Student Awards
2009 Student Awards and Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to our 2009 winners!
2009 Susan Phillips Gorin Award
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Dr. Wendy Ehrensberger |
Dr. Wendy Ehrensberger is Assistant Professor of
Special Education at Dowling College, the faculty advisor to the Dowling
College Student Chapter, and Co-Advisor for New York CEC’s Student
Association. She has been involved with and provided leadership for the
Dowling College chapter and its members for the last 15 years. Because
of her efforts, Dowling College is now the largest student chapter in
New York CEC. Dr. Ehrensberger, along with Dr. Margaret McLane, began
the New York State CEC Student Association annual Leadership
Training/Student Convention. Now in its ninth year, the convention
features professional development sessions and provides the opportunity
for student members to learn strategies for leading their chapters and
encourages their participation in leadership at the state and national
level.
2009 Outstanding Graduate Student Member of the
Year Award
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Sara Aronin |
In her first year in the doctoral program at
the University of Central Florida, Sara Aronin was
selected to work with the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute.
She developed a relationship with the NASA Education Resource Center,
combining her knowledge in science with the field of special education.
Ms. Aronin is an intern for the Personnel Center Project at NASDSE as
part of an OSEP-funded Special Education Faculty Needs Assessment, and
for the past three years she has worked on the new state-of-the-art
virtual classroom that will prepare teachers in an environment that does
not put children at-risk. She is the Senior Student Representative for
the Teacher Education Division and the Student Representative to Florida
CEC. Ms. Aronin will graduate this August with her Ph.D. in Exceptional
Education.
2009 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Member of the Year Award
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Amanda Tester |
Amanda Tester is Vice
President of the CEC Student Chapter at East Tennessee State University.
She was one of the first students to develop and implement Siblings
United workshops, a local network for siblings of individuals with
disabilities, and expanded this program beyond what the student chapter
was sponsoring into Elizabethton/Carter County, Tennessee. Ms. Tester is
a member of several civic groups and organizations including Kappa Delta
Pi and Sigma Alpha Lambda. After graduation this spring, Ms. Tester
plans to teach elementary students with severe to profound disabilities
and later seek a master’s degree in early childhood special
education.
2009 Undergraduate
Graduation Award
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Karissa Gonzalez |
Karissa Gonzalez is
President of the New York University CEC Student Chapter. Under her
leadership, the chapter doubled its membership, increased participation
in campus-wide activities, and was actively involved in the silent
auction at the state conference that brought $200 to each of the
state’s student chapters. Ms. Gonzalez is also Vice President of
the New York State Student CEC, a vibrant and active program supporting
the state’s student members and student chapters. She will be
graduating this May with a B.A. degree and a triple major in Early
Childhood Education, Special Education at the Early Childhood level, and
Psychology.
2009 Kayte M. Fearn CEC Ethnic Diversity Scholarship
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Tiffany Cohen |
Tiffany Cohen is President of the CEC Student
Chapter at North Carolina A&T State University. She energized the
chapter’s student members for service projects including as a
Holiday Book Drive, and horseback riding and an Easter Egg Hunt for
students with special needs. Ms. Cohen is also a volunteer with the
Special Olympics and at CEC state conferences. She serves in on campus
leadership in the Student Government Association and Kappa Delta Pi, and
is a campus life mentor. Ms. Cohen has assisted with conducting
university workshops and training sessions, and was a session
co-presenter at the 2009 North Carolina CEC conference.
2010 CEC Student Awards and Scholarships
Preview
The 2010 student awards and scholarship competition will be announced
Aug. 1, 2009. The deadline for applications is Oct. 30, 2009. Please
note that you must be a current CEC Student member to be nominated for
the student awards; likewise, you must be a current CEC Professional
member to be nominated for the Susan Phillips Gorin Award. Watch the
Student section of the CEC Web site for details!
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