2022 CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

2022 Distinguished Alumni
2022 Distinguished Alumni
Back Left to Right: Paul Ramseth, Sekou Robertson, Luke Carlson, Dean Michael Rodriguez, and Almas Merchant
Front Left to Right: Lily Christ, Marti Erickson, Jelena Obradovic´, Melanie Nelson, and Judith Ray
Not Pictured: Jon Hubbard and Arunya Tuicomepee

Luke Carlson
BS, kinesiology, 2003
MS, kinesiology, 2012

Entrepreneurial spirit in starting Discover Strength, a Minnesota-based boutique fitness studio, and enthusiasm for leadership development

Lily E. Shih Christ
BA, mathematics education, 1958
BS, mathematics education, 1960

Passion for mathematics education at the college and pre-college level as a professor and director of HI-TECH PREP

Marti Erickson
MA, educational psychology, 1975
PhD, educational psychology, 1984

Commitment to research, advocacy, and sharing with general audiences on a range of family issues, especially parenting

Jon Jay Hubbard
BS, child and developmental psychology, 1991
MA, child and developmental psychology, 1994
PhD, child and developmental psychology, 1997

International efforts to treat survivors of torture using research on resilience

Almas J. Merchant
BS, early childhood education foundations, 2013
Med, special education, 2017

Teaching and leadership to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities

Melanie Ann Nelson
BS, family relationships, 1974
BS, home economics education, 1977

Visionary founding of Learning ZoneXpress, creating educational material that promotes healthy nutrition, child development, and literacy; and lifelong investment in empowering others

Jelena Obradovic´
MA, child and developmental psychology, 2005
PhD, child and developmental psychology, 2007

Field-changing study of children’s stress physiology, self-regulation, and impact of caregiving practices

Paul R. Ramseth
BS, language arts education, 1964
MA, educational administration, 1968
PhD, education policy and leadership, 2018

Dedication to personal achievement, education, and equity as a successful teacher, principal, coach, and volunteer

Judith D. Ray
PhD, kinesiology, 1996

Lifelong tenacity to overcome gender and racial barriers in sport and higher education, and impact on a variety of fields, including biomechanics, recreation, and law

Sekou Robertson
BS, elementary education, 2002

Innovative work to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree as principal of LEARN Excel charter school

Arunya Tuicomepee
PhD, counseling and student personnel, 2007

Achievements as scholar and leader in Thailand in the psychological and educational areas; and for facilitating collaborations between CEHD and Chulalongkorn University