Bellisario College of Communications

Bellisario College honors faculty, staff with Deans’ Excellence Awards

Award winners were (top row, from left): Michael Zelazny, Julie Miller, Olivia Cohen, Katie O'Toole, (second row, from left) Deepak Sethi, Steve Sampsell, Heather Shoenberger, Chris Skurka, (bottom row) Anne Hoag and Shaheen Pasha. Credit: Whitney Justice / Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Seven faculty members and three staff members earned awards from the Penn State Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications during an annual awards event this week.

As the Bellisario College was “Celebrating Community,” with its first in-person awards event in two-plus years, the awards recognized faculty for teaching, research, service and integrated scholarship. Staff were recognized for excellence.

Honorees were:

  • Deans’ Excellence Award for Staff
    Julie Miller, manager of internships, and Michael Zelazny, equipment room and lab coordinator
  • Deans’ Excellence Award for Teaching
    Katie O’Toole, lecturer, Department of Journalism
  • Deans’ Excellence Award for Research
    Heather Shoenberger, assistant professor, Department of Advertising/Public Relations, and Chris Skurka, assistant professor, Department of Film Production and Media Studies
  • Deans’ Excellence Award for Service
    Anne Hoag, associate professor, Department of Telecommunications and director of the University’s intercollege minor in entrepreneurship and innovation
  • Deans’ Excellence Award for Integrated Scholarship
    Shaheen Pasha, assistant teaching professor, Department of Journalism
  • Outstanding Faculty Affiliate
    Steve Sampsell, a staff member who teaches journalism classes, and Deepak Sethi, a television writer who teaches in the Penn State Hollywood Program
  • Djung Yune Tchoi Graduate Teaching Award
    Olivia Cohen
Last Updated April 21, 2022