NSU recognizes outstanding students, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Gallaspy Family College of Education and Human Development hosted the Spring 2026 Honors Convocation to recognize outstanding students, faculty and staff. The College includes the School of Education, School of Kinesiology (formerly the Department of Health and Human Performance), Department of Military Science and Leadership, Department of Psychology and Addiction Studies and Department of Social Work.
School of Education honor recipients are as follows.
Emily McGehee of Pollock – Excellence in Teaching in Undergraduate Education
Taylor Poole of Pollock – Dr. Marie Shaw Dunn Award in Early Childhood Education
Lien McGehee of Pollock – Esther Cooley Memorial Award:
Madeline Ybanez of Kilgore, Texas – Excellence in Music Education:
Virginia Santiago of Shreveport – Outstanding Senior Award in Child and Family Studies
Faith Matthews of Campti – T. P. Chaplin Award
Abigayle Guillory of Opelousas – Educators Rising Outstanding Service Award
Kymberlee Chenier of Opelousas – Dill Perseverance Award
Jaclyn Lambright of Pollock – Dill Perseverance Award
Peyton Melancon of Metairie – Excellence in Counseling Award
April Dunnehoo of Reeves – Outstanding Master’s Degree Candidate
Jesse Flunder of Monroe – Rising Educational Leader Award
Michael Cox of Natchitoches – Outstanding Research in Education
Rhett Thiels of Pineville – Excellence in Teaching in Graduate Teacher Education (MAT)
Olivia Slayter of Colfax – Excellence in Teaching in Graduate Teacher Education (PREP)
Elisabeth Cason of Shreveport – Outstanding Doctoral Research Award
Honorees from the School of Education were, from left, Madeline Yvanez, Faith Matthews, Michael Cox, Emily McGehee, Dr. Michelle Fazio-Brunson, Dr. April Giddens, Lien McGehee, Elisabeth Cason, Taylor Poole, Virginia Santiago, Jaclyn Lambright, Kymberlee Chenier, Olivia Slayter, Jesse Flunder, Rhett Thiels, April Dunahoo and Dr. Wendi O’Halloran.
School of Kinesiology recipients are as follows.
Sileena Farrell of Gravesend, United Kingdom – 2026 AKA Undergraduate Scholar Award / Outstanding Female Athlete inKinesiology
Donroy Brown of Natchitoches – Outstanding Male Athlete in Kinesiology
Abigail Coker of Meraux – Outstanding Health & Exercise Science Undergraduate Student
Honor Camus of Baton Rouge – Outstanding Sport & Recreation Management Student
Dillon Longino of Coushatta – Outstanding Health & Physical Education Student
Janiel Moore of Farmingdale, New York – Outstanding Sport Administration Graduate Student and GA of the Year
Kassandra Schoen of St. Michaels, Minnesota – Outstanding Public Health Graduate Student
Tarajh Hudson of Nassau, Bahamas – 2026 AKA Masters Scholar Award / Outstanding Exercise Physiology Grad Student
Samantha Jordan of Lake Charles – Bill E. Stewart Health & Human Performance Scholarship
Lauren Menard of Scott – Allen R. “Buddy” Bonnette Scholarship
Joshua Peek of Leesville – Chris Roper Memorial Scholarship
Arianna Hagan of Fort Polk – Chris Roper Memorial Scholarship
Dagan Webb of Bossier City – Cindy Poole Davis Health & Exercise Sciences Scholarship
Cailen Wiltcher of Sondheimer – Al Moreau Jr. Endowed Scholarship
Honorees from the School of Kinesiology were, front row from left, Samantha Jordan, Dr. Haley Blount, Dr. Lauren Mitchell, Abigail Coker, Honor Camus, Donroy Brown, Kassandra Schoen, Tammy Dobson and Dr. Jackie Calhoun. On the back row are Dr. Michael Moulton, Dr. Sunggun Jeon, Joshua Peek, Cailen Wiltcher, Tarajh Hudson, Sileena Farrell, Dr. Tara Tietjen-Smith and Janiel Moore.
