Early Bird

Congratulations to all the Roadrunners Who Soar

Join us in celebrating outstanding faculty and staff members.

By Lindsey Coulter

April 16, 2019

Outstanding work happens all the time in every corner of the Metropolitan State University of Denver campus, and last week’s inaugural Roadrunners Who Soar award ceremony was an opportunity to celebrate it. The event applauded the teams and individuals who embody our MSU Denver mission and are dedicated to supporting student success. 

Presented by President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., and Provost Vicki Golich, Ph.D., the awards also celebrated the proliferation of Inclusive Leadership across the campus, moving MSU Denver ever closer toward our ultimate goal of becoming the model urban university for opportunity, diversity, excellence and transformation.  

Advising Awards

Outstanding New Advisor: Soj Sirivanchai, retention and success advisor, Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy 

Outstanding Professional Advisor: Joseph Cao, advisor, School of Business 

Outstanding Faculty Advisor Tenured: Lisa Ortiz, professor, Journalism and Media Production 

Outstanding Faculty Advisor Tenure-track: Randi Brazeau, Ph.D., assistant professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Excellence in Online Teaching Award 

Rebecca Cottrell, lecturer, Modern Languages 

Jeff Helton, Ph.D., associate professor and chair, Health Professions 

Applied Learning Center Awards

Exceptional Achievement in Undergraduate Leadership Award: Maureen Flynn, Ph.D., assistant professor, Psychology 

ALC Hall of Distinction Award 2018: Rebecca Trammell, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Professional Studies 

ALC Hall of Distinction Award 2019: Shawn Schafer, Ph.D., chair and professor, Journalism and Media Production 

Open Educational Resources Awards

OER Used in a Course Champion: Andrew Bonham, Ph.D., associate professor and chair, Chemistry

OER Used in a Course Champion: Todd Laugen, Ph.D., professor, History 

OER Promotion on Campus Champion: Alex McDaniel, associate director of Industrial Design; Center for Teaching, Learning and Design 

Overall Excellence Award

Administrator: Eric Silva, scholar advisor, TRiO Student Support Services

Classified: Mary Kay McCue, office manager, Physics

Department Chair: Fordyce Lux III, Ph.D., professor and chair, Biology

Faculty Senate Teaching Excellence Awards

Wendy Gallagher, senior lecturer, Modern Languages

Lisa Hagan, Ph.D., professor, Psychology

Ingrid Carter, Ph.D., associate professor, Elementary Education and Literacy

CADRE+ University Values Awards

Community Engagement — One World, One Water Center: Tom Cech, Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, Nona Shipman and Ale Brown 

Civic Engagement — Bethany Fleck Dillen, Ph.D., professor, Psychology

Access Award — Peer Mentoring Program team: Lunden MacDonald, Ph.D., Camelia Naranjo and Evan Chianese? 

Access Award — Psychology Department Retention Book Club Members: Courtney Rocheleau, Ph.D.; Lisa Hagan, Ph.D.; Greg Singer; Matt?Forcella; Maureen Flynn, Ph.D.; Bethany Fleck Dillen, Ph.D.; Anna Ropp, Ph.D.; Kristy Lyons, Ph.D.; Chris Garris, Ph.D.; Pam?Ansburg, Ph.D.; Christine Good, Ph.D.; Jake Cooney, Ph.D.; Katherine Hill, Ph.D.; Chad Mortensen, Ph.D.; Bill Taylor, Ph.D.; Layton Seth Curl, Ph.D.; Aaron Richmond, Ph.D.; Jovan Hernandez, Ph.D.; Lorraine Kubicek, Ph.D.? 

Diversity and Inclusion Award — Roadrunners First Team: Colleen Toomey, Brandi Scott, Katherine Martinez, Ph.D., Salina Blea, Raquel Jimenez and Samantha Borrego

Respect Award — The CARE Team: Kelli Frank; Dave Haden; Brian Bagwell, Psy.D.; Thomas Ragland; Gail Bruce-Sanford, Ph.D.;  Steven Lee, Ph.D.; Greg Sullivan; Jessica Salazar; Nick Stancil, J.D.; Justin Hauxwell, M.D.; Erica Quintana-Garcia; Corporal Andrew?Pannwitz 

Respect Award — Matt Makley, Ph.D., professor, History; president, Faculty Senate??? 

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award — Brooke Evans, Ph.D., professor, Mathematical and Computer Science, Learning Assistants Program?? 

