Staff Awards
In the College of Arts & Sciences, our ultimate source of strength is the excellence and dedication of our students, faculty, and staff. The college recognizes staff contributions through its awards program. Awards are given annually in three categories:
- Rising to the Challenge Award
- Outstanding Junior Staff Award
- Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award
Awards are presented during spring semester.
Rising to the Challenge Award:
Recognizes Arts & Sciences staff members who have overcome obstacles to achieve a goal that contributes to the success of the college. Examples include implementing a new program or initiative, improving the efficiency of a process, making a substantial contribution toward a college strategic goal, or overcoming some other challenge to achieve a successful outcome for the college. Staff members with at least one year of service to the college are eligible.
Outstanding Junior Staff Award:
Recognizes an Arts & Sciences staff member who demonstrates exceptional performance in service to their department or team and the college. Honorees have shown a strong commitment to supporting their colleagues, and they have contributed to the advancement of the mission of the College of Arts & Sciences and Georgia State. Staff members with one to five consecutive years of service in the College of Arts & Sciences are eligible.
Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award:
Named in honor of the late assistant dean Fred T. Mote, III, this award recognizes an Arts & Sciences staff member who demonstrates exceptional performance and leadership in service to their department or team and the college. Honorees have shown a longstanding commitment to supporting their colleagues and advancing the mission of the College of Arts & Sciences and Georgia State. Staff members with six or more consecutive years of service in the College of Arts & Sciences are eligible.
2026 Staff Awards
The College of Arts & Sciences accepts nominations in early spring semester and presents awards in April each year. The nomination deadline for 2026 awards will be announced at a later date.
2025
Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award
Nika Daryooni
Associate Director, Office of Academic Assistance
Outstanding Junior Staff Award
Raven Schley
Digital Storyteller, Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Rising to the Challenge Award (4)
Keneé Stephens
Project Coordinator, Center for Research on the Challenges of Acquiring Language and Literacy (RCALL)
Sam Mayberry
Instrument Shop Manager, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Ashley Jayne Little
Laboratory Supervisor, Department of Biology
Ethan Trinh
Associate Director, Atlanta Global Studies Center
2024
Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award:
Esther Prince
Business Services
Outstanding Junior Staff Award:
Lindsey Lindstrom
Academic Assistance
Rising to the Challenge Award:
Jamie Hayes
Computer Science
Andrea Judy
Mathematics & Statistics
Edgar Ligon, III
Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA)
Will Lovett
Enrollment Services
Maria Misiura
TReNDS Center
Jeremy Simmons
Physics & Astronomy
Stacy Simon
Academic Assistance
David Thompson
Applied Linguistics and ESL
2023
Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award:
Shanetha Dugger
Financial Planning & Analysis
Outstanding Junior Staff Award:
Che Hao ("Howard") Yeh
Technology Services
Rising to the Challenge Award:
Shana Bagley
Graduate Services
Kristen Brown
Communication
Reginald ("Reggie") Butler
Enrollment Services
Brittany Galuskin
Graduate Services
Jeneille Grant
Enrollment Services
Lori Howard
Enrollment Services
Katrina Joyner
Biology
Andrea Judy
Mathematics & Statistics
Kedayne King
Budget Administration
Basirat Lawal
Budget Administration
Alicia Rice
Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA)
Tyra Robinson
Graduate Services
Claudia Sanabria
Imaging Core
Durrender ("Dee") Sanders
Political Science
2022
Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award:
Teresa Rucker
Human Resources
Outstanding Junior Staff Award:
Torrez Wilson
Dean's Office
Rising to the Challenge Award:
Mamun Abdur-Rahman
Financial Planning & Analysis
James Amann
Creative Media Industries Institute
Annette Clark
Graduate Services
Shanetha Dugger
Financial Planning & Analysis
Ashley Finney
Human Resources
Claire Kooy
Financial Planning & Analysis
Lindsey Lindstrom
Academic Assistance
Kadijah Marshall
Department of Psychology
Quanda Miller
Budget Administration
Rene Mondy
Academic Assistance
Angie Morton-Smith
Budget Administration
Andrew Reisinger
Budget Administration
Heather Russel
Department of English
Emma White
Business Services
2021
Fred T. Mote, III Senior Staff Leadership Award:
Patricia Nolde
World Languages & Cultures
Outstanding Junior Staff Award:
Caitlan Shaw
Sociology
2020
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Emily Hardy, Neuroscience
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Parris Baker, Anthropology
2019
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Quanda Miller, Psychology
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Nika Daryooni, Academic Assistance
2018
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Tim Jansa, World Languages & Cultures
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Renda Radcliffe-Sullivan, Faculty Review Services
2017
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Heather Russel, English
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Zhenming Du, Chemistry
2016
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: James C. Taylor, Jr., Administrative Services
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Keisha Hairston, Welch School of Art & Design
2015
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Adrienne Gonzalez, Welch School of Art & Design
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Derek Faust, Welch School of Art & Design
2014
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Felicia Watts, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Harper Strom, English
2013
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Amber Amari, Graduate & Scheduling Services
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Neil Renfroe, Chemistry
2012
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Helene Erenberg, Music
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Phillip Jackson Reed, Geosciences
2011
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Tawanna Tookes, Communication
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Andrew Reisinger, Women’s Studies
2010
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Marta Hess, English
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Basirat Lawal, Geosciences
2009
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Todd Studebaker, Communication
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Eric Sarbach, Welch School of Art & Design
2008
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Shelly-Ann Williams, Graduate & Scheduling Services
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Daphne Orr, Applied Linguistics & English as a Second Language
2007
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: April Lawhorn, Honors Program
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Genevieve Edwards, Biology
2006
Sr. Staff Leadership Award: Charles Hopper, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Jr. Staff Award: Heather Russel, English