UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) recognized faculty and staff at its annual awards ceremony, held Dec. 18 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center. Honorees were nominated by IST colleagues and selected by a review committee for their excellence in teaching, research and service.
“Celebrating our amazing faculty and staff is one of my greatest honors as dean,” said Andrea Tapia, dean of the College of IST. “The efforts of these talented individuals have helped make IST what it is today: a leader at the intersection of information, technology and society. I'm so proud of them."
The following faculty, staff and teams were recognized:
IST faculty awards
Faculty Excellence in Research Award
- Amulya Yadav, associate professor
Junior Faculty Excellence in Research Award
- Yubo Kou, Haile Family Early Career Professor in IST
George J. McMurtry Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award
- Megan Costello, associate teaching professor
George J. McMurtry Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award
- Fenglong Ma, assistant professor
IST staff awards
College Support Award
- Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement: Courtney Angstadt, student and employer relations coordinator; Rita Griffith, assistant director, professional development; Melinda Heckman, internship and professional development coordinator; Brianne Lippert, assistant director, corporate engagement; Zoe Meyer, director
- Kevin Wall, IT support specialist supervisor in information technology
Rising Star Award
- Courtney Angstadt, student and employer relations coordinator in career solutions and corporate engagement
- Kaitlin Ladlee, student services assistant in enrollment, engagement and belonging
Dean’s Circle of Excellence Award
- Laura Adams, director of academic operations
IST faculty and staff awards
Community Service Award
- Amy Stever, assistant dean for academic services
Susan B. Lucas Diversity and Equity Award
- Aimee Brown-Shadduck, instructional technology specialist in learning design
Dean’s Honor Award
- Shannon Bishop, chief of staff in the dean’s office
Years of service milestones
The college, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, also recognized individuals who reached service milestones in 2024.
25 years of service to the college
- Guoray Cai, associate professor
- Angela Miller, director of undergraduate recruiting
- Frank Ritter, professor
20 years of service to the college
- Susan Agee, director of undergraduate academic advising
- Tracy Ray, proposal and award generalist for research and graduate affairs
15 years of service to the college
- Edward Glantz, teaching professor and assistant director of master’s programs
- Jeff Rimland, assistant teaching professor
- Dinghao Wu, Dewey Walker Professor in IST
10 years of service to the college
- Laura Adams, director of academic operations
- Christian Alves, IT support specialist for information technology
- David Fusco, associate teaching professor and director of master’s programs
- Stefanie Seasholtz, applications developer for information technology
- Melissa Williams, academic program coordinator in undergraduate academic advising
Five years of service to the college
- Mahir Akgun, assistant teaching professor
- Syed Billah, assistant professor
- Xinning Gui, assistant professor
- Jonathon Hughes, instructional designer for learning design
- Molly Johnson, assistant financial officer in finance and business services
- Vicky Kaltenbach, proposal and award generalist in research and graduate affairs
- Madhavi Kari, assistant director of diversity, equity and inclusion
- Yubo Kou, Haile Family Early Career Professor in IST
- Fenglong Ma, assistant professor
- Lisa Metzger, financial associate in finance and business services
- William Parquette, professor of practice
- Chirs Sebora, lecturer
- Kevin Sylvester, lecturer
- Kimberly Woodward, alumni relations and stewardship officer in development and alumni relations