Effectiveness/Efficiency Award — Sarah Buller, process transformation specialist, University Effectiveness 

Excellence Award — Adam Graves, Ph.D., professor, Philosophy; founder, Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry?? 

Excellence Award — Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., assistant professor of Early Childhood Education? 

HSI Implementation Team Award

Angela R. Marquez, Ph.D., special assistant to the president for HSI, chair? ? 

Work Group 1 – Institutional Infrastructure 

Eric Silva – scholar advisor, TRiO Student Support Services; chair 

Maria Akrabova, Ph.D. – chair and associate professor, Department of Modern Languages 

Miguel Garza Wicker – director of digital strategy; Strategy, Marketing and Communications

Evelynn Guzman de Leon – student retention specialist, College Assistance Migrant Program 

Sarah Harman – executive director, University Effectiveness 

Chalane Lechuga, Ph.D. – associate professor, Chicana/o Studies 

Amanda Miracle - equity specialist, EOC

Adriana Nieto, Ph.D. – associate professor, Chicana/o Studies 

Braelin Pantel – associate vice president Student Engagement and Wellness/Dean of Students 

M. Marina Pereira Ph.D. – associate dean; College of Letters, Arts and Sciences 

Tisha Townsend – scholar advisor, TRiO Student Support Services 

Steve Willich – director, LGBTQ Student Resource Center 

Jeremy VanHooser – diversity coordinator, Office of Diversity and Inclusion 

Work Group 1, Sub Group – Cultural Competence 

Samantha Borrego – advisor; College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; chair 

Horacio Borja-Duran – coordinator of family, Spanish and special programs; Roadways 

Gregor Mieder – coordinator, Immigrant Services Program 

Brandi Scott – director, Center for Equity and Student Achievement 

Katherine Young, Ph.D. – associate professor, School of Education 

Work Group 2 – Pre-K-12 Outreach 

Cynthia Baron – director, Center for Multicultural Excellence and Inclusion; chair 

Maria Bracamontes – program assistant, Modern Languages 

Tayla Dornbush, Ph.D. – education director, Center for Visual Art 

Megan Hughes-Zarzo, Ph.D. – director, Honors Program 

Matthew Jenkins – associate professor, Integrated Media, Art 

Hsiu-Ping Liu, Ph.D. – professor, Biology; director, CO-AMP, Center for Advanced STEM 

Carla Mirabelli – director, Center for Urban Education and TRiO Upward Bound 

Ambrosio Rodriguez-Hernandez – counselor, Admissions 

Luis Sandoval – associate director, Excel 

Work Group 3 – Transfer and Enrollment Management 

Tiffani Baldwin, Ph.D. – coordinator of transfer student success and persistence, Roadways; co-chair 

Courtney Matsumoto – program coordinator, Advanced Manufacturing Sciences Institute; co-chair 

Joshua Gabrielson – associate director of admissions, Transfer Services 

Laura Gorny, Ph.D. – state and federal reporting specialist, Institutional Research 

Bill Herman, Ph.D. – associate dean, College of Business 

Erin Hiltner – associate athletic director for student services, Intercollegiate Athletics 

Deborah A. Horan, Ph.D. – chair and professor, Elementary Education and Literacy, School of Education 

Jennifer Lampe – transfer evaluation supervisor, Registrar 

Connie Sanders – interim registrar, Registrar 

Megan Scherzberg, Ph.D. – director of orientation, transition and retention, Roadways 

Brandy Schooler – prior learning specialist, Registrar 

Vaughn Toland – executive director, Admissions and Outreach, Admissions 

Kim Williams – associate director, Advising Intervention Services 

Work Group 4 – Financial Aid 

Juan Gallegos – assistant director, Center for Multicultural Excellence and Inclusion; co-chair 

Thomas Hernandez – associate director, Financial Aid and Scholarships; co-chair 

Michelle LeBoo – associate director, Financial Aid – Reporting and Communications 

Ariadna Ochoa Magallanes – specialist, Immigrant Services Program 

Thad Spaulding – executive director, Financial Aid and Scholarships 

Gwen Thompson – senior director of development, University Advancement 

Work Group 5 – Policy 

Ally Garcia – director, TRiO Student Support Services; chair 

Ramon Del Castillo, Ph.D. – chair and professor, Chicana/o Studies 

Raquel Jimenez – interim director, College Assistance Migrant Program 

Megan Jones – policy administrator, Office of General Counsel 

Yadira Solis – graduate intern, College Assistance Migrant Program