2022 CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
Back Left to Right: Paul Ramseth, Sekou Robertson, Luke Carlson, Dean Michael Rodriguez, and Almas Merchant
Front Left to Right: Lily Christ, Marti Erickson, Jelena Obradovic´, Melanie Nelson, and Judith Ray
Not Pictured: Jon Hubbard and Arunya Tuicomepee
Luke Carlson
BS, kinesiology, 2003
MS, kinesiology, 2012
Entrepreneurial spirit in starting Discover Strength, a Minnesota-based boutique fitness studio, and enthusiasm for leadership development
Lily E. Shih Christ
BA, mathematics education, 1958
BS, mathematics education, 1960
Passion for mathematics education at the college and pre-college level as a professor and director of HI-TECH PREP
Marti Erickson
MA, educational psychology, 1975
PhD, educational psychology, 1984
Commitment to research, advocacy, and sharing with general audiences on a range of family issues, especially parenting
Jon Jay Hubbard
BS, child and developmental psychology, 1991
MA, child and developmental psychology, 1994
PhD, child and developmental psychology, 1997
International efforts to treat survivors of torture using research on resilience
Almas J. Merchant
BS, early childhood education foundations, 2013
Med, special education, 2017
Teaching and leadership to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities
Melanie Ann Nelson
BS, family relationships, 1974
BS, home economics education, 1977
Visionary founding of Learning ZoneXpress, creating educational material that promotes healthy nutrition, child development, and literacy; and lifelong investment in empowering others
Jelena Obradovic´
MA, child and developmental psychology, 2005
PhD, child and developmental psychology, 2007
Field-changing study of children’s stress physiology, self-regulation, and impact of caregiving practices
Paul R. Ramseth
BS, language arts education, 1964
MA, educational administration, 1968
PhD, education policy and leadership, 2018
Dedication to personal achievement, education, and equity as a successful teacher, principal, coach, and volunteer
Judith D. Ray
PhD, kinesiology, 1996
Lifelong tenacity to overcome gender and racial barriers in sport and higher education, and impact on a variety of fields, including biomechanics, recreation, and law
Sekou Robertson
BS, elementary education, 2002
Innovative work to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree as principal of LEARN Excel charter school
Arunya Tuicomepee
PhD, counseling and student personnel, 2007
Achievements as scholar and leader in Thailand in the psychological and educational areas; and for facilitating collaborations between CEHD and Chulalongkorn University