The University Doctoral Mentoring Award is to honor one tenured faculty member from each academic college for their outstanding mentorship of doctoral students. Please note: each college has a different selection process to identify an award recipient.
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the selection period for the University Doctoral Mentoring Award is now open. This award celebrates a tenured faculty member from each college who has provided exceptional leadership, support, and professional guidance to doctoral students.
Important Deadlines for 2026
- February 27, 2026: Deadline for Deans to submit the name of the final College awardee to the Graduate School at graduateschool@odu.edu .
- March 23, 2026: Winners will be honored at the Monarch Milestones event.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, a nominee must:
- Be a current, tenured graduate faculty member employed at the University for at least 5 years.
- Actively supervise doctoral students and support graduate education (teaching, committees, or research sponsorship).
- Not have received this award within the last 5 years.
Note to Colleges/Schools
Each College/School is responsible for managing its own internal nomination and selection process. Colleges/Schools may determine their own internal deadlines and review committees to select the single final nominee they wish to move forward to the Graduate School.
The Department Chair/Supervisor/Program Director must certify the faculty member’s eligibility before the packet is sent to the Graduate School.
Past Award Winners
- Ling Li, Information Technology and Decision Sciences
- Tian Luo, STEM Education and Professional Studies
- Tracy Sohoni, Sociology and Criminal Justice
- Vanessa Panfil, College of Arts & Letters, Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice
- Jori Beck, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies , Department of Teaching & Learning
- Tina Gustin, School of Nursing
- Charles Sukenik, College of Sciences, Department of Physics
- Marc Ouellette, College of Arts & Letters, English
- Gulsah Kemer, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Counseling
- Cathy Lau-Barraco, College of Sciences, Psychology
- Ruth Triplett, College of Arts & Letters, Sociology & Criminal Justice Department
- Jing Zhang, Strome College of Business, Management
- Sebastian Kuhn, College of Sciences, Physics
- Tony Perez, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Educational Foundations & Leadership Department
- Dr. Kevin DePew, College of Arts & Letters, English
- Dr. Chuanyi Tang, Strome College of Business, Marketing
- Dr. Guijun Wang, College of Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Dr. Karen Sanzo, College of Education & Professional Studies, Educational Foundations & Leadership
- Dr. Daniel Richards, College of Arts & Letters, English
- Dr. John Ford, Strome College of Business, Marketing
- Dr. Wie Yusuf, Strome College of Business, Public Service
- Dr. Mitchell Williams, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Educational Foundations & Leadership
- Dr. Daniel Russell, College of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Science
- Dr. Holly Gaff, College of Sciences, Biological Sciences
- Dr. Regina Karp, College of Arts & Letters, International Studies
- Dr. Ling Li, Strome College of Business, Information & Technology & Decision Sciences
- Dr. Brandon Butler, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Teaching & Learning
- Dr. Sandeep Kumar, Batten College of Engineering & Technology, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Dr. Mariana Szklo-Coxe, College of Health Sciences, Community & Environmental Health
- Dr. Guijun Wang, College of Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Ling Li, Information Technology and Decision Sciences
- Tian Luo, STEM Education and Professional Studies
- Tracy Sohoni, Sociology and Criminal Justice
- Vanessa Panfil, College of Arts & Letters, Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice
- Jori Beck, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies , Department of Teaching & Learning
- Tina Gustin, School of Nursing
- Charles Sukenik, College of Sciences, Department of Physics
- Marc Ouellette, College of Arts & Letters, English
- Gulsah Kemer, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Counseling
- Cathy Lau-Barraco, College of Sciences, Psychology
- Ruth Triplett, College of Arts & Letters, Sociology & Criminal Justice Department
- Jing Zhang, Strome College of Business, Management
- Sebastian Kuhn, College of Sciences, Physics
- Tony Perez, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Educational Foundations & Leadership Department
- Dr. Kevin DePew, College of Arts & Letters, English
- Dr. Chuanyi Tang, Strome College of Business, Marketing
- Dr. Guijun Wang, College of Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Dr. Karen Sanzo, College of Education & Professional Studies, Educational Foundations & Leadership
- Dr. Daniel Richards, College of Arts & Letters, English
- Dr. John Ford, Strome College of Business, Marketing
- Dr. Wie Yusuf, Strome College of Business, Public Service
- Dr. Mitchell Williams, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Educational Foundations & Leadership
- Dr. Daniel Russell, College of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Science
- Dr. Holly Gaff, College of Sciences, Biological Sciences
- Dr. Regina Karp, College of Arts & Letters, International Studies
- Dr. Ling Li, Strome College of Business, Information & Technology & Decision Sciences
- Dr. Brandon Butler, Darden College of Education & Professional Studies, Teaching & Learning
- Dr. Sandeep Kumar, Batten College of Engineering & Technology, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Dr. Mariana Szklo-Coxe, College of Health Sciences, Community & Environmental Health
- Dr. Guijun Wang, College of Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry