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Graduate Student Excellence Awards

Photo of a group of students at Graduate Student Day 2023

Graduate students and graduate award recipients at Graduate Student Day on June 1, 2023.

The Graduate College is pleased to recognize outstanding mentorship, civic engagement, scholarship, service, research, and teaching assistance through it's Graduate Student Excellence Awards. These awards recognize Drexel's high performing graduate students from across the University and their commitment to the University's mission. The Graduate College appoints a diverse group of faculty and professional staff representing Drexel's Colleges and Schools to review nominations and select University-level awardees based on the evaluation criteria. See this year's review committee members listed below. Awards are usually distributed each year at a Graduate Student Day awards ceremony and reception. Graduating awardees are also listed in the official Commencement program and may also be recognized during their individual College or School Commencement ceremony.

2023-2024 Awards Cycle

Submissions for the 2023-2024 awards cycle are now closed! The deadline to submit nominations was 12 p.m. EDT Monday, April 22, 2024.

2023-2024 awardees will be notified and announced on or around May 13, 2024.

Please review the award information and required materials on the Graduate College website PRIOR to starting a nomination form in Qualtrics as the form will not save a draft and you will be asked to upload required documents at the time of submission. It is recommended you prepare any answers offline, such as in a Word document, before copying them into the form to submit.

Submit a Nomination

Questions? Contact gradawards@drexel.edu

Outstanding Mentorship Awards

In partnership with the Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs in the Pennoni Honors College, the Outstanding Graduate Student Mentorship Awards are presented to graduate and professional students (master's and/or doctoral level) who have shown an outstanding commitment to mentoring, developing and supporting undergraduate and/or new or junior graduate students.


Drexel Common Good Award

In partnership with the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement, he Drexel Common Good Award is presented to graduate and professional students (master's and/or doctoral level) who demonstrates academic excellence and who are committed to improving the world around them by making contributions to local, national or global communities through scholarship, civic engagement, or community building.


Social Change Award for Equity

In partnership with the Center for Black Culture, the Social Change Award for Equity is presented to graduate and professional students (master's and/or doctoral level) who have made positive contributions that promote social justice, equity, cultural diversity, inclusion, and understanding and/or awareness and who have demonstrated excellence in DEI programming or initiatives.


Research Excellence Awards

Research Excellence Awards are presented to graduate and professional students (master's and doctoral level) who have completed original, innovative research, scholarship and/or creativity during their career at Drexel.


Outstanding Dissertation Awards

The Outstanding Dissertation Awards are presented to doctoral-level students who have written original, innovative dissertations that reflect great research and have or are likely to be disseminated widely and have significant impact on the field and society.


Teck-Kah Lim Award

Teck-Kah Lim, PhD, is the former Associate Vice Provost of Graduate Studies and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics. The Teck-Kah Lim Graduate Student Excellence Award is presented to graduate and professional students (master's and/or doctoral level) who show promise of future meaningful contributions to local, national or global communities as can be gleaned from present academic excellence and achievements in research and/or teaching, as well as outstanding selfless service to peers, and the local community.


Teaching Assistant Excellence Awards

Teaching Assistant Excellence Awards are presented to graduate and professional students (master's and/or doctoral level) who serve as Teaching Assistants or Teaching Fellows (TAs/TFs) and who exhibit exemplary commitment to student learning through reflective teaching practices, creative and innovative teaching methods, academic support, leadership and a commitment to their own professional growth and development as an educator.


Graduate Student Excellence Awards Committee 2023-2024

  • Chair: Anne Converse Willkomm, Assistant Dean, Graduate College & Goodwin College of Professional Studies
  • Hande Benson, LeBow College of Business
  • Dianne DePew, College of Nursing and Health Professions
  • Erin Durkin, Dornsife School of Public Health
  • Leah Gates, Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs (Outstanding Mentorship Awards)
  • Sharde Johnson, Center for Black Culture (Social Change Award for Equity)
  • Shintaro Kaido, Drexel Applied Innovation (Research Excellence Awards: Expanding the Impact of Research)
  • Rebecca LeFevre, Lindy Center for Civic Engagement (Drexel Common Good Award - Civic Engagement)
  • Jaya Mohan, Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs (Outstanding Mentorship Awards)
  • Lillian Rukenstein, Drexel Applied Innovation (Research Excellence Awards: Expanding the Impact of Research)
  • Antonio Sanz-Clemente, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, College of Medicine
  • Justine Sefcik, College of Nursing and Health Professions
  • Andrew Zitcer, Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
  • Administrative support from David Kim, Graduate College

Teaching Assistant Excellence Awards Subcommittee 2023-2024

  • Chair: Valerie Klein, School of Education
  • Erin Durkin, Dornsife School of Public Health
  • Kareem Edouard, School of Education
  • Anita Gaurnier-Hausser, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, College of Medicine
  • Sherry Levin, College of Engineering
  • Oksana Odintsova, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Rosemary Rys, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Ahmet Sacan, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
  • Brian Stuart, College of Computing and Informatics
  • Administrative support from David Kim, Graduate College