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History of the Inspiration Awards

Previous Inspiration Award Recipients

Spring 2024 Recipients

Professional Achievement

Dr. Jonathan Choti, Michigan State University
Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, Languages and Cultures

Student Leader

Nupur Huria, Undergraduate Student

Maren Nicolaysen, Undergraduate Student

Community Engagement

Dr. Leonora Souza Paula, Michigan State University
Assistant Professor, Department of English

Culture of Empowerment

Dr. Tama Hamilton-Wray, Michigan State University
Associate Professor, Residential College in the Arts and Humanities

Dr. Sitara Thobani, Michigan State University
Associate Professor, Residential College in the Arts and Humanities

Spring 2023 Recipients

Professional Achievement

Dr. Guo Chen, Michigan State University
Associate Professor, Department of Geography

Student Leader

Angelica Ruvalcaba, Graduate Student
Department of Sociology & Chicano/Latino Studies

Satija Samridhi, Graduate Student
Department of Chemistry

Spring 2022 Recipients

Professional Achievement

stef shuster, Michigan State University

Assistant Professor, Lyman Briggs College

Culture of Empowerment

Damaris Choti, Michigan State University

Academic Specialist, African Studies Center

Community Engagement

Monica Villarreal, Michigan State University

Academic Specialist, College of Social Work

Student Leader

Lexie Hampton, Undergraduate student

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Spring 2021 Recipients

Student Leaders

Taylor Belyea, Undergraduate Student
James Madison College & GenCen
Chelsie Boodoo, Graduate Student
Biomedical Engineering Department

Culture of Empowerment

Beronda Montgomery, Michigan State University
MSU Foundation Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics

Community Engagement

Farha Abbasi, Michigan State University
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Linda Vail, Mid-Michigan Health Officer, Ingham County Health Department

Professional Achievement

Hui "Cathy" Liu, Michigan State University
Professor, Department of Sociology

2021 Inspiration Award Recipient Announcement Picturing the 6 winners: Hui Liu, Beronda Montgomery, Farha Abbasi, Linda Vail, Taylor Belyea, and Chelsie Boodoo

 

Spring 2020 Recipients

Student Leaders

Kadie Alpers, Undergraduate Student
Department of Marketing
Morgan PettyJohn, Graduate Student
Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Culture of Empowerment

Rebecca Campbell, Michigan State University
Professor, Department of Psychology
Polly Mallory, Mid-Michigan
Former Chief Operating Officer, LACASA Center in Howell

Community Engagement

Ashley Lathrop, Michigan State University
Research Administrator II, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Science
Estrella Torrez, Michigan State University
Associate Professor, Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
Katie Brewer, Mid-Michigan
President, Laingsburg High School Drama Boosters

Professional Achievement

Nwando Achebe, Michigan State University
Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor, Department of History

2020 Winners (Kadie Alpers, Morgan PettyJohn, Rebecca Campbell, Polly Mallory, Ashley Lathrop, Estrella Torrez, Katie Brewer, Nwando Achebe)

 

Spring 2019 Recipients

Community Engagement Award: Terah Venzant Chambers, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Administration
Professional Achievement Award: Rocío Quispe-Agnoli, Professor, Department of Romance and Classical Studies
Culture of Empowerment Award: Yomaira Figueroa, Assistant Professor, Department of English
Greater Lansing Award: Tashmica Torok, Founder and Executive Director, The Firecracker Foundation

Spring 2018 Recipients

Professional Achievement Award: Tamara Reid Bush, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering
Professional Achievement Award: Brenda Nelson, East Neighborhood Dining Manager
Culture of Empowerment Award: Kristin St. Marie, Executive Development Programs, Broad College of Business
(No award was given in the Community Engagement category this year, but two winners were selected for the Professional Achievement Award.)

Spring 2017 Recipients

Community Engagement Award: Sophia Koufopoulou, Instructor, Department of Sociology
Professional Achievement Award: Dr. Filomena Nunes, Professor of Physics in the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy
Culture of Empowerment Award: Dr. Denise Troutman, Associate Professor in Linguistics and Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures

Spring 2016 Recipients

Community Engagement Award: Officer Melissa Congleton, MSU Police Department
Professional Achievement Award: Mona Hanna-Attisha, Director, Pediatric Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center and Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Human Development
Culture of Empowerment Award: Holly Rosen, Director, MSU Safe Place

Spring 2015 Recipients

Community Engagement Award: Audrey Bentley, Community Outreach Senior Coordinator, Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives
Professional Achievement Award: Jeanne Wald, Professor, Department of Mathematics
Culture of Empowerment Award: Karin Wurst, Advisor to the Provost for Intercultural Learning and Engagement, Office of the Provost


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