Associate professor Andiara Schwingel received both the college and campus Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award for Faculty.
Dr. Schwingel came to AHS as a visiting scholar in 2008 from a position as a post-doctoral fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Asia Research Institute. In her time with KCH, she has taught more than 40 undergraduate classes on international health, women’s health, and gerontology and aging. In the Aging and Diversity Lab, she involves many undergraduate students in research that seeks to optimize well-being and independence across the lifespan and diverse populations.
Dr. Schwingel founded START, or Student Aging Researchers in Training, which places undergraduate scholars in labs across the college. She has herself mentored more than 30 START projects. A priority of the START program is to involve students from underrepresented backgrounds in research experiences, academic enrichment, and community support. She currently serves as Associate Head for Undergraduate Studies in Community Health. She also received this award in 2018. In 2013, she was awarded the Phyllis J. Hill Award for Exemplary Mentoring in the Edmund J. James Scholar Program, and she has been on the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent nearly every semester since 2012.
Doctoral student Allyson Box received the college Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award for Teaching Assistants.
Allyson is a graduate research assistant in Dr. Steve Petruzzello’s Exercise Psychophysiology Lab, and a teaching assistant for his undergraduate class on the social and psychological aspects of physical activity.
She has been named to the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent every semester since the fall of 2017.
Student letters supporting her nomination described her as “approachable,” “passionate,” “an exemplary teacher,” and “an exceptional communicator.” One said, “I know Allyson cares a lot about the success of her students. She would consistently stay after class to answer questions or concerns. I know my fellow classmates respected Allyson greatly.”
Professor Steve Petruzzello received the AHS Phyllis J. Hill James Scholar Award for Exemplary Mentoring.
Dr. Petruzzello joined KCH as an assistant professor in 1991 after completing his PhD at Arizona State University. He has received the college award for excellence in undergraduate teaching in 2011, the college and campus awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching in 2013, the college award for excellence in graduate student mentoring in 2016, and the Phyllis Hill award for the first time in 2018.
Since he last received the Hill award, he has mentored almost 40 additional students enrolled in the James Scholar program. His mentorship is sought-after and coveted, and he has guided an average of 19 James Scholar projects a year since 2018. His students clearly benefit from his individualized approach. One said, “I truly appreciate how Dr. P took the time to meet with each student, understand their project, provide feedback, and inspire deeper thinking. Despite his many students, he makes each individual feel validated while still challenging them to be their best selves.”
Amy O’Neill, academic advisor for the kinesiology degree program, received the campus award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising.
Since joining KCH as a kinesiology advisor in 2003, Amy has advised thousands of students. She cares deeply that each of her students has a positive experience and meets with success. She makes her office a safe haven for students, where they know they will find support through both highs and lows.
Amy teaches the course that introduces new first-year and transfer students to kinesiology. She created a kinesiology advising website to provide students with access to important resources, and she crafts a weekly email to students to share news of opportunities for involvement and growth. These were especially important over the many months that students were isolated because of COVID. She also represents AHS on the campus New Student Registration Committee and is the point of contact for the Office of Admissions on summer registration. She serves on KCH’s Honors and Awards Committee and has been a member of several college-level search committees and the College Scholarship Committee.