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The School of Education seeks to recognize distinguished alumni who embody the mission of both Manhattanville College and the School of Education. Award recipients are recognized annually in May at the School of Education's Graduate, Doctoral, and Alumni Awards Ceremony.
2021 Alumni Award Criteria and Nominations
To nominate a candidate for an alumni award, please click on the name of the award and fill out the nomination form for that award. Details and criteria for each award can be found at: Alumni Awards Criteria.
You may nominate an alumnus for more than one award if they fit the criteria. Nominations may come from the candidate's students, professional peers, and/or supervisor. You may also self-nominate. Self-nominations should be supported with recommendations from students, peers, and/or supervisors.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 19, 2021 and award decisions will be made by late April 2021 by the SOE Alumni Board.
Distinguished Service Award
Honors an SoE graduate who has contributed to the SoE through involvement in programs, events, panels, mentoring, and "gives back" as an educator to the student community.
Valiant Educator Award
Honors a graduate of the SoE whose career and community accomplishments reflect the mission of the School by contributing to the ethical and social growth of the population he or she serves.
Inspirational Recent Alumni Award
Recognizes someone who has graduated from the SoE within the past 10 years for exceptional contributions to the field of education and/or to the community.
Alumni Innovative Teaching Award
Honors a graduate of the SoE who has demonstrated innovative teaching that positively affects PK-12 or higher education students' motivation or achievement.
Alumni Scholarship Award in Education
Presented to a graduate of the SoE who has published notable scholarship in the field of education. Scholarship includes research or publications (books,articles).
Alumni Award for Publications in PK-12 Education
Awarded to an SoE graduate who has created publications (children literature, curriculum design, technology guides) that foster teaching, learning, and development in the PK-12 setting.
For further details or if you have questions about the SOE Alumni Awards, please contact Heidi Sakanaka, Assistant Dean for Community Outreach, at Heidi.Sakanaka@mville.edu or at (914)323-5482.
In recent years, the School of Education presented the following awards to our distinguished alumni:
The 2020 Inspirational Recent Alumni Award was given to Jaime Stabile, M.P.S.’15. As the Coordinator of the Tutoring Center at Rye High School (NY), Jaime has created a safe, supportive and welcoming space for students who need academic support. In lifting the stigma associated with needing extra help, Jaime and her staff of two found a huge increase in student usage of the Tutoring Centers services. As one of her colleague nominators stated, “to watch her connect and weave her web of positivity around students who are feeling unsure of their abilities, ashamed of their challenges in the classroom, disenfranchised with school life, home life, or those dealing with anxiety relating to school, is truly remarkable.”
As the school went into remote learning in Spring 2020, Jaime made sure to reach to the Tutoring Center students individually and through virtual sessions, and by holding virtual office hours and posting positive weekly videos, so that all students would get the support they needed in these uncertain times.
The 2020 Valiant Educator Award was award to Ben Piacquadio, Advanced Certificate ’14, who is a 7th grade home room teacher, 6-7-8 grade social studies teacher, and Athletic Director at St. Benedict’s School in the Bronx. As a teacher, he is has developed innovative differentiated instruction computer classes for ELA and math. As Athletic Director, his work in building his school’s sports program and integrating various sports has resulted in increased student involvement in athletics. Additionally, as Athletic Director at a parochial school, he is also responsible for children enrolled in sports programs connected with Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) and has worked to expand his role in the community beyond just students of Saint Benedict’s.
Ben has been a true cheerleader for his school, not just by re-instating the school mascot and creating many spirit day events, but by spearheading fundraising activities to benefit the school. He planned and executed a spirit wear fundraiser and used the proceeds for school gymnasium, hallway, and classroom renovations and improvements, with labor coming from alumni volunteers whose assistance Ben recruited. He also led an engraved brick campaign that raised $15,000 to bring Chromebooks to all children in the school.
- The 2019 Distinguished Service Award was given to Laura Woodson, B.S. '05, M.A.T. '06. Ms. Woodson has been a long-term member of and leader in the School of Education’s Early Childhood Education Alumni Association and has been instrumental in the organization of annual conferences and service projects. She is currently the Education Director at Highbridge Advisory Council head Start/UPK in Bronx, NY.
- The 2019 Inspirational Recent Alumni Award was given to Kevin M. Hanlon, who received his Master of Arts in Teaching from Manhattanville in 2009. At the time of his award, Mr. Hanlon was a teacher at Port Chester Middle School, Port Chester, NY who spearheaded a summer program that allowed students with diverse backgrounds to develop math, English language arts, and leadership skills through technology. He also led various building initiatives and was a mentor to other teachers. In summer 2020, Mr. Hanlon was appointed as Assistant Principal of Farragut Middle School in Hastings-on-Hudson (NY).
- The 2018 Valiant Educator Award was given to Dr. Patricia Lee Gauch, who received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Manhattanville in 1969. Dr. Gauch is an accomplished journalist, editor, author, and teacher whose work has contributed to the growth of readers and writers everywhere.
- The 2018 Alumni Innovative Teaching Award was given to Mr. James Murray (BA '04, MPS '13). Mr. Murray is a teacher at the Villa Maria School, Stanford, CT, a private, co-educational school serving students with learning disabilities, where his innovative lesson plans using multi-sensory strategies have been instrumental in developing programs to help students on the spectrum acclimate to a regular school setting. He is also a leader in promoting STEM at his school.
Read about our 2017 Alumni Award winners here!
2017 Alumni Award for Publications in PK-12 Education: Roseanne Baxter Frank, BS '86
2017 Valiant Educator Award: Janet McManus Corvini, BMus '76
Read about our 2016 Alumni Award winners here!
2016 Inspirational Recent Alumni Award: Tina Roode, BA '13, MAT '14
2016 Valiant Educator Award: Marlene Moussa, MAT '93
2016 Innovative Teaching Award: Dr. Dolores Santoliquido, BFA '77, MAT '08
Read about our 2015 Alumni Award winners here!
2015 Inspirational Recent Alumni Award: Emily Hersh, EdD ’13
2015 Distinguished Service Award: Terri Barrett, MPS '09
2015 Valiant Educator Award: Dasha Alexander, MPS '13
2015 Innovative Teaching Award: Marissa Bonitatibus, MPS '13
A huge congratulations to all the winners!