Notable Honors or Awards for 11 Women With Ties to American Higher Education

Joanne Michelle Kahlenberg, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, has received the Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize from the Lupus Foundation of America. The award recognizes exceptional accomplishments of an early career investigator in the field of lupus. Dr. Kahlenberg’s current research focuses on how specific chemicals contribute to skin inflammation in lupus patients. She holds a medical doctorate from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.

Katherine Browne, a professor in the department of anthropology and geography at Colorado State University, has received the prestigious Franz Boas Award for Exemplary Service to Anthropology from the American Anthropological Association. According to Mica Glantz, chair of the department of anthropology and geography at Colorado State , “for anthropologists, this is like winning the Nobel Prize.” Dr. Browne holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in anthropology, and a Ph.D. in anthropology all from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Stephanie Hathcock, assistant professor in science education at Oklahoma State University, is the recipient of the 2018 School Science and Mathematics Association Outstanding Early Career Scholar Award. The honor recognizes outstanding early career contributions to science and mathematics education and celebrates exemplary program research. Dr. Hathcock has been a faculty member at Oklahoma State since 2014 and currently teachers undergraduate and graduate courses in science education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in middle school science and mathematics education from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, a master’s degree in gifted education from the University of Arkansas, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Karen Webber, an associate professor of higher education in the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia, has received the 2018 Sidney Suslow Scholar Award from the Association for Institutional Research. The award is the highest honor the association bestows on an individual. It recognizes a member who has made extraordinary contributions through scholarly work to the field of institutional research and advanced understanding of the profession in a meaningful way. Dr. Webber holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Fanchon Glover, chief diversity officer at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has received the Eldridge W. Roark, Jr. Meritorious Service Award from the national leadership society Omicron Delta Kappa for her contributions to the organization. Dr. Glover holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in higher education administration from the College of William & Mary.

Deborah Reed, a professor in the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, has received the Edge Runner Award from the American Academy of Nursing. She is being honored for her work educating farmers about occupational health, safety, and disease prevention. Dr. Reed holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree in nursing, a master of public health degree, and a Ph.D. all from the University of Kentucky.

The late Vivien Casagrande has been honored with the Patricia Goldman-Rakic Hall of Honor Award from the Society of Neuroscience. This award is given posthumously in recognition “of a neuroscientist who pursued career excellence and exhibited dedication to the advancement of women in neuroscience.” Dr. Casagrande was a long-time professor of cell and developmental biology, psychology, and ophthalmology and visual sciences at Vanderbilt University. She passed away in 2017 from cancer. 

Jean Kwaterski, executive director of campus life at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, has received the Edwin R. Golden Award for Inclusive Excellence from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services. The award was established to honor outstanding campus leadership, activities, and/or programs promoting cultural awareness and inclusion. Kwaterski holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Mary Edgington, senior director of the HUB-Robeson Center at Pennsylvania State University, has received the Edgar A. Whiting Award from the Association of College Unions International. The award is given to a longtime college union or student activities professional who has consistently exceed expectations in his or her role within the ACUI and service to the institution.

Cate Denial, the Bright Professor of American History at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, is the recipient of the Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Historical Association. According to the association, the award “is intended for inspiring teachers whose techniques and mastery of subject matter made a real difference to students of history.” Dr. Denial has been teaching at Knox College since 2005 and currently serves as chair of the history department and director of The Bright Institute. She holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Nottingham in England, a master’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Iowa.

The Washington and Lee University board of trustees has announced that it will rename Lee-Jackson House in honor of Pamela Hemenway Simpson. Simpson was the first woman to become a tenured professor at the university and she played a critical role in the university’s transition to co-education in the mid 1980s. She passed away in 2011.