About Us - Alumni Awards

2007 Distinguished Alumni Award Winners

College Honors five Distinguished Alumni With Special Awards

The College of Education at the University of Georgia honored five graduates for their career achievements and community leadership with distinguished alumni awards at its annual Spring Celebration April 24 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education.

Crystal Apple Award - David Ragsdale
Professional Achievement Award - Kris Biesinger
Professional Achievement Award - Vasti Torres
Alumni Service Award - Joan Berryman
Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award - Glenda Lappan

CRYSTAL APPLE AWARD

	David Ragsdale, a literature and journalism teacher at Clarke Central High School, received the Crystal Apple Award, an honor given to alumni in K-12 education who have made a significant impact on student, school or school district performance. Ragsdale (B.S.Ed. ’01, M.Ed. ’03), of Athens, was recognized for his enthusiasm and passion for teaching and his initiative as an institute leader with the Red Clay Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. He is also faculty advisor to Clarke Central’s news and literary magazines, which have won awards from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and National Council of Teachers of English.

David Ragsdale, a literature and journalism teacher at Clarke Central High School, received the Crystal Apple Award, an honor given to alumni in K-12 education who have made a significant impact on student, school or school district performance.

Ragsdale (B.S.Ed. ’01, M.Ed. ’03), of Athens, was recognized for his enthusiasm and passion for teaching and his initiative as an institute leader with the Red Clay Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project.

He is also faculty advisor to Clarke Central’s news and literary magazines, which have won awards from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and National Council of Teachers of English.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

	Kris Biesinger, assistant vice chancellor for advanced learning technologies for the University System of Georgia, and Vasti Torres, associate professor of higher education and student affairs and affiliate faculty in Latino Studies at Indiana University, received Professional Achievement Awards, an honor give to alumni in the midpoint of their careers who have demonstrated significant achievements in their fields. Biesinger (M.Ed. ’80, Ph.D. ‘87), of Athens, received a commendation in 2006 from Gov. Sonny Perdue for her outstanding work in launching the new GAcollege411 program, a state-wide initiative that helps high-school students and their families plan for and select a college, and apply for admission and financial aid online. Torres (M.Ed. ’86, Ph.D. ‘97) is president-elect of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), the largest professional association in the student affairs administration field. ACPA has recognized her contributions to the field with the Wise Woman Award in 2005 and Outstanding Service Award in 2001. She also received the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Outstanding Faculty Award in 2006.

Vasti Torres

Kris Biesinger, assistant vice chancellor for advanced learning technologies for the University System of Georgia, and Vasti Torres, associate professor of higher education and student affairs and affiliate faculty in Latino Studies at Indiana University, received Professional Achievement Awards, an honor give to alumni in the midpoint of their careers who have demonstrated significant achievements in their fields.

Biesinger (M.Ed. ’80, Ph.D. ‘87), of Athens, received a commendation in 2006 from Gov. Sonny Perdue for her outstanding work in launching the new GAcollege411 program, a state-wide initiative that helps high-school students and their families plan for and select a college, and apply for admission and financial aid online.

Torres (M.Ed. ’86, Ph.D. ‘97) is president-elect of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), the largest professional association in the student affairs administration field. ACPA has recognized her contributions to the field with the Wise Woman Award in 2005 and Outstanding Service Award in 2001. She also received the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Outstanding Faculty Award in 2006.

ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

	Joan Berryman (M.Ed. ’62, Ed.D. ‘66), of Athens, received the Alumni Service Award for her outstanding and continued dedication in service and philanthropy to the college. Berryman retired from UGA in 1994 after serving as research associate, professor, clinic director, and finally department head of communication sciences and disorders. During her tenure at UGA, she served as President of the Georgia Speech-Language Hearing Association. She is a charter member of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Advisory Board. The Berryman Family Foundation annually contributes to the College of Education general support fund and the Speech and Hearing Clinic support fund.

Joan Berryman (M.Ed. ’62, Ed.D. ‘66), of Athens, received the Alumni Service Award for her outstanding and continued dedication in service and philanthropy to the college.

Berryman retired from UGA in 1994 after serving as research associate, professor, clinic director, and finally department head of communication sciences and disorders.

During her tenure at UGA, she served as President of the Georgia Speech-Language Hearing Association. She is a charter member of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Advisory Board.

The Berryman Family Foundation annually contributes to the College of Education general support fund and the Speech and Hearing Clinic support fund.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

	Glenda Lappan, University Distinguished Professor in the department of mathematics at Michigan State University, was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding success and significant impact in her field. A native of Douglas, Ga., Lappan served as the program director for the teacher preparation program for the National Science Foundation from 1989-91. She was president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) from 1998-00. Lappan (M.Ed. ’63, Ed.D. ‘65) was awarded the NCTM Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award in 2004. She received the Louise Hay Award for Contributions to Mathematics Education by the Association for Women in Mathematics for her work as a mathematics teacher, researcher, and national leader in 1996. Gerstein (M.A. ’76, Ph.D. ’83) has recently been named director of Ball State’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. He has been recognized for his work in the international peace movement, particularly his work to establish peace in Tibet as president of the International Tibet Independence Movement, which he co-founded with Thubten Jigme Norbu, the oldest brother of the Dalai Lama. In 2004, the American Psychological Association (APA) honored Gerstein with its Humanitarian Award and named him a Fellow, Division 17, in 1994. He received the Kitty Cole Human Rights Award from the American Counseling Association in 1999. Gerstein co-edited and contributed to Handbook for Social Justice in Counseling Psychology: Leadership, Vision, and Action, a highly anticipated text in the field, in 2005.

Glenda Lappan, University Distinguished Professor in the department of mathematics at Michigan State University, was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding success and significant impact in her field.

A native of Douglas, Ga., Lappan served as the program director for the teacher preparation program for the National Science Foundation from 1989-91. She was president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) from 1998-00.

Lappan (M.Ed. ’63, Ed.D. ‘65) was awarded the NCTM Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award in 2004. She received the Louise Hay Award for Contributions to Mathematics Education by the Association for Women in Mathematics for her work as a mathematics teacher, researcher, and national leader in 1996.

Gerstein (M.A. ’76, Ph.D. ’83) has recently been named director of Ball State’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. He has been recognized for his work in the international peace movement, particularly his work to establish peace in Tibet as president of the International Tibet Independence Movement, which he co-founded with Thubten Jigme Norbu, the oldest brother of the Dalai Lama.
In 2004, the American Psychological Association (APA) honored Gerstein with its Humanitarian Award and named him a Fellow, Division 17, in 1994. He received the Kitty Cole Human Rights Award from the American Counseling Association in 1999.

Gerstein co-edited and contributed to Handbook for Social Justice in Counseling Psychology: Leadership, Vision, and Action, a highly anticipated text in the field, in 2005.

For more information, see full story on coeNEWS.