Student Awards, Honors and Scholarships
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Honors Day

The Andrew Young School of Policy Studies held its Seventh Annual Honors Day Ceremony at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel on March 11, 2003 to recognize the academic excellence and service achievements of its students.

The School celebrates undergraduate excellence every semester. In spring 2003, 78 AYSPS undergraduates qualified for the Dean’s List and 26 were designated Faculty Scholars. In the summer semester, 33 undergraduates qualified for the Dean’s List and 34 were Faculty Scholars; in the fall, 51 qualified for the Dean’s List and 42 were Faculty Scholars.

The following students were recognized this year:

Anil Lewis (M.P.A.) received the GSU Torch of Peace Award, which honors a GSU student who has exhibited outstanding leadership and has made a significant contribution to Georgia State University.

Scholarships and fellowships:

Li Zhang (Ph.D. in Economics) received the Jack Blicksilver Scholarship in Economics. Established in honor of Dr. Jack Blicksilver, late professor of economics emeritus, this scholarship is awarded annually to a graduate or undergraduate student who excels in economics.

Velma Zahirovic-Herbert (Ph.D. in Economics) received the Carole Keels Scholarship in Economics, established in honor of the late Carole Y. Keels, a GSU alumna. This scholarship recognizes a student with significant career experience who is pursuing a degree in economics. At the age of 38, Dr. Keels returned to college to complete both a master's and Ph.D. degree in economics at Georgia State.

Peter S. Bluestone (Ph.D. in Economics) received the George Malanos Scholarship in Economics, which is given in honor of Dr. George Malanos, late professor of economics and first chair of the department, to the Ph.D. student selected by the faculty as best exemplifying a commitment to the exchange of ideas and the creation of a community of scholars.

Paul Kagundu (Ph.D. in Economics) received the E.D. (Jack) Dunn Fellowship, established to honor the late Banking Commissioner E.D. Dunn, a Georgia State alumnus. This fellowship is awarded annually to a deserving graduate student in the Andrew Young School with academic and research interest in public finance, financial regulatory policy impact on national, regional and local economics, or public management.
Rachel A. Ferencik (M.P.A.) received the Governor Joe Frank Harris Scholarship, which is given annually to a student in the school based on academic merit. The scholarship honors Georgia’s former governor, whose administration was noted for improvements in education. Gov. Harris has also served as a Distinguished Executive Fellow in the Andrew Young School.

Abel B. Embaye (Ph.D. in Economics), M. Penny Gasela (B.A. in Economics), Edward B. Sennoga (Ph.D. in Economics), and Grace L. Chikoto (M.P.A.) received the Carolyn McClain Young Leadership Fund Award. The award was established to provide training opportunities for government officials, junior executives in national finance ministries, and for young people who may be the leaders of tomorrow in countries with emerging economies, especially in Africa and the Caribbean. Recipients of leadership fund awards are chosen by a committee appointed by the Dean.

Awards in Economics:

V. Esteban Balseca (B.S. in Economics) and Lara E. Platt (B.S. in Economics) received the Economics Award, presented to the undergraduate students who achieve the highest grade point average in economics courses above the 2000 level.

J. Dylan Littlejohn (B.A. in Economics) received the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award, which is presented to the outstanding graduating senior majoring in economics, selected by a committee of the faculty in the department.

Margaretha Bolang, Katia M. Rioja, and R. Renata Simatupang received the Master of Arts in Economics Award, which is given annually in recognition of outstanding academic achievement to the students with the highest grade point average in the Master of Arts in Economics program.

Eunice Heredia (Ph.D. in Economics) received the Theodore C. Boyden Excellence in Teaching Economics Award, which is given annually to the graduate student in economics who best displays excellence in teaching economics and in improving economic understanding, primarily in the Economics 2105 and 2106 courses.

Mikhail I. Melnik (Ph.D. in Economics) received the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Excellence in Teaching Award. This award recognizes a graduate student who, in the judgment of the faculty, has performed exceptionally well in the classroom as a graduate teaching assistant.

Awards in Public Administration and Urban Studies:

Thomas E. Dunphy (B.S. in Urban Policy Studies) received the United Airlines-Eddie Carlson Award in Aviation Administration, which is presented to the Aviation and Transportation student who has the highest grade point average for the academic year.

William E. Clark, Jr. (B.S. in Urban Policy Studies) and Alexandra J. Zinnes (M.S. in Urban Policy Studies) received the William R. Gable Award. Given in honor of the Dean of the College of Urban Life from 1973 to 1975, this award is presented to an undergraduate student and a graduate student majoring in urban policy studies who have demonstrated high academic standing and professional promise.

