Outstanding Faculty Honored at Annual Excellence Awards

Some of Seton Hall University’s most distinguished faculty members were recognized for their teaching and research contributions at the Celebration of Faculty Excellence on the evening of Monday, April 22, 2024. 

The annual awards ceremony, organized by the Office of the Provost, took place at the Bishop Dougherty University Center. University faculty members from all eight schools and colleges received awards for Researcher of the Year, Core Scholar of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Adjunct of the Year, Excellence and Innovation in Teaching 21st-Century Skills, and Excellence in Service-Learning, as well as special recognition for assessment awards, namely Assessment Champions, and Outstanding Achievement in Assessment.  

At Seton Hall, we have been consistently renewing our investments in academic excellence and the student experience. These professors exemplify the impact of our investments with their dedicated work on campus.

Far-Reaching Impact

This year’s winners were honored for inspiring students, supporting the University mission and making meaningful contributions to their respective academic fields.

Our award-winning teachers are passionate about the student experience. College of Human Development, Culture, and Media Teacher of the Year Renee Robinson, Ph.D., says, "My courses focus on learning how to better relate to one another, connectedness, community and what it is to care for one another. It’s what we do here at Seton Hall." 

And our researchers are equally passionate about contributing to their field and the ongoing academic excellence of our University. As College of Arts and Sciences Researcher of the Year Robert Mayhew, Ph.D., points out, research also supports Seton Hall’s reputation in academic circles, even around the world. "At conferences in Europe I’ve often heard something like, 'oh, there’s another university in New Jersey?,' because they’ve all seemed to have heard of Princeton and maybe Rutgers."

"Conducting research in the field is what feeds our teaching and the way that students benefit from this teaching is through fieldwork," explains Core Scholar of the Year Roger Alfani, Ph.D. 

Instructors want their students to excel in the classroom and beyond. "I encourage them to be the best students they can be and work toward being the best nurses they can be," says College of Nursing Adjunct of the Year Teresa Nwaneri, M.S.N., R.N.

Staying a Step Ahead

Often times our instructors are teaching material that is so cutting-edge that it is seemingly evolving in real-time. Award-winning marketing Adjunct Professor Gregory Licciardi, M.B.A., faces this challenge by keeping his students excited and engaged. "We do a lot of improv," Licciardi says with a laugh. "We do brainstorming exercises, vision boards and interactive and group projects. I’m more of a facilitator really. I set up the agenda as far as what we are going to learn about, but then the students really help each other and work together."

This challenge is also present in science labs, where technology continues to push the envelope of what is possible. "I have developed different techniques with course videos, a Jeopardy quiz, an anatomy website, and I keep updating them," Biology professor Chintha Ranasinghe, M.D., shares. Ranasinghe was named one of the College of Arts and Sciences Teacher of the Year award winners.

College of Arts and Sciences Adjunct Teacher of the Year Kim Lamana-Finn, Ph.D., also brings some unorthodox teaching techniques to her psychology classroom to keep her students engaged. "I have my students work on software called My Virtual Child," she explains. "The child is theirs from prenatal all the way through adolescence and they take notes throughout the process. I see students gaining insights about themselves and how they would be as a parent."

Taking Pride in Their Students

Watching their students grow is a tremendous source of pride for Seton Hall faculty members. University Core Teacher of the Year Chad Thralls, Ph.D., says, "I think the purpose of a university is for students to learn to think about big thoughts, get to the big, complex questions about life. They learn there is more to living a good life than going to college and getting a job."

For many instructors, like Adjunct of the Year Anna Folckomer, L.Ac., DAOM, seeing students expand their minds and bond with one another is what is most rewarding. Folckomer teaches three professional programs in the School of Health and Medical Sciences and is continually amazed at how different her students are after taking her classes compared to their first day. "I get these students very early on in their careers and they’re scared to death because there’s a room full of cadavers, she says. "But, it’s okay to be nervous and afraid. It’s part of the human experience and part of their learning experience."

