Faculty and Staff Awards Convocation — 2008

Six faculty members and two staffers were named recipients of major college honors as part of Penn State Harrisburg»s annual Awards Convocation March 26.

The award winners included:

Associate Professor of Adult Education Elizabeth Tisdell – Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity;
Assistant Professor of American Studies and Literature John Haddad – Faculty Service Award;
Associate Professor of Finance Oranee Tawatnuntachai – Excellence in Teaching Award;
Senior Instructor in Engineering AB Shafaye – Excellence in Advising Award;
Associate Professor of Health Education Raffy Luquis – Faculty Diversity Award;
Administrative Assistant in the School of Humanities Ella Dowell – Staff Diversity Award;
Administrative Assistant in the School of Business Administration Dawn Hamaty – Staff Service Award; and
Administrative Assistant in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology Lori Ricard – Kathryn Towns Women’s History Month Award.

Dr. Elizabeth Tisdell

Termed a “consummate scholar” by one of her nominators, Dr. Tisdell was honored for bringing strong interests in gender, race, diversity, and equity issues to the doctoral program in Adult Education. Her current research focuses on how underlying spiritual commitments motivate and influence the educational practices of a multicultural group of women educators who are teaching across borders of race, class, gender, and culture for social action and transformation. She has published three books, a monograph, and has written 22 book chapters. In addition, she has contributed 15 refereed publications, 38 refereed conference proceedings, 4 book reviews, 4 magazine articles, a digest, and more than 35 refereed international and national scholarly papers.

Dr. John Haddad

Since his arrival at Penn State Harrisburg in 2003, Dr. Haddad has “amassed a remarkable record of accomplishment in the scholarship of service while still maintaining excellence in research and teaching,” states one nominating letter for the Faculty Service Award. His contributions to the national association representing his academic discipline, stewardship of the college Honors Program, and service to the external community were all cited by colleagues as examples of his overall commitment to service. Extending his service commitment outside the college, he was elected chair of the Regional Chapters Committee of the national American Studies Association and serves as editor of the Middle Atlantic American Studies Association’s newsletter.

Dr. Oranee Tawatnuntachai

Described as an “innovative, enthusiastic, dedicated, and concerned faculty member,” Dr. Tawatnuntachai joined the School of Business Administration as a lecturer in 1999 and currently serves as the coordinator of its Finance program. She was singled out for emphasizing interpersonal interaction with the students and for incorporating a variety of technologies to facilitate student learning. For example, she has worked with instructional designers from Education Technology Services to develop a multimedia learning tool for specific content in her courses.

Mr. AB Shafaye

A faculty member in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology since 1986, Mr. Shafaye has not only established a reputation for excellence in advising to students, but consistently receives the gratitude of graduates he continues to counsel. Alumni of the electrical programs spanning several decades point to his constant availability for advice and guidance when they were students and his willingness to continue their relationship after graduation. One writes, “AB’s advising does not stop at graduation. He continues to make himself available for guidance. One example is the network he has created to keep information flowing regarding potential jobs. What a wonderful benefit!”

Mrs. Dawn Hamaty

Mrs. Hamaty’s list of contributions to the school and college is extensive. She has served as secretary of the college Commission for Women since 2006 and is the School of Business Administration’s staff representative to the United Way campaign. She has shared her objectivity, enthusiasm, and expertise with the faculty and staff giving campaign, as a member of search committees, as an invited speaker representing the school and college at the National Consortium for Continuous Improvement, as a member of the Public Relations Subcommittee of the college Diversity and Educational Equity Committee, as a longtime member of the Judicial Affairs Hearing Board, and a Kids College advisory board member.

Ms. Lori Ricard

Ms. Ricard recently served a two-year term as chair of Penn State Harrisburg’s Commission for Women (CFW) and in doing so, revitalized the organization’s programming efforts. During her term as chair, membership and CFW campus activities grew substantially. With her leadership, she helped the CFW members organize panel discussions, vigils, plays, and other special events based around women’s issues. She has also dedicated much of her time to numerous activities which raised several thousand dollars to aid domestic violence awareness efforts and victim assistance programs in Dauphin County.

