By Mindy Ayala-Diaz

Please join us in congratulating this year's Faculty Governance Awards recipients! Selected by the DCEPS Faculty Governance Organization, the Faculty Governance Awards are an annual tradition of the Darden College aimed at recognizing the distinguished faculty members who have gone above and beyond and have made significant contributions to their fields, the College, and the University.

"I want to express my sincere congratulations to each of our award recipients. These awards aim to celebrate the hard work, perseverance, and dedication that have gone into the incredible things you have all accomplished," shared interim dean Tammi Dice. "I hope you know that you are an inspiration to current and future students to follow their passions, make meaningful differences, and ultimately better the world."

The Awardees are as follows:

Outstanding Adjunct Award - Kim Bullington, Educator of Higher Education, Community College Leadership and Foundations

Teaching Innovation Award - Dr. Patrick Wilson, Associate Professor of Exercise Science

Publication Award - Dr. KaaVonia Hinton, Professor in the Department of Teaching & Learning

Service Award - Dr. Kristy Carlisle, Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services

Most Collaborative Grants and Contracts Award - Dr. Jody Sommerfeldt (Principal Investigator), Dr. Brandon Butler (Co-Principal Investigator), Dr. Kristie Gutierrez (Co-Principal Investigator and Consultant), Dr. Jori Beck (Co-Principal Investigator and Consultant), Dr. Jamie Colwell, Dr. Valerie Taylor, and Dr. Kala Burrell-Craft

International Outreach Award - Dr. Dennis Gregory, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Foundations & Leadership

Community Service Award - Dr. Mindy Gumpert, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education

Tonelson Award - Dr. Emily Goodman-Scott, Associate Professor, Assistant Department Chair, Graduate Program Director, School Counseling Coordinator, Department of Counseling and Human Services

The selection committee for the 2022 awards is:

  • Dr. Jane Roitsch, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education
  • Dr. Noah Glaser, Assistant Professor in the Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies
  • Dr. Radha Parker, Associate Professor in the Counseling and Human Services
  • Dr. Michelle Redmond, Lecturer in Human Movement Sciences

The 2022 Awardees were recognized at a luncheon in April. Read about the 2020-2021 Faculty Awards Recipients here.


Outstanding Adjunct Award

Kim Bullington, Educator of Higher Education, Community College Leadership and Foundations

Kim Bullington teaches numerous courses at ODU and elsewhere and at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, she teaches coursework in higher education and community college leadership under the Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership. She serves alongside her fellow faculty by doing workshops, conducting groundbreaking research around military and veteran students, and working with veterans' organizations on campus and nationally. She has a strong and growing publication and research agenda, which also supports her teaching. Bullington serves as adjunct while working in a senior administrative leadership position in the College of Engineering and Technology and also as a volunteer advisor to several student organizations. She has traveled extensively as part of our Study Abroad program and to speak at international conferences, using her background and travel experiences to enrich the experiences of our students.

This award is given to an adjunct faculty member who has demonstrated excellent teaching records in the classroom or clinical setting as an instructor.


Teaching Innovation Award

Dr. Patrick Wilson, Associate Professor of Exercise Science

Dr. Patrick Wilson serves as associate professor of exercise science under the Department of Human Movement Sciences. In 2021, he published 21 high-quality peer-reviewed projects. His notable contributions to the classroom include his effective use of multiple learning styles, and his research mentoring both in the labs and in journal publications. Wilson's areas of interest and expertise include sport and exercise nutrition, exercise physiology, endurance competition, and public health.

This award is given annually to a tenured or non-tenured faculty member within the College in recognition of excellence and innovation in the area of teaching. This may include a faculty member's accomplishments toward a particular course of study or may relate to the individual's overall teaching performance.


Publication Award

Dr. KaaVonia Hinton, Professor in the Department of Teaching & Learning

Dr. KaaVonia Hinton is a professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning. In 2021, she published one invited book chapter, one invited article, and four peer-reviewed articles. Her research interests are young adult literature and educational biography. She is the author of several books, including Sharon M. Draper: Embracing Literacy (2009), co-author (with Gail K. Dickinson) of Integrating Multicultural Literature in Libraries and Classrooms in Secondary Schools (2007) and (with Katherine T. Bucher) Young Adult Literature: Exploration, Evaluation and Appreciation, 3rd ed. (2013).

This award is given annually to the tenured or non-tenured faculty member within the college with the most significant record of scholarly publications in a given calendar year.


