Each year the Department of Human Development recognizes excellence in our graduating class by designating three departmental honors, awarded by our Human Development faculty. We applaud the following award recipients.
Outstanding Graduate in Human Development: Sarah Spohn
Students chosen for this award are exceptional scholars, having achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher, and made substantial contributions to the community and/or university. Ms. Spohn is recognized as a stand-out by many of the HDEV faculty for her superior scholarship, her involvement in research with several departmental faculty, and her community service. She is acknowledged for her superior cognitive skills, motivation and dedication to her academic work, efforts duly noted by her receipt of a Cal grant and her regular placement on the Dean’s List. Sarah is also exemplary for her leadership as an active member and leader in Circle K, most recently as its president, but also through fundraising and organizing projects and events. She has been active elsewhere in her community, raising funds for UNICEF, working with children at Miller Children’s Hospital, the Captain Planet Foundation, the Pediatric Trauma Program and at the Long Beach Rescue Mission. Given her excellence across these spheres, not only is Ms. Spohn the outstanding graduate in Human Development, but she was the runner-up for the outstanding graduate in the College of Liberal Arts this year as well.
The Alice Hurst Award: Teresa Parent
This award is named after Alice Hurst, who following retirement returned to school, lived in the dorms, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree at age 72. Following graduation, she entered the Peace Corps and worked tirelessly to promote adult literacy. In these and many other respects, Alice Hurst embodies the best of Human Development. Students who receive this award display the characteristics that made Alice special—leadership, compassion, scholarship, determination and vision.
Anyone who knows Teresa knows her to be a very special person. She has been the go-to person for many students in Human Development courses over the last several years, evidence of her excellence as a student, a leader, and friend. Teresa is not only intelligent, dedicated and well organized, she is someone who demonstrates the rare gift of a compassionate leader among her peers. She evidenced these qualities as a very young person. When faced with the loss of two very dear family members earlier in her life, rather than turn her pain inward, she turned it outward to help others. Since 1987, she has volunteered at countless social service agencies--at places like St. Vincent DePaul, public libraries, Boys and Girls Clubs, Churches, daycares, the Gay and Lesbian Pride festival, Juvenile Probation departments, the Salvation Army, at-risk youth groups and homeless shelters. When she was just 23 years old, she took in two 12 year old children, Mary and Damian, who she cared for for over 6 years. Teresa excelled in her academic work this year, acting as a research associate and volunteer coordinator for Drs. Eriksen and Manke, and co-authoring several research papers on children at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Community Engagement Award: Sarah Frandsen and Melissa Vigil
Because Human Development is designated as a Service-Learning engaged department , this award is bestowed on students who engage in projects that benefit local communities or communities abroad. It recognizes the substantive efforts of individual students to contribute to society in community projects. This year, we acknowledge two award recipients.
Sara Frandsen has been an active member of the CSULB and greater Long Beach community. At CSULB, she served as a member of the Leadership Academy, and was past Treasurer and President of the Human Development Student Association. She went to South Africa for Dr. Roberts’ Death and Dying course and there, worked with HIV/AIDS communities and a Senior Center. She has volunteered at places like the CSULB Women’s Resource Center, Someone Cares Soup Kitchen and Golden West College Outreach.
In addition to maintaining a very high GPA throughout her undergraduate work, being a regular member of the Dean’s List and President’s Honor List, Melissa Vigil has been equally active in her community work. On campus, Melissa was a member of Students Active in Community Health, the Human Development Student Association, and Phi Eta Sigma-Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Societies. Off campus, she volunteered at the Burnett Public Library, Habitat for Humanity and the Children’s Miracle Network. As part of her HDEV 470 internship, she also worked as a teacher’s aide in first grade at Westerly School of Long Beach. The Westerly children loved her, and her dedication to them was evidenced in her continuing on in the classroom the following semester long after her internship was completed!
Honors in Human Development
Students who maintained a 3.5 and higher GPA in departmental courses are recognized with Honors designation. The following students received Honors in Human Development in 2009: Erick Banuelos, Abigail Daley, Erica Dicks, Ana Lizet Farias, Candice Graven, Christin Knight, Merritt Kott, Rosemary Lewallen, Ava Shiree Mallik, Katherine Meier, Laura Mendez, Khrystle Montallana, Sara-Mishel Muhammad, Kristy Naccarato, Meagan North, Teresa Parent, Trisha Patel, Megan Perry, Ian Sanfilippo, Danielle Silagi, Vanessa Skennion, Kasey Spatz, Sarah Spohn, Kim Anh T. Than, Nicole Vella, Kristen Viducic, and Melisa Vigil. Congratulations for work well done!
