Each year, the School of Education recognizes students for their outstanding service and scholarly performance at our Honors Day celebration. The COVID-19 crisis forced us to cancel our in-person event this year, but we are proud to recognize our 2020 award winners below.

Erica Halpern Teacher Leadership Award

Kinu Aneja, Elementary Education

Erica Halpern enrolled at Drexel University in the Fall of 2010. Throughout Erica’s time in the School of Education, she exemplified the service and dedication that is  required of all teacher education candidates. She was an excellent student academically and was dedicated to becoming a special education teacher and work with children with communication disorders. Tragically, Erica’s life was cut short in the Fall term of her Sophomore year.  The School of Education honors its commitment to Erica’s legacy at Drexel and to the Halpern family through The Erica Halpern Teacher Leadership Award.  

Virginia C. Miller Scholarship Award

Judy Bergman, Elementary Education 

The Virginia C. Miller Scholarship annually provides funds to a deserving student. The scholarship was established by Mrs. Miller to recognize the high academic achievements of a School of Education undergraduate student based on academic merit.

Ann Marie Weil Award

Monique Woodward, PhD in Education

The Ann Marie Weil award is named to commemorate Dr. Ann Marie Weil who completed her doctoral dissertation in 2001 in the School of Education, Drexel University. Dissertation title:  The best of times: An auto-ethnography of a cerebral vascular accident. 

Michel Miller Excellence in Special Education Award

Colleen Capone, Special Education

This award is presented to School of Education students who have demonstrated excellence in service, practice and/or leadership in the field of Special Education.  This prestigious, memorial award is given in honor of our dear friend, colleague, mentor and teacher, Dr. Michel Miller, who passed unexpectedly. It is given  to  exceptional students who have demonstrated that they are on track in following Michel's strong commitment and legacy of action, service and  leadership within the field of special education. 

Common Good Award

Kathlyn Elliot, PhD in Education

This award is presented to a graduate student who demonstrates academic  excellence and who is committed to improving the world around them  by making contributions to local, national or global communities through either scholarship or civic engagement. 

SoE PhD Student Research Excellence Award

Hamideh Talafian, PhD in Educational Leadership & Learning Technologies and Amanda Barany, PhD in Educational Leadership & Learning Technologies

The  School of  Education  Student  Research  Excellence  Award  is presented to a graduate student who has demonstrated scholarship with original, innovative or creative research. It is an award to recognize research with the possibility of being widely disseminated that will likely have  significant impact on the field or society. 

SoE PhD Dissertation Excellence Award

Amanda Barany, PhD in Educational Leadership & Learning Technologies

This award is presented to a PhD student who is recognized for excellence in completing research for their dissertation at Drexel. The award is designed to recognize dissertation research that holds promise for impacting the field of education and advancing research in a specific area. 

Teacher Education Portfolio Award (BS, BS/MS, and MS)

Kaitlyn Ferreri, Elementary Education and Melissa Communale, Dragons Teach Middle Years

This award is  presented to undergraduate and/or graduate teacher certification candidates who have created an exemplary, self-reflective portfolio consisting of pedagogy and field experience work and/or exhibited exemplary performance during the field placement experience. 

Fredricka K. Reisman Award for Outstanding Graduate Work in Creativity

Nicole Jackson, Creativity and Innovation

Fredricka K. Reisman Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Work in Creativity

Vida Manalang- Psychology

This award recognizes students  who demonstrated a unique application of creativity research or theories through the development of an innovative term capstone project in one of the Creativity & Innovation courses  within the academic year. 

Dr. Ken Mawritz Memorial Award

Melissa Schmitz

The Dr. Ken Mawritz Memorial Award honors Dr. Ken Mawritz, Clinical Professor in the School of Education. It was established through a collaboration of Ed.D. students, the Dean’s Office in the School of Education. The Award celebrates “Dr. Ken’s” joy of teaching and working with students, and the genuine love, caring and compassion he showed for the profession and those he encountered including his students, their families, and his colleagues. The Dr. Ken Mawritz Memorial Award will be presented to one current EdD student who demonstrates the joy of learning and shares this passion with others in the Drexel community.

Dr. Terrance Daniels Memorial Award

David Sledge

The Dr. Terrence Daniels Memorial Award honors Dr. Terrence Daniels, Drexel School of Education EdD Alumni. It was established through a collaboration of Ed.D. students and the Dean’s Office in the School of Education. The Award celebrates Terrence’s commitment to equity and social justice. The Dr. Terrence Daniels Memorial Award will be presented to one current EdD student who demonstrates strong commitment to disrupting systemic inequities in education.