Service Award

Dr. Kristy Carlisle, Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Services

Dr. Kristy Carlisle is an assistant professor with the Department of Counseling and Human Services. She has taught 13 different courses at the undergraduate and doctoral levels. This year, she served on eight dissertation committees, six as chair and one as methodologist. This year, she also published 15 peer-reviewed articles, and operated three grants totaling almost $4 million. Additionally, she produced three journals as editor-in-chief or executive editor, including her service as editor-in-chief of The Journal of Human Services, a national peer-reviewed journal and the flagship journal in the field. Also notable are her numerous newspaper publications and myriad of national and local service involvements.

This award is given annually to a faculty member of any rank within the college in recognition of exemplary service contributions beyond job expectations at each of the following levels:

  • Program
  • Department
  • College
  • University
  • and national professional organizations.


Most Collaborative Grants and Contracts Award

Dr. Jody Sommerfeldt (Principal Investigator), Dr. Brandon Butler (Co-Principal Investigator), Dr. Kristie Gutierrez (Co-Principal Investigator and Consultant), Dr. Jori Beck (Co-Principal Investigator and Consultant), Dr. Jamie Colwell, Dr. Valerie Taylor, and Dr. Kala Burrell-Craft

Their service grant, Clinical Coaching for Meaningful Measures, includes collaborations with public schools across Virginia over the last four years, as well as departments within DCEPS and other colleges at Old Dominion University.

The grant strengthens preservice teacher preparation at ODU to ensure that teacher candidates make seamless transitions to full-time teaching.

It also includes professional development for clinical faculty, and for teachers who work in schools with teacher candidates each semester.

This award is given to the researchers who are the principal investigators of a collaborative grant or contract that has the most significant impact on the College.


International Outreach Award

Dr. Dennis Gregory, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Foundations & Leadership

Dr. Dennis Gregory serves as director of international partnerships for the Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership with the goal of recruiting students for the international leadership track of the higher education master's degree program and obtaining more graduate assistantships. Gregory is the leader and primary writer of an application to the Institute for International Education. His contributions also include his place as leader and primary writer to the Fulbright Foundation to provide a grant to support an international Scholar in Residence program. In addition, he is currently leading an effort in cooperation with the International Association for Student Affairs and Services, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, and the Campus & School Safety Training Institute of South Africa. Gregory works with the Center for Global Engagement and the Office of Research. He also serves as academic advisor to Fulbright student awardees from other countries that come to study in ODU's higher education program. He has been a workshop participant for all incoming international students at the university since fall 2021, sponsored by the International Initiatives Program of the Office of Intercultural Relations.

The International Outreach Award is given annually to a tenured or non-tenured faculty member within the college in recognition of their engagement with international research and teaching.


Community Service Award

Dr. Mindy Gumpert, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education

Dr. Mindy Gumpert is an associate professor with the Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education. Her commitment to community service is evident. She has engaged with the Chesapeake Bay Academy community on multiple levels. She also serves as president for leadership of the Virginia Council for Learning Disabilities. With this organization, she has spearheaded initiatives with six state organizations to form the Joint Coalition for Learning Disabilities and Literacy, with a mission to provide free professional development targeting a greater understanding of learning disabilities and literacy. So far, this coalition has provided professional development to more than 150 educators. She is a key member in development of the Center for Education Research and Technology Innovation, a collaboration among Chesapeake Bay Academy, ODU, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Virginia Wesleyan University to develop, evaluate, and disseminate new programs and practices utilizing innovative, student-centered technologies.

This award is given annually to a faculty member of any rank within the college in recognition of professional excellence, significant contribution, and achievements for service in the community.


Tonelson Award

Dr. Emily Goodman-Scott, Associate Professor, Assistant Department Chair, Graduate Program Director, School Counseling Coordinator, Department of Counseling and Human Services

Dr. Emily Goodman-Scott of the Department of Counseling and Human Services has been awarded the Tonelson Award in recognition of her outstanding service to ODU and beyond.

She received the prestigious 2020 Research Award from the American Counseling Association and the 2020 ODU Diversity Champion Award.

Goodman-Scott has made presentations at more than 100 national and state conferences, and over 80 additional invited talks around the U.S., including: keynotes, invited preconferences, state Department of Education, and sponsored workshops, school district trainings. She also works closely to empower her students, by collaborating with researches, presentations, and publications with master's and doctoral students (she published five such research articles in the last few years).

She serves as president of a national counseling association, chair of the board for a state association, and is a board member for the University Women's Caucus.

The Tonelson Award is a high honor is given annually to a tenured or non-tenured faculty member with DCEPS in recognition of outstanding teaching, research, and/or publications, and service to their departments, college, university, and the community over the most recent three calendar years.