News and Information
Students Recognized with Graduate Dean's Citation Awards
April 23, 2021
The Graduate School has the great pleasure to honor individuals who have distinguished themselves in graduate education at Grand Valley State University. The Dean’s Citation Awards for Academic Excellence are given to recognize the accomplishments of our students and faculty.
The Dean’s Citation Awards recognize excellence in academic performance in several categories. Graduate students are nominated for these awards by staff or faculty members, advisors, graduate program directors, and departmental chairs or school directors. The Dean of the Graduate School reviews the nominees and approves the final selection.
Grand Valley State University is extremely proud of the accomplishments of these graduate students and graduate faculty members. Congratulations to all!
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN THE DEGREE PROGRAM
Seidman College of Business
Logan S. Pauli, Master of Business Administration
College of Community & Public Service
Chase Skyler Christenson, Master of Science in Criminal
Justice
Michelle L. Vogel, Master of Health Administration
Andrea C. Gordon, Master of Social Work
College of Education
Alexandra Janice Evans, Master of Education in School Counseling
(In-Person)
Rachel D. Hamilton, Master of Education in School
Counseling (Online)
Padnos College of Engineering & Computing
Collin C. Beaudoin, Master of Science in Applied Computer
Science
Omar R. Malik, Master of Science in Data Science and
Analytics
Ganga Thapa, Master of Science in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics
College of Health Professions
Colleen Conroy Benoit, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Harriet
Bird, Master of Public Health
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Maria N. Weston, Master of Science in Biology
Emily H. Dorn,
Master of Science in Biostatistics
Alexandria Nicole Thompson,
Master of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology
Cordell A.
Zachery, Master of Science in Communications
Alexis N. Thurber,
Master of Science in School Psychology
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Desiree N. Palmer, Doctor of Nursing Practice
OUTSTANDING MASTER’S THESIS
Padnos College of Engineering & Computing
Dawn Janeen Zuidema, Master of Science in Engineering
Thesis
Title: Assess Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Algorithm(s)
Effectiveness for Partial Shading Conditions
Thesis Committee: Dr.
Heidi Jiao (Chair) – School of Engineering, Dr. Nicholas Baine –
School of Engineering, Dr. Karl Brakora – School of Engineering
OUTSTANDING FINAL PROJECT
Seidman College of Business
Belinda M. Boorsma, Master of Business Administration
Project Title: Navigating a Successful Merger
Project Advisor: Dr.
Leslie Lynch – Department of Management
College of Community & Public Service
David A. Misiuk, Master of Health Administration
Project
Title: Sustainability Measures in West Michigan Hospitals
Project
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Higbea – School of Public, Nonprofit, and Health Administration
Mariekie Everett Barone, Master of Social Work
Project
Title: The Association Between Religiosity and Psychological
Well-Being of Master of Social Work Students
Project Advisor: Dr.
Joshua Bishop – School of Social Work
College of Education
Callie L. Youngman, Master of Education in Educational
Leadership
Project Title: Using an Integrative Framework to
Address Teacher Workforce Engagement in LGBTQ - Supportive Policies
and Interventions
Project Advisor: Dr. Catherine Meyer-Looze –
College of Education
Nicole K. Durso, Master of Education in Literacy Studies
Project Title: Leading the Way Toward Culturally Responsive NGSS
Instruction
Project Advisor: Dr. Nagnon Diarrassouba – College of Education
Padnos College of Engineering & Computing
Ryan T. DeMeester, Master of Science in Engineering
(Manufacturing Operations)
Project Title: Real Time Production
Scheduling of SAP B1 using Ignition Software for Plascore Inc
Value-Add Product Line
Project Advisor: Dr. Lindsey Corneal –
School of Engineering
M.M. Suvro Shahriar, Master of Science in Engineering (Product
Design & Manufacturing)
Project Title: Investigation of the
Causes of Variabilities in the Cuff-Dipping Process of Mandrels at a
Medical Device Manufacturing Facility
Project Advisor: Dr. Shabbir
Choudhuri – School of Engineering
Jigyasha Timsina, Master of Science in Health Informatics and
Bioinformatics
Project Title: Comparative Analysis of Machine
Learning Algorithms’ Ability to Predict In-hospital Mortality in
Myocardial Infarction Patients
Project Advisor: Dr. Guenter Tusch
– School of Computing and Information Systems
College of Health Professions
The Department of Physical Therapy has selected a group for this
semester’s Outstanding Final Project Award.
