wrote.

Engage Awards

“The moment we’ve all been waiting for all semester long: the 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Engage Awards,” Goss announced. These awards, presented as emu-shaped trophies, were given to the three students who earned the most Engage Points this semester.

Third place (bronze emu) with 41 points: Arleigh Mason
Second place (silver emu) with 44 points: Mara Zimmerman
First place (gold emu) with 46 points: Lisa Zimmerman

For a recording of the ceremony, watch the video embedded below:

Hosted by the Provost’s Office, the 16th annual 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Authors’ Reception and Awards Presentation on Thursday, April 17, recognized and celebrated the winners of the university’s Excellence in Teaching Awards. Professors Chad Gusler, Hannah Ferguson, and Hilary Moore were announced as this year’s recipients.

The award celebrates the outstanding teaching work of faculty in three categories: professors and associate professors, assistant professor and instructors, and adjunct faculty. Recipients were selected based on four criteria: impact on students, effective teaching practices, subject content knowledge, and continual growth, according to Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ, who presented the awards.

“Educating our students is our most important task, and these awards honor faculty members whose teaching not only imparts knowledge, but also transforms lives, embodies our mission and values, and most of all, advances what it means to be part of a peace and justice university,” Willingham said.

Chad Gusler
Associate professor of language & literature

Students remarked on Gusler’s passion for teaching and the creative ways he brings material to life. One student shared: “He captured our attention every day. We read a book that was so thought-provoking that it pushed us all to think beyond what we were used to. He connected the book to olive oil, and we had a tasting with crackers that was fun and interactive. Chad cares so deeply for his students and wants us all to succeed in and out of class.”

Hannah Ferguson
Assistant professor of nursing

Students spoke highly of Ferguson’s impact in the classroom. One student wrote about her ability to connect classroom content to real-life personal experiences, “which allows the material to feel real and not just a lecture slide.” Another student wrote that Ferguson is “always reassuring us of our capabilities as students and future nurses.”

Hilary Moore
Adjunct faculty in criminology and criminal justice

Students wrote passionately about Moore’s teaching abilities. One shared: “Her teaching style is straightforward and clear, ensuring we’re all well-prepared. Her exams are based on class discussions and lecture materials, reinforcing what we’ve learned in a fair and meaningful way.”

Members of the Faculty Senate, which facilitates the nomination and election process for the awards, handed out plaques to the recipients. 

Student writing awards

The ceremony also recognized the winners of the First-Year Writing Awards, which are given to three first-year students for their “excellent research papers,” according to Dr. Mary Ann Zehr, director of the writing & communication program. 

• First place: Nataly Almendarez Funez for “Emotional Intelligence: Influence in Academic Success.” 
• Second place: Luke Buckwalter for “Bombs, Terrorists, and Automobiles: Stories of Tree Resilience Through Tragedy, and the Role of Much Needed Human Intervention.”
• Third place: Leah Blough for “Purls of Wisdom: What Knitters Want to Express.”

Student academic awards

The ceremony also honored the recipients of 91¶ĚĘÓƵ’s student academic awards, which were presented by Daniel Ott, dean of the School of Theology, Humanities and Performing Arts and interim dean of the School of Social Sciences and Professions; and Tara Kishbaugh, dean of the School of Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and Nursing.

Awards for Theology, Humanities and Performing Arts 

• History Student of the Year: Ella Brubaker
• Political Science Student of the Year: Meredith Lehman
• Outstanding Student in Music: Reah Clymer and Cassidy Williams
• Excellence in Music Performance: Thaddeus Jackson
• Excellence in Musical Leadership: Mikayla Pettus

Awards for Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and Nursing 

• Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student: Zoe Clymer and Sophie Nguyen
• Outstanding Senior Biology Student: Meredith Lehman and Elaine Miranda Perez
• Excellence in Undergraduate Research: Aja Laun and Ethan Neufeld
• Natural Science Award for Exceptional Service: Ethan Neufeld and Adesola Johnson
• Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student:  Malachi Peachey-Stoner and Claire Reichenbach
• Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student:  William Bartel and Kate Krabill
• Outstanding Senior in Engineering: Laura Benner
• Special Recognition in Engineering: Adam Stoltzfus
• Outstanding Senior Environmental Science Student: Allysen Welty Peachey
• Outstanding Senior in Computer Science: Kervens Hyppolite
• Outstanding Senior in Mathematics: Sarah Deputy and Marciella Shallomita
• Kryptos Codebreaking Contest winners: Mana Acosta, Laura Benner, and Renae Benner, who were awarded for Turing level achievement
• Judy H. Mullet Award for Psychology Internship Excellence: Rachel Tusing
• Galen R. Lehman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research in Psychology: Sarah Peak

Awards for Social Sciences and Professions

• Exceptional Service and Leadership in Business and Leadership: Caleb Chupp
• Outstanding Recreational and Sport Management Senior: Brendan Apgar
• Outstanding Business Administration Senior: Grace Fravel
• Outstanding Business Analytics Senior and the Leadership Award: Levi Myers
• Outstanding Accounting Senior: Isaac North-Sandel
• Outstanding Economics Senior and Outstanding Achievement in Business and Leadership: Garrett Nyce
• Outstanding Marketing Senior: Eli Ours
• Exceptional Research in Business and Leadership: Laney Cline
• The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding’s Academic Awards for 2025: Hannah Gilman, Josiah Ludwick, Mariana Meksimous, and Jacob Sankara
• The Virginia Scholars Award in Undergraduate Teacher Education: Erika Lopez

Authors’ Reception

In addition to the awards presentation, the event showcased the published scholarly works of faculty, staff, and students from the past two years. Featured faculty authors included: Kirsten Eve Beachy, Benjamin Bergey, Peter Bunton, Martha Green Eads, Paula Facci, Ryan Good, Benjamin Guerrero, Jim Leaman, Gaurav Pathania, Heike Peckruhn, Mark Sawin, Timothy Seidel, Ron Shultz, Andrew Suderman, Paul Yoder, and Mary Ann Zehr. 

91¶ĚĘÓƵ student Jadon Harley performed saxophone music for the reception, which was held in University Commons at the Orie O. Miller Hall of Nations and in the Student Union. 

Thanks to Clay Showalter for assisting with audiovisuals for the event and to the “three Jens”—Jennifer Ulrich, Jennifer North Bauman, and Jen Jones—and Debra Pardini for their role in coordinating aspects of the reception.