Eric J. Taylor (M.P.A.) received the Best Term Paper Award. Presented annually to a graduate student in the Public Administration and Urban Studies program, awardees are selected by a faculty committee after reviews of term papers submitted by students or recommended by professors. Taylor's paper was titled, "Big Brother or Good Policy? Examining the Issue of Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace."

Chad M. Gorman (M.P.A.) received the Public Administration Academic Achievement Award, which is presented to the student who has the highest grade point average for the academic year in the Master of Public Administration program.

Lisa L. Youngblood (M.P.A./J.D.) received the Master of Public Administration/Juris Doctor Academic Achievement Award, which is presented to the student who has the highest grade point average for the academic year in the joint M.P.A./J.D. program.

Susan R. Cook and Lynette Francis-Thornhill received the Award for Distinguished Performance in the M.S. in Human Resource Development Program, awarded to students who have consistently demonstrated superior academic performance and made significant contributions to the learning outcomes of fellow students in the Human Resource Development program.

James H. Clotfelter received the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Application of Human Resource Development in the Workplace. This award goes to the student who has demonstrated consistently superior academic performance in the M.S. in Human Resource Development program, and has applied this learning to make a significant contribution to the development of human resources in the field.

Jonathan J. Dawe (Ph.D. in Human Resource Development) and Kimberly C. Magee (Ph.D. in HRD) received the Award for Distinguished Contribution to Human Resource Development Research, presented to the students who have made or hold a clear promise for making a significant contribution to the knowledge base of the Human Resource Development profession through original research.

Other 2003 recognitions:

Georgia State Chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon inductees: Andrew W. Abercrombie, V. Esteban Balseca, John J. Boyeskie, Armando A. Castro, Justen S. Cook, James O. Ellison, Gregory L. Jones, Mihir R. Patel, Lara E. Platt and Dario F. Tonelli. ODE is the national honor society for students of economics. Selection is based on academic merit and requires a minimum number of economics credit hours.

Pi Alpha Alpha inductees: Victoria V. Alexeeva, Mari-Leigh Beckworth, Susan L. Berry, Marguerite E. Bryan, James D. Cook, Ashley E. Cooper, Mary E. Czetwertynski, Rachel A. Ferencik, Richard W. Ferry, Tiffany N. Franklin, Gerardo E. Gonzalez, Chad M. Gorman, Anthony W. Griffin, Tao Guo, Sara G. Hackley, Charles B. Hess, Christopher S. Hester, Megan C. Jones, Brandee D. Krug, Yong-Jun Lee, Anne P. Maynard, Hasmik L. Melikyan, Jannine M. Miller, Pamela Moolenaar-Wirsiy, Kimberley M. Morey, Christine L. Smith, Eric J. Taylor, Neli P. Todorova, Lucia A. Valdes and Lisa L. Youngblood. PAA is the national honor society for the field of public affairs and public administration. Membership recognizes those students with the highest performance levels in academic programs preparing them for public service careers.

Michael A. Collins, Amy C. Depoy, Louis C. Kostyo, Jared M. Osterhage, Lara E. Platt, and Dana L. Wright received the Faculty Scholarship Plaque, awarded for outstanding academic achievement to students who maintain a 4.0 grade point average while earning a prescribed number of credit hours at GSU.

Michael A. Collins, Amy C. Depoy, Thomas E. Dunphy, Mark D. Elsey, Aleksandar Eshete, Louis C. Kostyo, Saundra D. Lassiter, Jared M. Osterhage, Lara E. Platt, and Dana L. Wright received the Dean's Scholarship Key, awarded for outstanding academic achievement at GSU. The award is determined by either a 4.0 grade point average for 30 hours in residence, a 3.8 for 60 hours, a 3.65 for 90 hours, or a 3.5 grade point average for 120 hours in residence.

Service Awards are given to recognize special service to the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and Georgia State University. Tristan J. Fritz was honored for service as AYSPS Senator in the Student Government Association; Paul Kagundu for service as an officer in the AYSPS Graduate Student Association; J. Dylan Littlejohn for service as President of the GSU Economics Club; J. Derek Morgan for service as President of the GSU Chapter of Alpha Eta Rho national aviation fraternity; and Joseph E. Winter for service as AYSPS Senator and President Pro Tem, Student Government Association.

AYSPS International Scholars. This year, the Andrew Young School was pleased to host international scholars supported by the Edmund S. Muskie and Freedom Support Act Fellowship Program of American Councils for International Education, the Russian-U.S. Young Leadership Fellows for Public Service Program of the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, International Research and Exchanges Board, and the Fulbright program of the Institute of International Education. Additionally, the School welcomed 20 new scholars to its Indonesian Masters Program in Economics, sponsored by USAID-Jakarta to train students in policy issues important to the government and economy of Indonesia. These honorees include: