Posted 05/30/2006

Faculty, students, honor society members recognized

The Arnold School of Public Health recognized exceptional achievements by students and faculty during the 2006 Hooding Ceremony on May 4 at the Koger Center.

The school also acknowledged new members of the Mu Chapter of the Delta Omega Society, the national honorary public health society.

Joel A. Nelson, a student in the Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, was presented the Jeffrey Keith Mattison Outstanding Achievement Award.

Nelson has worked toward two master’s degrees at USC, one in social work and the other in public health.  Last year he was named Derot Fellow for Environmental Health and Justice with the Conservation Law Foundation in Boston. 

In Columbia he has worked at the S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and the John A. Martin Primary Health Care Center.

R. Heath Kelsey, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, was selected for the Doctoral Achievement Award.  The recipient is named on the basis of academic performance, achievement and potential for further contributions to the field of public health.

Kelsey has been studying how changes in land use and land cover impact coastal ecosystem health. The results of the studies can help develop models that coastal research managers and policy makers can use to better manage the coastal environment.

He was honored in 2005 with the Walter B. Jones Award for Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study and has been selected for the Knauss Fellowship Program.

Sara J. Corwin, clinical assistant professor of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, was presented the James A. Keith Excellence in Teaching Award.

ASPH Dean Donna L. Richter said Corwin “. . .  has the ability to inspire and motivate students to pursue their dreams, and to engage their minds and hearts in the passionate relationship of learning, life and career.”

 Nominees for the teaching award are made by students, faculty or alumni.

 Robert McKeown, professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and associate dean for research, was presented the Faculty Research Award.

McKeown was nominated for the award by his colleagues. His research interests include children’s health – mental health in particular – public health ethics and women’s health.

In addition to his contributions to the ASPH’s research program, McKeown was recognized for helping develop a Methodology Unit for the Health Sciences to enhance resources and infrastructure for research computing and statistical support.

Larry Durstine, chair of the Department of Exercise Science, was the recipient of the Faculty Service Award.

A 25-year member of the faculty, Durstine was the recipient of the Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year Award in 2005. Currently he is president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Sixteen persons were introduced as new members of the Mu Chapter of the Delta Omega Society.

Founded at the School of Hygiene and Public Health at the Johns Hopkins University in 1924, Delta Omega is equivalent to Phi Beta Kappa for undergraduate studies in letters.

New alumni members were: Charles F. Adams, Amy E. Brock-Martin, Ericka Lynise Burroughs, Mary Louise Greaney, Kevin Todd Houston, Clarissa Suzette McClellan and
Joseph Lee Pearson 

 Student members were:  Allison Megan Conklin, Kerry Radigan Lachance, Michael Duane Mink, Joel Anthony Nelson, Meredith Robbins Palmer, Blythe Erin Scott and Danielle Lenore Shatley 

 Faculty members were:  Sara B. Laditka and John E. Vena

Five departments of the Arnold School of Public Health also presented honors.  Those included: 

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders:
Karin Jacobus was named 2006 Outstanding Student Award in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Alyssa Sonza-Novera was named Outstanding Student Award in Communication Sciences and Disorders via Distance Education. 

Department of Environmental Health Sciences:
Sara Strycharz was named 2006 Outstanding Graduate 

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics:
Betinna Fisher Drake was named 2006 Outstanding Epidemiology Student; Zhao “Tony” Yang was named 2006 Outstanding Biostatistics Student. 

Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior:
Allison Megan Conklin was presented the Master’s Student of the Year Award; Winifred W. Thompson was presented the Doctoral Student of the Year Award 

Department of Health Services Policy and Management:
Elizabeth McLean and Rhett Clark were awarded Susie Yates Scholarships; Ikechukwu Ogbuanu and Susan Mackey Richards were awarded Michael D. Jarrett Scholarships.

Ming-Sion Tsuang was presented the Michael E. and Sandra P. Samuels Distinguished Alumni Award.