Raffy Luquis

An untiring advocate for diversity in academia and the community, Dr. Luquis co-chairs the Outreach/Linkages Subcommittee of the Diversity and Educational Equity Committee on campus and is a member of the Faculty Senate Committee on International and Intercultural Affairs. He helped create a graduate-level course entitled Multicultural Issues in Health which is now a core requirement for all students in the master’s degree program in Health Education and in the community, he developed the American Association of Health Education’s position statement on cultural competency, served on the AIDS Planning Coalition of Southcentral Pennsylvania, and as chair of the Asthma Disparity workgroup on the Pa. Department of Health.

Ella Dowell

Mrs. Dowell was honored for her commitment to creating a welcoming climate for everyone at the college. Her commitment to the college’s international activities and students was singled out, including taking the time to work with visiting students and even inviting them to her home for dinner with her family. She has also demonstrated her active involvement in campus activities by serving as chair of Take our Daugters and Sons to Work Day and the Martin Luther King Day poster project.

Also honored at the convocation were Penn State Harrisburg employees marking 25 years of service to the University. They are:

Assistant Director of Campus Life and Intercultural Affairs Donna Howard
Director of the Institute of State and Regional Affairs Michael Behney
Associate Professor of Engineering Joseph Cecere
Lead Carpenter-Renovations Ronald Livingston
Maintenance Mechanic, Vehicle and Grounds Equipment William Macfarlane Sr.
Staff Assistant in the Office of Safety and Police Services Vera Mae Piccolo
Instructor in Engineering Masoud Tabatabai
Administrative Assistant in the School of Public Affairs Kathryn Corbin Tompkins

Acknowledged for their retirements over the last year were:

Staff Assistant in the Office of Development Carol Anderson
Professor of Education and Reading Ernest Dishner
Associate Professor of Education Daniele Flannery
Senior Research Assistant in the Institute of State and Regional Affairs Alan Gesford
Assistant Professor of Community Systems and Afro-American Studies Glemmie Gilpin
Administrative Assistant in the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education Peggy Macfarlane
Maintenance Mechanic, Vehicle and Grounds Equipment William Macfarlane Sr.
Assistant Professor of Education and Humanities Linda Ross
Maintenance Worker Charles Smith
Staff Assistant in the Office of Development Carol Anderson
Professor of Education and Reading Ernest Dishner
Associate Professor of Education Daniele Flannery
Senior Research Assistant in the Institute of State and Regional Affairs Alan Gesford
Assistant Professor of Community Systems and Afro-American Studies Glemmie Gilpin
Administrative Assistant in the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education Peggy Macfarlane
Maintenance Mechanic, Vehicle and Grounds Equipment William Macfarlane Sr.
Assistant Professor of Education and Humanities Linda Ross;
Maintenance Worker Charles Smith
Staff Assistant in the Office of Enrollment Services Karen Wasielewski
Professor of Information Systems Gayle Yaverbaum

Archive of Past Winners

2007 Award Winners

College News

Photo exhibit studies 35 years on a family farm

An area family farm and the people it has touched over 35 years are the main ingredients in a photographic exhibit open to the public through June 30 at Penn State Harrisburg.

The work of Shiremanstown photographer Robert Willis is on exhibit in the main central lobby of Olmsted building from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Student’s winning business concept aimed at assisting cancer victims

The annual College Venture Challenge sponsored by the Capital Area Economic Development Corp. normally involves teams of students competing for cash prizes and startup assistance for their business plans.

Penn State Harrisburg walked away with the top prize in the Graduate Challenge April 29, but the winning “team” consisted of one person – MBA student and Hershey resident Maricarmen Planas-Silva, who earned $5,000 to support her BioCells2Cure concept.

Creative students demonstrate senior projects

What do a solar-heated pet shelter, a realistic race car simulator, and a go-kart which can negotiate land and water have in common?

They and others were created by Penn State Harrisburg Mechanical Engineering Technology students as part of their course requirements for the senior design project.

The student efforts were put on public display Friday, May 2 with the seniors first explaining their projects in the Olmsted Auditorium and then actually demonstrating the inventions at the MET lab on campus.