Mikaela G. Harless, Kyra A. Lauzon, and Jill R. Wamhoff, Physical
Therapy
Project Title: Roll Maneuvers Versus Sidelying Maneuvers
for Geotropic Horizontal Canal BPPV: A Systematic Review
Project
Advisor: Dr. Bonni Kinne – Department of Physical Therapy
Megan R. Gross, Master of Public Health
Project Title:
Bridging the Gap: Reducing Hospital Readmission Rates Among Heart
Failure Patients
Project Advisor: Dr. Heather Wallace – Department
of Public Health
College of Liberal & Arts and Sciences
Jordan J. Veldboom, Master of Science in Cell and Molecular
Biology
Project Title: Single-Cell multi-Omics: Marketing vs.
Reality
Project Advisor: Dr. Tim Triche – Van Andel Institute
Patrick D. Anderson, Master of Science in Communications
Project Title: “It’s Not Easy to do a Wikileaks”: A Cypherpunk
Approach to Global Media Ethics
Project Advisor: Alex Nesterenko
– School of Communications
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Mary D. Chenge, Doctor of Nursing Practice
Project Title:
Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Home Based Primary
Care
Project Advisor: Dr. Dianne Conrad – Kirkhof College of Nursing
OUTSTANDING PUBLICATION
College of Community & Public Service
Alyssa N. McCord, Master of Science in Criminal Justice
First
Publication Title: Taking the Field: The Deleterious Effects of
Anti-LGBTQ Discrimination on Students: A Backdrop for a Discussion of
Title IX’s Application to Individuals with LGBTQ Identities
Second
Publication Title: Rounding the Basis: Analyzing and Applying Title
IX’s Prohibition on Sex-Based Discrimination to Discrimination Against
Individuals with LGBTQ Identities
Co-Author: Dr. Joshua Sheffer –
School of Criminal Justice
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Jasmine L. Mancuso, Master of Science in Biology – Annis Water
Resources Institute
Publication Title: Bloom and Bust: Multi-year
variability in phytoplankton blooms
Co-Authors: Anthony Weinke –
Annis Water Resources Institute, Ian Stone – Annis Water Resources
Institute, Dr. Sarah Hamsher – Annis Water Resources
Institute/Department of Biology, Dr. M. Megan Woller-Skar – Department
of Biology, Dr. Eric Snyder – Department of Biology, and Dr. Bopaiah
Biddanda – Annis Water Resources Institute
EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OR PROFESSION
College of Community & Public Service
Kathryn L. Beemer, Master of Public Administration
Lizette
Trejo, Master of Social Work
College of Education
Alexis Pauline Joseph, Master of Education in School Counseling
College of Health Professions
Alexis V. Van Dusen, Doctor of Physical Therapy
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Megan T. Sanders, Master of Science in Biology
Alisha Babu,
Master of Cell and Molecular Biology
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Lee Diener, Doctor of Nursing Practice
EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO GVSU
College of Community & Public Service
Lucas Michael Zhou, Master of Health Administration
Kelli J.
Dykstra, Master of Public Administration
Traci N. Trainor, Master
of Social Work
College of Health Professions
Rachel M. Bartley, Doctor of Physical Therapy
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology has selected a group
for this semester’s Excellence in Leadership and Service to GVSU.
Thomas M. Goralski, Gayatri Mandar Pingle, Niranjan Pokhrel,
Sarah Rahmann, and Farrukh Ahmed Siddiqui, Master of Science in Cell
and Molecular Biology
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Megan A. Buchman, Doctor of Nursing Practice
PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT GVSU
College of Community & Public Service
LaShawntelle L. Carson-Pops, Master of Social Work
College of Health Professions
Brittany N. Sugg, Doctor of Physical Therapy
EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY
College of Community & Public Service
David A. Misiuk, Master of Public Administration
College of Health Professions
Sierra H. Reece, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Sabrina S.
Sharif, Master of Public Health
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Rutendo Nyasvisvo, Doctor of Nursing Practice
3-MINUTE THESIS COMPETITION: 2021 First Place Winner
The Graduate School hosted GVSU’s sixth annual 3-Minute Thesis
(3MT) competition virtually on February 10, 2021. Students presented
their independent research in exactly three minutes with the aid of
one static PowerPoint slide. A panel of faculty judges from a
variety of disciplines at GVSU determined the winner.
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Darby R. Disselkoen, Doctor of Nursing Practice
Presentation
Title: Teen Risk: The Provider's Responsibility?
Advisor: Dr.
Dianne Slager