Teachers and researchers at Seton Hall don’t just pour their rich minds into their work, classrooms and students; they pour their heart and soul into it too. And that was why it is our great pleasure to honor them each year.

Following is a complete list of this year’s award winners:

Researcher of the Year

Gaia Bernstein, J.D., LL.M.  
School of Law

Rong Chen, Ph.D.  
College of Human Development, Culture, and Media  
Education Leadership, Management, and Policy 

Anne Giblin Gedacht, Ph.D.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
History

Benjamin Goldfrank. Ph.D.  
School of Diplomacy and International Relations 

Sharon Ince, Ph.D.  
University Libraries 

Beth Jameson, Ph.D., RN, CNL, CSN-NJ, FASN  
College of Nursing  

Fanli Jia, Ph.D.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
Psychology  

Robert Mayhew, Ph.D.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
Philosophy  

Leslie Rippon, Ph.D., ATC   
School of Health and Medical Sciences 
Athletic Training   

Ellen Scully, Ph.D.  
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology  

Sina Shokoohyar, Ph.D. (University-Wide Winner)  
Stillman School of Business  
Computing and Decision Sciences  

Core Scholar of the Year 

Roger Alfani, Ph.D.  
University Core 

Teacher of the Year

Megan Baumley, M.S., CCC-SLP  
School of Health and Medical Sciences 
Speech-Language Pathology   

R. Joseph Huddleston, Ph.D. (University-Wide Winner) 
School of Diplomacy and International Relations 

Greg, Iannarella, M.A.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
English

Moira Kendra, D.N.P., ACNP-BC, M.A., RN  
College of Nursing 

Denis McLaughlin, J.D. 
School of Law

Chintha, Ranasinghe, M.D.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
Biology

Golbarg Rekabtalaei, Ph.D.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
History

Renee Robinson, Ph.D.  
College of Human Development, Culture, and Media  
Communication Media and the Arts

Chad Thralls, Ph.D.  
University Core

Danielle Zanzalari, Ph.D.  
Stillman School of Business  
Economics and Legal Studies

Rev. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, S.T.D., S.S.L.  
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology  
Biblical Studies

Adjunct of the Year 

Anna Folckomer, L.Ac., DAOM   
School of Health and Medical Sciences 
Physical Therapy

Angelo Gingerelli, M.B.A., M.Ed. (University-Wide Winner)  
College of Human Development, Culture, and Media  
Educational Studies

Henry Karwowski, J.D.   
School of Law 

Kim Lamana-Finn, Ph.D.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
Psychology 

Gregory Licciardi, M.B.A.  
Stillman School of Business  
Marketing 

Teresa Nwaneri, M.S.N., RN  
College of Nursing

Rev. Roberto Ortiz, S.T.L.  
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology  
Systematic Theology

Excellence and Innovation in Teaching 21st-Century Skills 

Karla Foy, J.D. (University-Wide Winner) 
School of Law

Katherine Hinic, Ph.D., RN, CNE, CNL  
College of Nursing 

Elizabeth McCrea, Ph.D.  
Stillman School of Business  
Management 

Ann Marie Murphy, Ph.D.  
School of Diplomacy and International Relations  

Leslie Rippon, Ph.D., ATC  
School of Health and Medical Sciences 
Athletic Training

Rachel, Warmington, M.F.A.  
College of Arts and Sciences  
English 

Excellence in Service-Learning 

Katherine Connolly, D.N.P., RN, APN-C  
College of Nursing

Isis Misdary, J.D.   
School of Law

Meryl Picard, Ph.D. (University-Wide Winner)  
School of Health and Medical Sciences 
Occupational Therapy

Assessment Champions 

Randall Clemens, Ph.D. 
College of Human Development, Culture, and Media  
Education Leadership, Management, and Policy 

Amy Kline, Ed.D. 
College of Human Development, Culture, and Media  
College Effectiveness

Outstanding Achievement in Assessment 

Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology 

Categories: Campus Life, Education