By Amanda Mlekush
The Beaver College of Health Sciences kicked off the fall semester at its annual opening meeting on August 13 in Levine Hall by recognizing faculty and staff accomplishments and sharing college news.
Eighteen new employees were introduced to colleagues, 20 faculty acheived promotion and/or tenure and 13 people were honored with a college award. (Image at top shows the group of college award recipients wearing their medallions.)
Dr. Marie Huff, PhD, announced that the 2026-2027 academic year will be her final one as dean of the college, concluding a 10-year leadership legacy marked by incredible growth of new and expanded health sciences programs, increased student enrollment and dramatic increases to grant funding.
“We have created an incredibly special culture here,” she said, after sharing a letter written from someone who wanted to compliment a faculty member for reaching out to care for them. “You all take care of each other–I can’t tell you how often I am stopped to hear stories of incredible things you’ve done for each other or for others in the community or university. It’s been a privilege to be your dean, and I’m looking forward to this year as we work together to accomplish even more!”
(Photo shows dean with two associate professors who were awarded tenure; from left, Dean Marie Huff; Dr. Jared Skinner, Kinesiology; Dr. Amber Welborn, Nursing.)
The 2026 college awards recipients are:
Parachute Award – Tony Grant, Information Technology
Research and Scholarly Endeavors – Caroline Smith, PhD, Kinesiology
Outstanding Professional Administrative Staff – Liz Fleming, Office of Advising and Student Support; Paula McGlamery, Rehabilitation Sciences
Student Success – Colleen Tarintino, PhD, Public Health
Outstanding Service – Mary Coleman, Nursing
Outstanding Teaching – Mandy Harrison, PhD, Recreation Management, Carol Cook, Kinesiology
Outstanding Faculty – Becki Battista, PhD, Kinesiology
Making a Difference – Steff McDaniel, App Well Institute and Amber Moody-Dyer, PhD, Sarah Donovan and Kayla Warren, Social Work
These faculty earned promotion and/or tenure:
Promoted to Senior Lecturer; Sarah Donovan, Social Work, Travis Erickson, Recreation Management; Amanda Hege, Nutrition; Jaime Marshall, American Sign Language; Daniel Platt, Social Work
Promoted to Clinical Assistant Professor; Elizabeth Jasper, PhD, Rehabilitation Sciences; Brooke Kidwell, DNP, Nursing
Promoted to Clinical Associate Professor; Michelle Rudisill, DNP, Nursing
Promoted to Teaching Associate Professor; Shannon Cline, PhD, Recreation Management; Greta Knigga-Daugherty, PhD, American Sign Language; Paul Moore, PhD, Nutrition; Jennifer Zwetsloot, PhD, Kinesiology
Promoted to Research Associate Professor; Jennifer Schroeder Tyson, Public Health
Promoted to Associate Professor and Earned Tenure: Jared Skinner, PhD, Kinesiology; Amber Welborn, PhD, Nursing
Promoted to Professor; Brook Harmon, PhD, Nutrition; Adam Hege, PhD, Associate Dean; Jennifer Howard, PhD, Athletic Training; Sunny Sinha, PhD, Social Work, Mark Trahan, PhD, Social Work
Two women stand in a room and look at each other; one is holding a framed certificate
Carol Cook from Kinesiology (right) was awarded a college teaching award from Dean Marie Huff (left)