MU Graduate School Previous Award Winners
Award Winners
Distinguished Dissertation Award
2024: Kanishka Sikligar (Chemistry)
2023: Sarah Borowski (Psychological Sciences)
2022: Cassandra Boness (Psychological Sciences)
2021: Kate Harlin (English)
2020: Karl Kerns (Animal Science)
2019: Angela Haeny (Psychological Sciences)
2018: Youngjae Jeong (Biochemistry)
2017: Paula Hunt (Journalism)
2016: Autumn Dolan (History)
2015: Ilker Ersoy (Computer Science)
2014: Jeongmin Choi (Plant Sciences)*
2013: Eleftherios Michailidis (Microbiology)
2012: Amanda Gilchrist (Psychology)
2011: Andrew Moon (Philosophy)
2010: Jessica Trioilo (Human Development and Family Science)
2009: Brian Kaylor (Communication)
2008: Ali Arab (Statistics)
2008: Candice Morey (Psychology)
2007: Mark Geiger (History)
2007: Vladyslav Yaskin (Mathematics)
2006: Mary Meghan Davidson (Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology)
2005: Jeremy Neely (History)
2004: Laura Rotunno (English)
2003: Seow Ting Lee (Journalism)
2002: Xiaochun Li (Mathematics)
2001: Steven Latta (Biological Sciences)
Dissertation Discipline Awards
2024: Carey Kelley (Humanities & Fine Arts); Joe Viteri (Life Sciences); Rikki Roscoe (Social/Behavioral Sciences)
2023: Zachary Miller (Physical Sciences)
2020: Lisa Groshong (Natural Resources)
2019: Bradley Nullmeyer (Mathematics/Physical Science/Engineering); Megan Schraedley (Humanities); Vinit Shanbhag (Biology and Life Science)
2017: Pamela Ostby, Biological and Life Sciences (Nursing)
2017: Abigail Allen, Social Sciences (Special Education)
2016: Jennifer Hulett, Biological and Life Sciences (Nursing)
2016: Mike Prentice, Social Sciences (Psychological Sciences)
Distinguished Thesis Award
2024: Madison Musich (Psychological Sciences)
2023: Amy Costa (Psychological Sciences)
2022: Jordan Rhodes (Visual Studies)
2021: Nanxi Xu (Psychological Sciences)
2020: Kelly Boland (Psychological Sciences)
2019: Kelsey Irvin (Psychological Sciences)
2018: Olha Kholod (Pathology and Anatomical Science)
2017: Seth Wiesman (Computer Science)
2016: Kira Marshall (Animal Sciences)
2015: Jenna Rice (History)
2014: Zhiyuan Chen (Animal Science)
2013: Sarah Lirley McCune (History)
2012: Kittinun Vantasin (Computer Sciences)
2011: Anna Docherty (Psychology)
2010: Nicole Poythress Waters (Pathobiology Area Program)
2009: Ibrahim Almosallam (Computer Science)
2008: Juliette Paul (English)
2007: Amanda Logan (Anthropology)
2006: Kathleen Carson (Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis)
2005: Jacob Vigil (Psychological Sciences)
2004: Karen Elaine Laird (English)
2003: Rebecca Wilford-Hammett (Geography)
2002: Craig Sullivan (Sociology)
2001: Dorothee Schuetz (German and Russian Studies)
Thesis Discipline Awards
2024: Santiago Beis (Humanities & Fine Arts), Duy Tung Nguyen (Physical Sciences & Engineering)
2023: Madison Imler (Social Sciences)
2016: Colton Ochsner, Humanities and Fine Arts (History)
Donald K. Anderson Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
2024: Madeline Pringle (Communication)
2023: Brittany Wilson (English)
2022: Kanishka Sikligar (Chemistry)
2021: Thomas Jurrissen (Nutrition & Exercise Physiology)
2020: Milla Titova (Psychological Sciences)
2019: Katelyn Harlin (English)
2018: Mike Corcoran (Psychological Sciences) and Chang Su-Russell (Human Development and Family Science)
2017: Luke Russell (Human Development and Family Science)
2016: Hunter Hampton (History)
2015: Hesam Oveys (Mathematics)
2014: Jennifer Wiard (History)
2013: Cassandra Yacovazzi (History)
2012: Claire Schmidt (English)
2011: Steven C. Smith (History)
2010: Rebecca Jacobs-Polley (History), Thomas O’Donnell (Soil, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences)
2009: Tyler B. Jamison (Human Development and Family Science), Emily Rosko (English)
2008: Jennifer Beggs Weber (Sociology), Tiffany Ziegler (History)
2007: Brett Johnson (Theatre), Scott Tobias (Human Environmental Science)
2006: Crystal Frey (Soil, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences)
2005: Ethan Gannaway (Classical Studies), Tracy Kitchel (Agricultural Education)
2004: Scott Burris (Agricultural Education)
2003: Sarah Barnhart (Curriculum and Instruction), Laurie Sonnier (Curriculum and Instruction)
2002: Jason Hans (Human Development and Family Science)
2001: Simon Davies (Statistics), Angela G. Dowell (Textiles and Apparel Management)
Donald K. Anderson Outstanding Graduate Research Assistant Award
2024: Dain Jacob (Nutrition & Exercise Physiology), Mattia D’Acri (Classics, Archaeology & Religion)
2023: Soobin Choi (Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis)
2022: Maryluz Hoyos Ensuncho (Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis)
2021: Mary Moore (Nutrition & Exercise Physiology)
2020: Jorge Martins (Psychological Sciences)
2019: Jermy Kanter (Human Development and Family Science) and Kyle Stiers (Biochemistry)
2018: Jon Cody (Biological Sciences) and Seyed Moein Rassoulinejad Mousavi (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
