Celebrating excellence

Administrators were congratulated for their retirement during the 2025-26 academic year:

• Donald Brinker, facilities 
• Susan Burns, admissions
• Terry Cooper, government and law
• Rochelle Crozier, Gateway Career Center
• Timothy Frey, Williams Center for the Arts
• Ellen Leslie, President’ s Office
• Michael McGeary, events and warehouse
• Robert Meyer, facilities
• Ellen O’Malley, communications
• Tina Werkheiser, ITS
• Todd Werkheiser, custodial
• Mary Wilford-Hunt, advancement

Faculty members were congratulated for their retirement during the 2025-26 academic year:

• Kenneth Haug, associate professor, chemistry
• Jeffrey Helm, associate professor, mechanical engineering
• Clifford Reiter, professor, mathematical sciences
• John Shaw, associate professor, psychology
• Helena Silverstein, professor, government & law
• Hannah Stewart-Gambino, professor, government & law and international affairs
• Nancy Waters, associate professor, biology
• Todd Wey, associate professor, electrical and computer engineering

ADMINISTRATOR AWARDS

Cyrus S. Fleck Jr. ’52 Administrator of the Year Prize

The Cyrus S. Fleck Jr. ’52 Administrator of the Year Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to the campus community by members of the Lafayette administrative team.

• Paulette Poloni, executive director of IT operations

Gary A. Evans Administrative Prize

This award is presented to an administrator or staff member who has provided a high level of service to the College, our alumni, or students over a substantial period of time.

• Sandra Rogers, assistant director of public safety

Daniel H. Weiss Award for Leadership and Vision

This award is presented annually to a Lafayette-related individual or group of individuals who have demonstrated leadership and vision.

• Robert Mattison, Metzgar Professor of Art History Emeritus
• Elaine Stomber ’89, P’17,’21, co-director of College Archives and Distinctive Collections
• Diane Shaw, College archivist emeritus
• Rico Reyes, director of Lafayette Art Galleries
• Bryan Hay, senior writer and media relations associate
• Olivia Giralico, video marketing producer
• JaQuan Alston, pre and post production assistant
• Geoff Labe, assistant vice president, operations
• Sandra Rogers, assistant director of public safety
• Mike Chovanes, director of facilities operations
• Bob Meyer, interim associate director for facilities project management
• Ryan Snyder, director, business services
• Teri Richter, director, events and hospitality
• Rocco Vonelli, mechanical trades

President Hurd shared: “So what does this group have in common? This is the collective that successfully orchestrated the addition of Audrey Flack’s ‘Adrienne’ sculpture to Lafayette College. From assisting with details from our archives to directing the artistic commission to carefully ensuring the physical move of a 350-pound artwork, planning and capturing an incredible event at the unveiling—this group of colleagues made a great moment a reality this year.”

Lafayette College Distinguished Service Award 

Introduced in 2008, this award is presented annually to one or more employees from among the administration, support staff, or plant operations.

• Mary Ellen Jackson, director of sponsored research
• Robert Layng, engineering technician
• Millie Barry, academic project coordinator
• Sarah Yencha, project and office manager, office of advising and co-curricular programs

The Maroon Club Athletic Staff Achievement Award

• Carly Riepenhoff, senior associate athletic director for student athlete success

FACULTY AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Joseph Johnson Hardy Award

Each year this recognition goes to the five members of the faculty with the longest continuous service at the institution.

• In his 53rd year at Lafayette, Howard Schneiderman, professor, anthropology and sociology
• In his 52nd year at the College, Ilan Peleg, the Charles A. Dana Professor of Government and Law
• In his 43rd year at the College, Clifford Reiter, professor of mathematics
• In her 41st year at the College, Nancy Waters, associate professor of biology
• In his 40th year at the College, Joshua Miller, professor of government & law

Five faculty members have been granted continuous tenure.

The first four have been promoted from Assistant to Associate Professor:

• Susan Hannan, psychology
• Dennis Johannßen, languages and literary studies
• Justin Smith, computer science
• Daniel Stroembom, biology

Daniel Turek, mathematical sciences (who already carried the rank of Associate Professor) has earned continuous tenure.

The following three members of the faculty have been promoted to the rank of Professor:

• Daniel Quirós, languages and literary studies
• Lindsay Soh, chemical and biomolecular engineering
• Yih-Choung Yu, electrical and computer engineering

• Yingying Huang, languages and literary studies, has been promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer.

John T. McCartney Excellence in Diversity Education Award

• The College Writing Program (CWP): CWP Director and Associate Professor Bianca Falbo,  CWP Assistant Director and Assistant Professor Gabrielle Kelenyi, and CWP Coordinator Emma Hetrick.

Student Government Association Superior Teaching Award

• In the natural sciences and engineering divisions: Associate Professor John Shaw of the Department of Psychology
• In the humanities and social sciences divisions: Associate Professor Bianca Falbo of the Department of English

Faculty Award for Excellence in Community-Based Learning Pedagogy

• Assistant Professor Sarah Appelhans in the Engineering Studies Program

Distinguished Leadership in Community-Based Teaching and Research

• Instructor of Education John Squarcia

Thomas Roy and Lura Forrest Jones Faculty Lecture Award

• Megan Fernandes, associate professor of English
• Susan Hannan, associate professor of psychology

Thomas Roy and Lura Forrest Jones Award

• Joshua Sanborn, professor of history

Carl R. and Ingeborg Beidleman Research Award

• Carlos Tavares, associate professor of anthropology and sociology

Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award

• Rob Root, professor of mathematical sciences

B. Vincent Viscomi Engineering Prize for Excellence in Mentoring and Teaching

• David Mante, professor of civil and environmental engineering

Dr. James P. Crawford Award

• Elaine Stomber ’89, P’17,’21, co-director of College Archives and Distinctive Collections

Delta Upsilon Distinguished Mentoring and Teaching Award

• Dana Cuomo, associate professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies

Ann V. McGillicuddy-DeLisi Faculty Academic Advisor of the Year

• Chip Nataro, professor of chemistry

Ilan Peleg Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award

• Ethan Berkove, professor of mathematical sciences

James E. Lennertz Prize for Exceptional Teaching and Mentoring

• Lauren Myers, associate professor of psychology

Mary Louise VanArtsdalen Prize

• Carrie Rohman, professor of English

Marquis Distinguished Teaching Awards

• Michael Dougherty, assistant professor of mathematical sciences
• Eric Hupe, assistant professor of arts
• Allison Lewis, associate professor of mathematical sciences
• Jennifer Talarico, professor of psychology

ENDOWED CHAIRS AND SCHOLARS

• Monika Rice, assistant professor of Jewish studies and Russian and East European studies, has been reappointed as the Weiner and Peleg Scholar in Jewish Studies for a three-year term.
• Michael Senra, associate professor, has been appointed as the James T. Marcus ‘50 Scholar of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for a three year term.
• Jennifer Gilmore, associate professor of English, has been appointed as the Writer-In-Residence Scholar for a two-year term, a role that is funded by the Francis March Endowment.
• Megan Rothenberger, professor of the Environmental Science and Studies Program has been reappointed as the Peter C.S. d’Aubermont Chair of Health and Life Sciences for a three-year term.
• Angelika von Wahl, professor of the International Affairs Program has been reappointed as the John L. ‘67 and Jean A. Hatfield Chair in International Affairs for a five year term.
• Andrea Smith, professor of anthropology and sociology, has been named the Thomas Roy and Lura Forrest Jones Professor of Anthropology and Sociology
• Michael McGuire, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been named the Simon Cameron Long Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
• Steven Belletto, professor of English, has been named the Francis A. March Professor of English.