Department of Military Science honor recipients are as follows.
Joseph Resendez of Bossier City – Superior Cadet Decoration Award – MS I
Evyn Goree of Pineville – Superior Cadet Decoration Award – MS II
Megan Franchino of Santa Rita, Guam – Superior Cadet Decoration Award – MS III
Layla Wood of Gheens – Superior Cadet Decoration Award – MS IV
Honorees from the Department of Military Science were, from left, Layla Theriot Wood, Fred R. Flurry, Cpt. Armando Lopez, Megan Franchino and Joseph Resendez.
Department of Psychology honor recipients are as follows.
Elise Quebedeaux of Arnaudville – Maureen A. McHale Outstanding Junior Award in Psychology
Lorien Thomas of Shreveport – Terry Isbell Outstanding Senior Psychology Major Award
Abigail Petermann of Bossier City – Terry Isbell Outstanding Senior Psychology Major Award
Carter Appleton of Shreveport-Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Addiction Studies
Hurst Moreland Hall, Jr. Research Award: Jadyn Brunk of Alexandria
Donald O. Gates Psi Chi Honor Graduate Award: Shantae Romero of Tallulah
Robert L. Breckenridge Graduate Student Award: Taylor Maust of Bossier City
Recognized by the Department of Psychology were, from left, Taylor Maust, Elise Quebedeaux, Lorien Thomas, Dr. Charles King, Shantae Romero, Jadyn Brunk, Abigail Petermann and Carter Appleton.
Department of Social Work honor recipients are as follows.
Dustina Guillot of Jeanerette – Outstanding Social Work Student Award
Kaci Green of Keithville – Outstanding Social Work Student Award
The late Tonie Sonnier, formerly of Many – Tonie Sonnier Spirit of Service Award
Marissa Howard of Opelousas – Social Work Service Award
Aleeya Jefferson of Cloutierville – Social Work Field Experience Award
Title IV-E Child Welfare Scholars Award Spring 2026 Graduates
Kiley Gatson of Dubach
Malachya Lily of Zwolle
Amanda Spraggins of Shreveport
Title IV-E Child Welfare Scholars Award Fall 2025 Graduates
Anayah Allen of Jonesboro
Brianna Mouton of St. Martinville
Kelcey Rials of West Monroe
Honorees from the Department of Social Work were, from left, Dr. MaryAnne Candley, Dustina Guillot, Amanda Spraggins, Aleeya Jefferson, Marissa Howard, Kaci Green, Kiley Gatson, Lisa Mount, Greere Koehler, Dr. Susan Campbell and Randy Hoffpauir.
GCEHD Distinguished Faculty and Staff Awards are as follows.
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Dr. Wendi O’Halloran, Director of Clinical Practice & Partnership, School of Education
Shannon Wall-Hale, Instructor of Psychology/Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Psychology
Lisa Mount, Title IV-E Coordinator/Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work
Distinguished Scholar Awards
Dr. Michelle Fazio-Brunson, Professor of Early Childhood Education, School of Education
Dr. Billie Myers, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Distinguished Service Awards
Dr. Lauren Mitchell, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology
Sarah Ebarb, Coordinator of the LAATTC@NSU, Department of Psychology
LTC (R) Joshua Drake, Professor of Military Science, Department of Military Science and Leadership
Distinguished Staff Member Awards
Tammy Dobson, Administrative Assistant II/Coordinator, School of Kinesiology
Fred R. Flurry, Assistant Recruiter, Department of Military Science and Leadership
Dr. Andrew Fultz, Assistant Professor of Social Work/Title IV-E Executive Director, Department of Social Work
Honored faculty were Sarah Ebarb, Distinguished Service Award; Dr. Billie Myers, Distinguished Scholar Award, and Shannon Wall-Hale.