Honors, Awards, and Fellowships

I believe respect and recognition come from developing meaningful relationships with others. Therefore, in honor of the many student, faculty, and community colleagues I have worked with and served along side of, I have included here a picture of the founders of the Georgia Immigration Research Network. Their vision and fortitude have yielded numerous community-engaged research projects with the aim of making the state of Georgia a better place for immigrants and minorities to live, work, and thrive. Any honor I have received is because of them and their enduring collaborations. 

• Professional Honors

  1. Rothman Award for Structural Change Practice [First Runner up with community-engaged
  research partner, Ms. Jordyne Krumroy]. Association for Community Organization and Social
  Action’s (ACOSA) Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice in Social Work (2022).

  2. Omicron Delta Kappa (OΔK) National Leadership Honor Society National Community
  Commitment Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (2021).

  3. Wellstar College of Health and Human Services’ Outstanding Professional Service and
  Community Engagement Award. (Nominated) (2020‒2021).

  4. Emblematic Flag. Selected to be a part of the art installation honoring the 100 most influential
  Latinos of Georgia. Latin American Association. (2020).

  5. Kennesaw State University Presidential Diversity Awards: R.O.H. Social Justice Award
  sponsored by the Presidential Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (2019‒2020).
  Multiple nominations: 2019 and 2020.

  6. American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education Faculty Fellows Award (Nominated)
  (2019‒2020).

  7. 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia sponsored by the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of
  Commerce (2019).

  8. Women in Business Award (Nominated): Triad Business Journal (2014).

  9. 40 Leaders Under 40 Award (Nominated): Triad Business Journal (2012, 2013).

  10. Notable Latinos of the Triad: Latino Coalition of Guilford County, granted award at
  reception with Presidential Inaugural Poet, Mr. Richard Blanco (2013).

  11. Administrator of the Year (Dean of Students Office): University of Miami Apple Polishing
  Ceremony (2001).

  12. New Professional of the Year: American College Personnel Association (1999).

  13. Emerging Professional Woman of the Year: American College Personnel Association
  (1999).

• Teaching, Supervision, and Mentoring

  1. Gulf South Summit on Service-Learning and Community Engagement in Higher Education.
  Awards. Outstanding Faculty Contributions to Service-Learning in Higher Education –
  Instruction Award (Nominated, 2023).

  2. Council on Undergraduate Research. Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research in the
  Social Sciences Award (2022).

  a. Institutional representative to compete for the Social Science Division’s National Award.

  3. Council on Undergraduate Research. Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research in the
  Health Sciences Award. (Nominated)

  a. Institutional representative to compete for the Health Sciences Division’s National Award
  (2020 and 2021).

  4. Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (Nominated): Office of Undergraduate
  Research (2020, 2021, & 2022).

  5. Recognized as the mentor of Eliza Galvez, MSW student, who tied for 2nd runner-up (meriting
  a cash prize) for Best Graduate Student Presentation at the Virtual Symposium for Student
  Scholars (Fall 2020).

  6. State of Georgia Governor’s Teaching Fellows. Awarded (2019).

  a. Kennesaw State University Presidential and Institutional Nominee: 2017 and 2018.

  7. The Best Lesson Series with Course Hero. Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
  (2019).

  8. SoftChalk Lesson Challenge for HS4200 Online Learning Modules (Nominated) (2019).

  9. Course Hero-Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching (Nominated) Kennesaw
  State University (2018).

  10. College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Excellence Award (Nominated) University of North
  Carolina at Greensboro (2010).

  11. University Marshals Honorary Faculty Member (2009).

• Research and Creative Activity

  1. Tenure Faculty Enhancement Program (Award): Office of Research and Center for Excellence in
  Teaching and Learning at Kennesaw State University. Research reassignment award,
  conventionally known as a sabbatical, to work on high impact products related to immigrant
  integration (i.e., edited book and journal special issue with research partner, Dr. Paul N. McDaniel)
  (Spring 2023).

