Anna Maria College held its annual Academic and Leadership Awards ceremony on the evening of May 5th. Unlike years past, the 2021 event was held both in-person (with proper Covid protocols) and virtually, so that all award recipients and their families were able to participate in this time-honored evening.
Awards were bestowed upon students in recognition of their academic excellence; their commitment to social justice and peace; and involvement in programs and activities that reinforce the mission upon which Anna Maria College was founded. You may view a recording of Anna Maria College’s Academic and Leadership Awards Ceremony if you were unable to attend this event.
Honor Society Introductions
Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society for Education, presented by Shelie Wells, Instructor of Education/Field Placement Coordinator
Student Inductees: Bailey Gray, Jacqueline Howlett, Hannah Larkin, Adriana Villa Perez
Sigma Beta Delta, International Honor Society for Business, presented by Dr. Elzbieta Manos, Director of Academic Projects and Associate Professor of Business; and Linda Nolin, Professor of Practice in Business, Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs, Director of Industrial Psychology Program
Student Inductees: Noah Holland, Hayden Braga, Madelyn Gannon, Brody McDougal, Gage Garcia, Christopher Vacarelo, Dario Tarquinio
Phi Alpha, National Honor Society for Social Work, presented by Kelly Sullivan, MSW, LICSW, Bachelor of Social Work Program Director and Director of Study Abroad
Student Inductees: Carli Y. Boudreau, Erlin Nelson, Carmen J. Troncoso, Cassparina J. Carlson, Sharon Vincent, Meaghan R. Walsh
Alpha Phi Sigma, National Honor Society for Criminal Justice, presented by Michael Stevens, MCJA, Director of the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Program; and Regina Sanderson, Program Director
Student Inductees: Katherine Heffernan, Ashley Lopez, Scott Merrell, Eric Steeves
Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society Iota Phi Chapter-at-Large, presented by Dr. Karin Ciance, DNP, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing
Student Inductees: Tyler Benjamin, Kaylee Mihya Besse, Lauren Burns, Madelyn Rose Hill, Wasfa Jaffri, Yvonne Lamptey, Alexandra Lewandowski, Stephanie LoCasio, Jessica V. A. Salles, Karleen Shorette
Sigma Tau Delta, National Honor Society for English, presented by Dr. Lisa LeBlanc, Associate Professor
Student Inductees: Audhinn Pelletier, Tyler Perron
Academic Awards
The Mary Smith Grout Award in Fine Arts
Bestowed upon a full time student who is a junior and has taken all or the majority of his/her courses on campus; has an overall GPA of 3.2 and 3.4 or higher in his/her major; has demonstrated consistent effort and major improvement overall in his/her artist or musical talent; has demonstrated consistent effort and major improvement in the ability to write and think critically.
Award Winner: Matthew Waite (Graphic Design)
The Richard P. Talbot, Ph.D. award
The Richard P. Talbot, Ph.D. Award is named for a beloved Emeritus faculty member of Anna Maria College. A man who was an inspiration to all. Dr. Talbot was a person who not only focused on the strengths of others, he helped others to find their strength from within. Inside and out of the classroom, he consistently demonstrated, through thought and deed, his dedication to the mission of the College and, in particular, his commitment to social justice and peace. Bestowed in the spirit of the Anna Maria College Value of Justice and Peace, this award is presented to a junior or senior student, who is in good academic standing, and who shows a commitment to social justice and peace. Nominations for this award are submitted by the student body with the final selection determined by a faculty panel. The award is presented to a student who is recognized as exemplifying the ideals set forth by the Sisters of Saint Anne.
Award Winner: Ashley Lopez (Criminal Justice)
Academic Achievement Award
Presented to a senior who has excelled academically, reflected by his/her GPA and academic/relative contributions to their program.
Award Winners: Noah Holland (Business Administration); Bradley Sampson (Music Education); Krystal Melendez (Music Therapy)
Outstanding Achievement in a Professional Field of Study Award
Presented to a student (or group of students) who shows a commitment and early promise in his/her field of study. He/she has made meaningful contributions to his/her field through an event, paper, presentation, performance or study outside of the classroom.