2017: Anna Lindell (Psychological Sciences)
2016: Andrew Robert Buck (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Cara Streit (Human Development and Family Sciences)
2015: Samantha Heintzelman (Psychological Sciences)
2014: Kenneth Vail (Psychological Sciences)
2013: Mohammad Sherafati (Physics and Astronomy)
2012: Kristen Veum (Soil, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences)
2011: Lindsay Borden (Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology)
2010: Peng Zhuang (Computer Science)
2009: Denise Bouvrette (Genetics Area Program), Jacob Burress (Physics and Astronomy)
2008: Joshua A. Hicks (Psychological Sciences)
2007: James Benson (Mathematics), Tommi White (Biochemistry)
2006: Steven Mullen (Pathobiology Area Program)
2005: Mohan Dasari (Chemical Engineering)
2004: Jason Hans (Human Development and Family Science)
2003: M. Meghan Davidson (Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology)
2002: John Green (Rural Sociology), Jacob Oleson (Statistics)
2001: Joe Simmons (Pathobiology Area Program), Adriana J. Umana (Human Environmental Sciences)
Bies International Discovery Fellowship
2024: Brittany Proffitt (Classics, Archaeology & Religion), Emmanuel Umeh (Learning, Teaching & Curriculum), Michael Limmer (History)
Graduate Faculty Mentor Award
2024: Gary Baker (Chemistry)
2023: Libby King (Biological Sciences), Kristin Schwain (Visual Studies)
2022: Rebecca Hayes (English)
2021: Rocio Rivera (Division of Animal Sciences)
2020: Colleen Colander (Communications)
2019: Tim Vos (Journalism Studies)
2018: Jianguo Sun (Statistics)
2017: Juilija Sukys (English)
2016: Benyamin Schwarz (Architectural Studies)
2015: Jeremy Taylor (Animal Science)
2014: Peter Vallentyne (Philosophy)
2013: Ronald Phillips (Architectural Studies)
2012: Lloyd Barrow (Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum)
2011: Mitchell McKinney (Communication)
2010: Patricia Friedrichsen (Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum)
2009: Sandra Abell (Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum)
2009: Trudy Lewis (English)
2008: Jean Ispa (Human Development and Family Science)
2008: Michael Smith (Animal Science)
2007: Timothy Trull (Psychological Sciences)
2007: Sheryl Tucker (Chemistry)
2006: Mary Heppner (Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology)
2005: Brent Mallinckrodt (Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology)
2004: Rex Campbell (Rural Sociology)
2003: Puncky Heppner (Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology)
2002: Marilyn Colemen (Human Development and Family Science)
Mary Elizabeth Gutermuth Award for Community Engagement
2024: Angel Colón-Santiago (Natural Resources), Farshad Ghasemi (Educational, School & Counseling Psychology), Sophia Piral Lee (Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis), Teja Teppala (Physics & Astronomy), Wenxi Yang (Educational, School & Counseling Psychology)
2023: Tanya Weigand (Social Work), Shannon Dier (Human Development & Family Science), Blessing Okafor (Communication)
2022: Brittany Fatoma (Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis), Heather Heckman-McKenna (English)
2021: Victoria Burnett (Natural Resources); Ifeolu J. David (Health and Rehabilitation Science); McKinzie Duesenberg (School Psychology)
2020: Amnee Elkhalid (Communications)
2019: Teah Monque Hairston (Sociology); Emily Sinnot (Fisheries and Wildlife); Melina Constantine Miseo (Sociology)
Robert N. Epsten Scholarship for International Studies (Truman Good Neighbor Award Foundation)
2024: Michael Limmer (History)
2023: Juhyun Bae (Poligical Science)
2022: Yujin Julia Jung (Political Science)
2020: Michael Wales (Political Science)
Sandra K. Abell Science Education Award
2024: Darah Oxford (Biological Sciences), Victor Sy (Biological Sciences), Teja Teppala (Physics & Astronomy), Eury Speir (Geological Sciences)
2023: Jennifer Amstutz (Biological Sciences)
2022: Glenn Gilyot (Chemistry)
2021: Jade Cooper (Division of Animal Sciences)
2020: Levi Storks (Biological Sciences); Katherine Guthrie (Biological Sciences)
2019: Makenzie Mabry (Biological Sciences)
2018: Arianna Soldati (Geology)
Postdoctoral Research Award
2024: Francisco Ramirez-Perez (Endocrinology)
2023: Ramy H. Mohammed (Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering)
2022: Dunpeng Cai (Surgery)
2021: Alicia Forsberg (Psychological Sciences)
2020: Man Huynh (Plant Sciences)
2019: Hong An (Biological Sciences)
2018: Erkan Osman (Veterinary Pathobiology)
Postdoctoral Teaching Award
2024: Nargiza Buranova (Special Education)
2023: Ferris Lupino (Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
2022: Joseph Gunn (Biological Sciences)
2021: Fiorella Carlos Chavez (Human Development and Family Science)
2020: David Aguayo (Education)
2018: Amy Ruopp (Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum)
Postdoctoral Mentor Award
2024: Scott Peck (Biochemistry)
2023: Paula McSteen (Biological Sciences)
2022: Elizabeth King (Biological Sciences)
2018: Steven Segal (Medical Pharmacology/Physiology)