October 22, 2025 | Office of the Provost

UConn Honors Faculty, Staff, Students, and Community Partners at 2025 Provost’s Awards Celebration

The celebration was held on Tuesday, October 14, at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts Art Gallery

A classroom full of people looking at a presenter in the front of the room

(Contributed photo)

The University of Connecticut celebrated faculty, staff, students, and community partners whose achievements embody the University’s academic excellence and public service mission at the 2025 Provost’s Awards Celebration, held Tuesday, October 14, at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts Art Gallery.

This annual event recognizes exceptional service, scholarship, and engagement that strengthen UConn and the communities it serves. The celebration took place in the Jorgensen Art Gallery, surrounded by Eight Days a Week: An Illustrated Record of Rock ’n’ Roll — a new exhibition of rock music memorabilia from the archive of editor, journalist, and radio disc jockey Ken Best. The gallery collection features decades of iconic photographs, album covers, posters, and promotional materials, including Connecticut photographer Joseph Sia’s legendary 1968 image of Jimi Hendrix, The Shadow. The exhibit’s creative energy and spirit of collaboration offered an inspiring backdrop for a ceremony honoring UConn’s own innovators, educators, and community builders.

“Today’s honorees represent the very best of UConn,” said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Pamir Alpay. “Their teaching, research, service, and partnerships show how deeply our university community is committed to making a difference — in Connecticut, across the nation, and around the world.”

Recognizing Outstanding Service and Engagement

Vice Provost Gladis Kersaint presented the Provost’s Outstanding Service Awards, honoring faculty and staff whose sustained contributions have made a lasting impact on UConn’s academic mission and community. This year’s recipients were:

  • Professor Isaac (Morty) Ortega, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment
  • Ada Rivera, Director, UConn Hartford Academic Achievement Center
  • Jim Hill, Director, Bachelor of General Studies Program

Vice Provost Amy Gorin next presented the Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship, recognizing exemplary collaborations among faculty, staff, students, and community partners. This year’s recipients were:

COMMUNITY PARTNER CATEGORY

  • Community Partner Award: HartBeat Ensemble

FACULTY CATEGORY

  • Faculty Community Impact
    • Distinguished Faculty Community Impact Award: Laura Cisneros, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Institute of Environment and Energy
    • Emerging Faculty Community Impact Award: Cristina Colón-Semenza, Department of Kinesiology
  • Faculty Instruction
    • Distinguished Faculty Instructor Award: Jon Bauer, School of Law
    • Emerging Faculty Instructor Award: William Davenport, Department of Extension
  • Faculty Research
    • Distinguished Faculty Research Award: George Plesko, Department of Accounting
    • Emerging Faculty Research Award: Xiang (Peter) Chen, Department of Geography, Sustainability, and Community and Urban Studies
  • Faculty Team
    • Faculty Team Award: Native American and Indigenous Studies (Sandy Grande, Kat Milligan-McClellan, Nate Acebo, Chris Newell, Hana Maruyama, April Anson, Josh Mayer, Bruno Seraphin, and Kali Simmons)

INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION CATEGORY

  • Institutional Transformation Award: Orthopedic Surgery (Dr. Kathy Coyner, Dr. Lauren Geaney, and Dr. Olga Solovyova)

STAFF CATEGORY

  • Distinguished Staff Award: Milagros Marrero-Johnson
  • Emerging Staff Award: Tanya Johnson
  • Staff Team Award: UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport (Patricia Bellamy-Mathis – Director of Partners & Programs, Catalina Quesada – Community Education Specialist,  Brandon Keaton, Educational Program Coordinator, Veronica Jacobs, Educational Program Administrator, Sarah Larocque, Educational Program Coordinator, Roc Rochon – Postdoctoral Scholar, Courses & Student Supports, Julián Alonso – Postdoctoral Scholar, Elementary School Partnerships, Joseph Condren – Communications & Impact Specialist, Joanee Mata – Assessment & Student Support Coordinator, and Madison González – Student Leadership & Program Specialist)

STUDENT CATEGORY

  • Graduate Student Award: Kamal Gautam
  • Undergraduate Student Award: Sydney Seldon
  • Student Team Award: Aviral Mehta, Pratham Tallam, Faizdeenkhan Pathan

UConn’s Highest Faculty Honor

A close up of a medal with a red and black ribbon
(Contributed photo)

The celebration concluded with recognition of the 2025 Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors, UConn’s highest faculty honor: Dr. Peter Albertsen (School of Medicine), Dean Anne Dailey (School of Law), and Dr. Luyi Sun (College of Engineering). Their respective deans — Dean Bruce Liang, Dean Eboni Nelson, and Dean J.C. Zhao — introduced the honorees and highlighted their groundbreaking contributions in research, teaching, and mentorship.

“These faculty members exemplify the pursuit of knowledge and excellence that defines UConn,” said Alpay. “Their discoveries and dedication elevate the reputation of our university and inspire generations of scholars to come.”

Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a reception in the Jorgensen lobby and auditorium to continue the celebration.