Outstanding Undergraduate Award
The School of Education, Health, and Human Services Outstanding Undergraduate Award recognizes the School’s top scholar. To qualify, a student must be a senior who has earned a minimum 3.75 GPA, exhibited a strong master of understanding/performance element in their discipline, and demonstrated a significant service element related directly to their department or program.
Megan Mary Hale
Megan Mary Hale graduated (fall 2023) with a bachelor’s degree in physical education teacher education, with a concentration in adapted physical education, and a 3.8 GPA. Currently, she works at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired as a float teaching assistant. She plans on getting her master’s degree in education for the blind and visually impaired. Megan’s goal is to instruct her students on how to embrace their conditions and use their skills to become healthy and successful movers in society. She believes that sports and education are for everyone, no matter the ability level. She has proven that with her degree and through her athletics such as track & field, swimming, and the Ironman. Megan is the second blind female to finish the Ironman World Championship.
Outstanding Graduate Award
The School of Education, Health, and Human Services Outstanding Graduate Award is presented to an outstanding graduate student who is matriculated in a program leading to a master’s degree, a doctoral degree or certificate of advanced study. The recipient must have a minimum GPA of 3.85 and have made significant contributions to the profession and/or to the community in the field of graduate discipline (e.g. scholarly publication, leadership in the field, or outstanding clinical performance).
Megan Derry
Megan Derry is completing her Master of Public Health with a 3.97 GPA. In 2017, she graduated from SUNY Brockport with a baccalaureate degree in health science, with a concentration in alcohol and substance abuse and a minor in psychology. After graduating in 2017, Megan worked as a methadone counselor in Pittsburgh, PA, but returned home to Brockport, NY, and worked for Rochester Regional Health as an outpatient addiction therapist. When she started pursuing her master’s degree, she changed her career path. Now, Megan works for the University of Rochester as a senior residency administrator, coordinating undergraduate and graduate medical education programs in neurology. She also is interning with the Center for Community Health and Prevention, an affiliate of the University of Rochester, in the Promote HEALTH program. Megan is excited to see where her degree will take her professionally. She hopes to play a role in change for a healthier community and to address the root causes contributing to physical and mental health issues that affect so many individuals. She intends to support her community in achieving their highest potential — to live healthy and happy lives.
Departmental Scholar Awards
The Departmental Scholar Awards that follow are presented in recognition of outstanding achievement within the academic majors. Although award criteria differ among departments, faculty from each academic major nominate and select the Departmental Scholar based on performance in the classroom, scholarly activity outside the classroom, and commitment to the discipline and/or profession.
| Department | Recipient |
|---|---|
|
ADDICTIONS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH |
Allison Smith |
|
CONSUMER HEALTH |
Aleda Moon |
|
EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT |
Sylvia Rooney |
|
EXERCISE SCIENCE |
Sarah Pieniaszek |
|
HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION |
Paul Mattice |
|
KINESIOLOGY |
Ava Sheedy |
|
NURSING |
Hannah Rosipayla |
|
PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER EDUCATION |
Brooke Wolff |
|
PUBLIC HEALTH |
Sarah Phillips |
|
RECREATION, THERAPEUTIC RECREATION, AND TOURISM |
Taylor Weber |
|
SOCIAL WORK |
Alexis Fox |
|
SPORT MANAGEMENT |
Patrick Smith |