Rising Alumni
The Rising Alumni Award recognizes young professionals who earned their degree from CEHD within the last ten years, have made a significant impact in their profession or community at large and have achieved early distinction as leaders. Recipients will be honored at the CEHD Exceptional Alumni Awards Celebration on April 30, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact us at cehdas@umn.edu or 612-625-5963.
Congratulations to the 2024 Rising Alumni honorees!
- Lekie Dwanyen, BS' 14, PhD '20, Family Social Sciencet
- Sreytom Tim, BS '20, Family Social Science
2024 Rising Alumni Award Recipients
Lekie Dwanyen
BS' 14, PhD '20, Family Social Science
Lekie Dwanyen (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Michigan State University. Her research involves the study of traumatic stress and relational health in families affected by war and political violence. She is interested in culturally and contextually relevant strategies to reduce mental health disparities in marginalized communities. Dr. Dwayen is invested in advancing systemic family therapy and global mental health research and practice with immigrant and refugee families, as well as families in post-conflict settings. Along these lines, she has engaged Liberian refugees in the U.S. and stakeholders in the national mental health system in Uganda to examine culturally relevant strategies to address family- and community-level mental health concerns.
Sreytom Tim
BS '20, Family Social Science
Sreytom Tim graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a degree in Family Social Science and a minor in Management. Upon graduation, she landed an internship at Worldview Studio in the Bay Area. Afterwards, Sreytom was hired as a Business Analyst for Emerging Markets Consulting (EMC) in Cambodia and was then promoted to Senior Business Analyst. She is now Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at Skills Development Fund Cambodia. She is also a Cambodian Leadership Advisor for LEAPS for PEACE. Ultimately, she wants to empower girls and women in Cambodia through economic development, education, gender equality, and human rights advancement.
Alumni award recipients were interviewed in advance of the
Exceptional Alumni Awards Celebration on April 30.
2023 Rising Alumni
2022 Rising Alumni
2021 Rising Alumni
2019 Rising Alumni
- Austin Stair Calhoun
- Zachary Casey
- Sousada Chidthachack Grande
- Anitra Cottledge
- Ellen Doering
- Mohammed Elmeski
- Kelsey Funk
- Kara Galvin
- Devon Gilchrist
- Brynja Halldórsdóttir Gudjonsson
- Clark Hoelscher
- Courtney Holmes
- Sung Tae Jang
- Emily Kedrowski
- Joshua Lupinek
- LeeAnn Melin
- Chelsea Petree
- Jennifer Ridgeway
- Kablia Thao
- Kaaren Williamsen
- Doua Yang
- Mary Yeboah