  2. Most Downloaded Article (Tied) of 2021 in Health Promotion Practice Journal. “A scoping review of literature about mental health and well-being among immigrant communities in the United States.”Doi: 10.1177/1524839920942511.

  3. Talon’ted Researchers and Scholars (Recognition): Office of Research at Kennesaw State
  University (2020).

  4. Emerging Engagement Scholars. Selected by the Engaged Scholars Consortium to receive funding and participate in programming for individuals committed to community-engaged work. Denver, CO (2019).

  5. University System of Georgia's Board of Regents’ Outstanding Student Research and Creative
  Accomplishment Project Award [Regents' Advisory Committee for Community Engagement and
  Service] for the Green Card Youth Voices Project [Atlanta Team] (2019).

  6. Race and Ethnicity Faculty Fellowship for the Center for Diversity Leadership and Engagement
  at Kennesaw State University (2016–2017).

  7. Co-author of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
  Best Paper Award entitled, “Managing Philanthropic Mobility: An Organizational Analysis of
  Donor Residency and Giving Patterns.” Indianapolis, IN (2012).

• Service

  1. Leadership Atlanta. (Nominated October 2022).

  a. Nominated by Susana Chavez, Parking Company of America’s CEO, and former Latin American Association Board Chair for consideration in the Class of 2024.

  2. Leadership Cobb. (Nominated January 2022; January 2023).

  a. Nominated by Santiago Marquez, Latin American Association’s CEO to Sam Olens, Leadership Cobb Chairperson for consideration for the highly coveted program sponsored by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

  3. Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem: Participant Scholar Award (2014–2015).

  4. Advisor of the Year (Nominated): Hispanic Student Association: UGA Division of Student
  Affairs (2006).

  5. Leadership Plenty Institute Inaugural Class Graduate: Georgia Association for Latino Elected
  Officials (2005).

  6. La Perla, Advisor of the Year: Lambda Theta Alpha, Latin Sorority, Inc. (2001).

• Graduate Honors, Awards, and Fellowships

  1. American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education.

  a. Graduate Student Fellow to attend annual conference (2007).
  b. Dissertation-Year Scholar Graduate Fellow (2007).

  2. Outstanding Poster Award: Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary
  Action National Conference (ARNOVA) (2007).

  3. Russell-Roosevelt Public Policy Institute Scholarship: The National Issues Forum (2007).

  4. Perseus Survey Solutions, stipend for dissertation web survey: UGA Student Learning Outcomes
  Assessment Office (2007).

  5. Emerging Leaders Program: UGA Graduate School (2006).

  6. Go. Run. Lead. Atlanta Scholarship: The White House Project (2006).

  7. L. K. Bates Recognition of Excellence Award: UGA Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (2006).

  8. Diversity@UGA Student Spotlight: UGA Office of Institutional Diversity (2006).

  9. Most Valuable Member: UGA Hispanic Student Association (2005).

  10. Conference Scholarship and Travel Grant: ARNOVA (2007, 2005, 2003).

  11. Atlanta Dove Scholarship: The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership (2005).

  12. Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year (semi-finalist): UGA School of Public & International
  Affairs (2003).

  13. The Tómas Rivera Policy Institute (semi-finalist): Public Policy Fellowship Program (2003).

  14. The Goizueta Foundation Graduate Fellow (2003–2005).

  15. U.S. Peace Corps Master’s International Program (1996–2000)

• Undergraduate Honors, Awards, and Fellowships

  1. National Leader of the Year: Omicron Delta Kappa (OΔK) National Leadership Honor Society
  (1996).

  2. OΔK Circle Leader of the Year, Florida International University (FIU) Chapter (1995).

  3. FIU Dr. Gregory Baker Wolf Award (1995).

  4. FIU Outstanding Senior Division of Student Affairs (1995).

  5. FIU Outstanding Junior Division of Student Affairs (1994).

  6. Selected: Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges (1993–1995).