Award Winners: Sabrina Gabriele (Art Therapy); Katelin Copithorne (Digital Marketing)
Mission Award
The College Mission Committee sponsors the Annual Sr. Doris Gagnon Mission and Values Essay Contest focusing on one of the values of the mission. This year’s value has been Justice and Peace.
Award Winner: Justin McLeod, Class of 2024.
Program of the Year
Consistent with Anna Maria’s vision of excellence both in and beyond the classroom, this award is given in recognition of one such highly successful and impactful program within the Anna Maria community. These programs were nominated by students and the winner chosen by student votes.
Nominated programs were:
- Program and Activities Counsel (PAC) Spring Week
- PAC Stuffed Animals
- Firebringer, a production by the Drama Club
- BSU Block Party
Award Winner: PAC Spring Week
Organization of the Year
This award recognizes the College or Student Government Association (SGA) recognized organization that has made a significant contribution to the College and student body through service, programming, and activities. The recipient has demonstrated a fulfillment of its organizational mission through its programming and activities. The organization shows that it embodies and instills Anna Maria’s core values. These clubs and organizations were nominated by students and the winner was decided by student votes.
Nominated organizations were:
- Program and Activities Counsel (PAC)
- Drama Club
- AMCAT Cheerleading
Award Winner: PAC
The Andrew T. McCarthy Jr., Ph.D. Award
This award is named for a beloved faculty member of Anna Maria College who was an inspiration to all. Inside and outside of the classroom, he consistently demonstrated, through thought and deed, his dedication to the mission of the College, the College community, and especially our students. Bestowed in the spirit of the Anna Maria mission, this award is voted on by the student body and is presented to a current staff, faculty member, or administrator who is recognized as exemplifying the ideals set forth by the Sisters of Saint Anne.
Nominees:
- Julianne Ferron
- Laurie Hickey
- Theresa Gerdhardt
Award Winner: Julianne Ferron
John F. Kennedy Awards
Presented in the spirit of JFK’s famous quote “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” This award is presented to one student from each class who is in good standing academically and who shows a sense of respect for oneself and for others by building community and fostering opportunities for inclusion and student engagement. These students were nominated by their peers and chosen by student votes.
Award Winners: Jillian Zeena, Class of 2024; Giselle Domantay, Class of 2023; Peter Walsh, Class of 2022; and Carl St. Paul, Class of 2021.
Faculty Accomplishments
Consistent with Anna Maria’s vision of excellence both in and out of the classroom, and in recognition of our teacher scholars, we are proud to highlight some of the scholarly accomplishments completed over the past year.
Dr. Karin Ciance:
- “Protect yourself from Peril” – published (February 2020) Nursing for Women’s Health Journal 24 (1) 63-64
- Poster Presentation: “Increasing Awareness of Occupational Health Nursing for Baccalaureate Nursing Students” – Sigma Region 15 Nursing Research Symposium at Plymouth State University (presented virtually)
- Received the “Nursing Professor of the Decade Award” from the International Association of Top Professionals
- Received the “Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award” from Marquis Who’s Who.
Professor Linda Marie Nolin:
- Founded the Anna Maria College Global Business Club (2021) to create and mentor ethical leaders who will inspire and provide service to the community
Dr. John Pratico:
- “The Correlation Between Grit and Leadership” (2021) Black Sea Journal of Management and Marketing, by J. Pratico, J. Price, J. Samborowski LJ.
Professor Darrell Matsumoto:
- On The Edge, international juried photography exhibition, juror Michael Itkoff, Co-founders of Daylight Books, The Art League Gallery, Pawtucket, RI
- In God We Trust: Reflections on Religion in America, national juried all media exhibition, juror Nezka Pfeifer, Curator of the Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum; Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, MO; Hera Gallery, Wakefield, RI
- One of a Kind, 13 artists selected by 13 curators, Schiltkamp Gallery, Clark University, Worcester, MA
Dr. Craig Blais:
Moon News (2021) University of Arkansas Press; Craig’s second published book of poetry was a finalist for the Miller Williams Prize
Dr. Marc Tumeinski:
- Joined the Global Education Committee of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative (2020)
- Invited to join the Catholic Schools Board for the Diocese of Worcester (2021)
- “The Gift of Peace; The Church and Christians with Impairments”; Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society.
- “Sent into Exile: The Divine Call to Practice Diaspora”; The Heythrop Journal 61 (1), 70-81 (2020)
