#UConnECEproAwards

The Office of Early College Programs sponsors eight awards recognizing outstanding professional achievement in the UConn ECE community.

• Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership (formerly the Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum and Adjunct Faculty Development) (one awarded)
• Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration (one awarded)
• Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction (three - five awarded)
• "Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction (two awarded)
• Principal Award for Program Support and Advocacy (one awarded)
• Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment (one awarded)
• Library Media Specialist Award for Excellence in Enrichment and Collaboration (one awarded)

Additionally, an eighth award is given out by the discretion of the selection committee to an UConn ECE Instructor who has shown continued excellence over and over again: The Jan Pikul Award for Continued Excellence in Instruction (one awarded).

Nominations for awards may be made by UConn ECE Instructors, Site Representatives, Library Media Specialists, principals, Faculty Coordinators, and UConn ECE Students in February each year. Awards are determined by a selection committee made up of the Office of Early College Program Staff and former award winners. Awards are presented at a reception hosted by UConn Early College Experience in April each year. Nominations for the 2024-2025 academic year will open January 31, 2025 and close March 7, 2025.

Nomination Form

Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
William Alpert, Economics, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Louis DeLoreto, Edwin O. Smith High School 

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Douglas Melody, Edwin O. Smith High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
David Bednarz, Marine Science, Ledyard High School
Linda Charpentier, Environmental Science and Biology, Xavier High School
Emily Kilbourn, English, Ridgefield High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Mark Waller, Political Science, The Master's School
Michelle Amann-Wojenski, English, H.C. Wilcox Tech High School

Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
Laurie Wolfley, American Studies & Maritime Studies, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Raymond Manka, Stamford High Schoool 

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Wendy Yatsenick, Nonnewaug High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Lisa-Brit Wahlberg, The Master’s School
Ernest Fontaine, Tolland High School
Sarah King, The Master’s School
Michael O’Connor, Waterford High School
Gregg Basbagill, Trumbull High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Sharon Geyer, Woodstock Academy
Bing Liu, William H. Hall High School/Conard High School
Abigail Esposito, Conard High School

Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
Matthew McKenzie, U.S. History, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Anthony TJ Salutari, Daniel Hand High Schoool 

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Oneda Lamont, Plainville High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Matthew Cieslowski, Manchester High School
Michael DeMazza, Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Lynn Ferrier, Bethel High School
Joseph Hage, Bacon Academy
Colleen Hardison, Marine Science Magnet High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Brendan Walsh, Edwin O. Smith High School
Elise Weisenbach, Branford High School

Jan Pikul Award for Continued Excellence in Instruction
Matthew Magda, European History, Wilby High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Sara Johnson, Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Nicholas Spera, Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Carolyn Ganley, New Britain High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
John Girard, Plainville High School
Amanda Stirgwolt, New Canaan High School
Katherine Field, Woodstock Academy
James Trifone, Cheshire High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Regan Rowley, Edwin O. Smith High School
Annie Hanrahan, Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Eduardo Urios-Aparisi, Spanish, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Steven K. LePage, Plainville High School

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Rachel McNellis, Daniel Hand High School
Louis Bonaventura, Frank Scott Bunnell High School
 
Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Dominic Corraro, Notre Dame High School
Karen Cook, Norwich Free Academy
Ernest Dodge, Killingly High School
Justin Taylor, Bulkeley High School
Frank Peters, Joseph A Foran High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Leanne Nolan, Plainville High School
Michelle Knowe, Windsor Locks High School

Jan Pikul Award for Continued Excellence in Instruction
Jan Pikul, Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture Science & Technology Education Center

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Julia Kuzovkina,Horticulture & Plant Sciences, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
John Curtis, Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Frederick Turner, Bulkeley High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Theresa Vara-Dannen, University High School
John Conners, Joseph A. Foran High School
John McNulty, Berlin High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Kristen Mucinskas, Wethersfield High School
Michael Gulden, Hartford Classical Magnet School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Thomas Abbott, Biology, University of Connecticut

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Brendan Donohue, Xavier High School

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Neil Thibodeau, Cheshire High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Gary Bent, E.O. Smith High School
Aaron Hull, Greenwich High School
Samuel Scheer, Windsor High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Sarah Serkin, Lyman Hall High School
Mary Carini, J.F. Kennedy High School
Frank Purcaro, J.F. Kennedy High School

Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment
Ben Stone, Montville High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Douglas Pease, Physics, University of Connecticut

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Frank Tatto, Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Blakeslee Lloyd, Glastonbury High School
Amy Nocton, RHAM High School
Cynthia Van Fleet, O.H. Platt High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Joseph Aibender, Westhill high School
David Bednarz, Ledyard High School

Principal Award for Program Support & Advocacy
Robert Hale, Westbrook High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Nalini Ravishanker, Statistics

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Betty Perlot, Southington High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Tina Riccio, Southington High School
Michael Scanlon, Norwich Free Academy
Yvonne Sims, Parish Hill High School

"Rookie of the Year "Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Timothy Byars, Westbrook High School
Brenda Santos, Amistad-Elm City High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
David Gross, Mathematics, University of Connecticut

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Joy DiMaggio, Enfield High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Kathryn Gniadek, Sacred Heart Academy
Richard Harris, Danbury High School
William Schultz, Enrico Fermi High School

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction:
Natalia Metwally, Brien McMahon High School
Kimberly Shaker, East Hartford High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Florence Marsal, French, University of Connecticut

Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Sandra Cone, Lyman Hall High School

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Paul Cappello, Notre Dame High School
Jan Pikul, Bridgeport Aquaculture Science & Technology Education Center

"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Sandra Davis, Stratford High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Thomas Recchio, English, University of Connecticut

Experience Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Julie Barker, Cheshire High School
Maureen Brown, Daniel Hand High School
Thomas Cangelosi, The Gilbert School

The UConn Early College Experience Lifetime Achievement Award
Thomas Connelly, Ellington High School
Eugene DesJarlais, Sacred Heart High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence in Curriculum & Adjunct Faculty Development
Edward Benson, French, University of Connecticut

Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Robert Lamperelli, Montville High School
Matthew Magda, Wilby High School
Steven Sekula, Daniel Hand High School

Faculty Coordinator Award for Excellence
Jim Hurley, Mathematics, University of Connecticut
Cecile Hurley,Chemistry, University of Connecticut

High School Instructor Award for Excellence
John Duffy, Torrington High School