The Graduate School Mentoring Awards recognize graduate programs, faculty mentors and doctoral students whose practice exemplifies the Foundational Values for Graduate Student and Faculty Mentoring Relationships and who make exceptional efforts to sustain the rights and fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the MSU Guidelines for Graduate Student Mentoring and Advising.
Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award
Halvorsen, Anne-Lise
Professor Anne-Lise Halvorsen in the Department of Teacher Education exemplifies all of the foundational values of this award, namely a commitment to: respect and care; professionalism, ethics and integrity; and the professional and personal growth and independence of the student. She has advised 25 Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education (CITE) PhD students, served on 30 dissertation committees, and served as the CITE Program Director. Graduate students gave examples of how she goes above and beyond to ensure they receive the support and resources they need to succeed, even before they started at MSU. She seeks out opportunities for each student to learn and thrive in their personal and professional lives. It was noted that "She is always there to give a helping hand, asking us which of the three 'h's' we would prefer: a hug, to be heard, or to be helped." Prof. Halvorsen has helped bring together graduate students and faculty across the Midwest by organizing professional gatherings through the Midwest College and University Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies that help students build important professional networks and provide feedback on their research projects.
Outstanding Early Career Faculty Mentor Award
Szczepanski, Caroline
Assistant Professor Caroline Szczepanksi in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science exemplifies all of the foundational values of this award, namely a commitment to: respect and care; professionalism, ethics and integrity; and the professional and personal growth and independence of the student. She completes an expectations document with each student in her lab that outlines strategies for communication and success and works with them to develop a strategic plan each semester. These documents are reviewed and updated regularly. She regularly publishes with her students, graduate and undergraduate, as first or primary authors. Several of her students have been recognized for their research including an MSU Goldwater nominee and the 2024 Best Materials Science Graduate Student. Prof. Szczepanksi 's graduate students see her as a role model for their own mentoring styles, and two of them have won university awards from the Office of Undergraduate Research, the 2024 and 2025 Research Supervisor of the Year, for their mentorship of undergraduates. In 2024 she won the Excellence in Diversity - Emerging Accomplishments Award from the College of Engineering for her efforts to foster an inclusive environment in her lab and the broader community.
Outstanding Doctoral Student Mentor Award
Luttman, Andrea
Ms. Andrea Luttman is a PhD student in the Genetics and Genome Sciences program. Her research project examined stress resilience in young pigs and required intensive sample and data collection that required the hiring and training of >20 undergraduates. Not only did Andrea independently train each student for her project in a thoughtful way, she also encouraged and supported them to conduct their own undergraduate research projects including presenting at research forums. She serves as the advisor for the MSU Horseman's Association and coaches the MSU Animal Science Academic Quadrathlon team. A group of undergrad and graduate students provided testimonials to how Andrea's mentoring has impacted their academic, professional and leadership development. Several students noted her dedication to helping everyone whether it was in research, teaching, career advice or personal challenges.
Outstanding Graduate Program Community Award
Integrative Biology
The Department of Integrative Biology (IBIO) has substantially transformed their graduate program over the last few years through a collaboration effort between the students, faculty, and departmental leadership. After receiving feedback from the graduate students about their key concerns, the program significantly revised their Graduate Student Handbook, formed a Graduate Student Organization (GSO), expanded travel funding to scientific meetings, and established 3 new departmental awards. The GSO established a peer-to-peer mentoring program, organized a grad student retreat, and documented procedures for mediating student-advisor relationships. The program has revised their comprehensive exam process, including having rubrics included in the new Handbook, that ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency. Several graduate students testified to the tremendous strides the program has made to support them in multiple ways: academically, professionally, and financially.
Political Science
The Political Science graduate program works to meet their students' educational and professional development needs in several ways. The Graduate Student Association (GSA) plays a core role within the department by serving on many departmental committees, including climate and access, strategic planning and the Graduate Committee. The department has recently created a new lounge space for the graduate students that includes a lending library with many of the first-year textbooks and reference materials. The program is committed to career and professional development. For example they recently turned a teaching professionalization workshop into a semester course. They have instituted peer mentoring in the form of "Methods Fellows" with experienced students helping the first-year students through their initial coursework. To foster networking opportunities and career placement after the pandemic the program hosted a student-alumni conference, that they hope to continue.
