The 2024 Departmental Alumni Award recipients are, above, from left, Callan B. Barnett, Michael Tappy, and Michael M. Cossette. Bottom: Elise Swanson, Heather D. Hunter, Keith A. Jones.
The College of Education and Health Professions recently recognized the 2024 Distinguished Undergraduate Alumni Award recipients. Callan B. Burnett, Michael Tappy, Michael M. Cossette, Elise Swanson, Heather D. Hunter, and Keith A. Jones attended the reception on the evening of March 8th. He is awarded an award in recognition of his achievements.
“All of our faculty's alumni award recipients have made a significant impact in their respective fields of health and education,” said Dean Kate Mamiseishvili. “The impact of their work to empower people and transformative change to the systems in which they work is immeasurable, and we can’t wait to celebrate them and their achievements.”
Outstanding Graduates of the Department of Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy
Callan B. Barnett He currently serves as Executive Director of Partners for Inclusive Communities. University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Services at the University of California. College of Education and Health Professions Outreach Program. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Education with an emphasis in Elementary Education and Master's degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from the University of California.
With a career spanning over 40 years, she has served in a variety of roles dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One of Barnett's most important contributions was the development and implementation of a statewide program for young children with autism. The program provides home-based interventions to help families feel competent to support their child's learning and advocate for their ongoing needs. She has been appointed to the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Autism and the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities and actively contributes to shaping policy in these areas. Her diverse interests include integrating parents and caregivers into treatment, providing services and support to underserved rural areas, and providing education to allied health professionals.
Most recently, Barnett was awarded a $10.4 million contract to pilot systems change initiatives aimed at supporting children and families. The initiative focuses on preventing disruption and housing children, while also developing services for children exposed to alcohol and drugs before birth.
Outstanding Alumni of Curriculum and Instruction Department
Michael Tappy He is a passionate educator at Hellstern Middle School, part of Springdale Public Schools in Arkansas. He has a deep passion for giving all students a voice and the opportunity to explore and discover new ideas. Tappy challenges her students every day to see themselves as mathematicians and builds a culture of collaboration and learning within her classroom. He is honored to serve as part of the HealthStern teaching coalition alongside his fellow teacher leaders and administrators who continue to inspire him in their commitment to education.
When he's not teaching math, Tappy is busy teaching Herobotics, the school's first Lego League program. Through this program, his students will learn a myriad of advanced skills across the curriculum while experiencing all the benefits of team sports. His teams consistently performed at the highest level, making him a three-time Arkansas state champion and representing the state at the first Lego League World Championship. In 2021, Herobotics was recognized for its work on organ donation safety and subsequently named among the world's top 20 teams at the Global Innovation Awards. Herobotics also competes in additional international tournaments around the country.
Tapee is recognized both locally and nationally. In the fall of 2023, she received the National Milken Educator Award at a surprise ceremony at Hellstern. Tapie, a proud Razorback, attended the U of A to earn her bachelor's degree and her MAT in secondary mathematics. He subsequently completed his Ed.S. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Arkansas State.
Outstanding Alumni in the Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods
Michael M. Cossette He is Assistant Vice President for Graduate Education and Professor of Counseling at the University of Colorado Denver. Previously, she served as professor and chair of the Department of Counselor Education at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Bridgewater State University, where she taught courses in both counseling and student affairs. Cozzet received her Ph.D. She earned a master's degree in counselor education from the University of Massachusetts and a graduate certificate in conflict resolution from the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
He is a licensed mental health counselor, a board certified counselor, and an approved clinical supervisor. His areas of professional interest include ethical issues in counseling, counseling LGBTQ+ individuals, grief counseling, and culinary therapy.He is a co-author of this text Ethical decision making for 21st century counselors. Mr. Cossette is a Fellow of the American Counseling Association, the highest award given by the counseling profession in recognition of his lifelong contributions to the field. He is active in community service, providing free counseling at his GLBT Domestic Violence Project in Boston and his LGBTQ community center, Center on Halstead, in Chicago. He has spoken at local, state, and national conferences on counseling and student affairs, and is a sought-after national speaker and consultant on ethics, diversity, LGBTQ+ issues, and grief counseling.
He is an internationally recognized culinary therapy instructor and educator and has been featured in news and health outlets including: CNN, HuffPost, washington post and zoe report.
Outstanding Alumni of the Department of Educational Reform
Elise Swanson He is a senior research manager at Harvard University's Center for Educational Policy Research. At CEPR, he directs the analytical work of the National Rural Education Research Network Center, a research-practice partnership based at Harvard University with more than 60 rural districts across the country, and manages technology-enabled and student engagement projects. Los Angeles Community College District, Harvard University, and University of Southern California.
Additionally, we train and advise fellows who participate in the Strategic Data Project, a fellowship program that embeds and supports data analysts in educational institutions across the country. Prior to joining CEPR, Swanson was a senior postdoctoral fellow at the University of Southern California's Purias Center for Higher Education. Her research focuses on evaluating policies and practices designed to enhance students' readiness for and success in college and career paths. Swanson typically conducts mixed methods research in the context of long-term research-practice partnerships. She began her career in education as an 11th grade English teacher at Bluff Pine and earned her doctorate in education policy at the University of California's School of Educational Reform.
Distinguished Alumni of Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
Heather D. Hunteris a two-time U of A graduate and passionate nurse educator with over 10 years of experience practicing hospice, palliative medicine, medical/surgical, and cardiology. She began her career in Honolulu, Hawaii as a hospice nurse and worked as a case manager. In 2012, Hunter returned to Fayetteville where she worked in palliative care, medical/surgical and cardiology at the Ozark Veterans Affairs Health System before becoming a full-time hospice case at Circle of Life Hospice. Returned to management.
In 2014, Hunter founded the NWA Chapter of the Hospice Palliative Nurses Association and served as its first president. In 2016, she earned her Master's degree in Nursing (Education) at the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. After serving as a part-time instructor for many years, she left her full-time practice and joined the University of America as a Clinical Instructor in Nursing and Online BSN Practicum Coordinator. In the summer of 2023, Hunter began as a faculty member at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' Northwest campus. Hunter received her Ph.D. She will receive her doctorate in nursing at UAMS in August 2023, and her research focuses on underserved populations and end-of-life care education.
Outstanding Alumni in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation
Keith A. Jones He began his athletic training career at Athletic University as a student trainer for Lou Holtz's football team and Eddie Sutton's basketball team. He interned as an athletic trainer with the Philadelphia Eagles during his college summers and worked as a full-time assistant trainer during the 1983 season. After leaving Philadelphia, Jones spent two seasons with the USFL's Oklahoma/Arizona Outlaws. He eventually returned to Holtz as his trainer for University of Minnesota football in 1987. Jones got his start in the NBA in 1988 as an assistant trainer for the Orlando Magic. The following season, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers and, at age 28, became the first African-American and youngest head trainer in the NBA.
He joined the Houston Rockets in 1996 and served as head athletic trainer for the past 17 seasons. He was voted NBA Trainer of the Year by his peers in 2001 and was promoted to Vice President of Basketball Operations and Athletic Trainer in 2002. Jones has overseen the Rockets' player relations since becoming senior vice president of basketball operations in 2007. and basketball operations. In the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics, Jones won gold medals in both games for the United States Men's Olympic Team, where he served as a trainer for his Olympic team. Jones recently completed his 34th season as a professional basketball player and 27th season with the Houston Rockets.
About the College of Education and Health Professions: The six academic departments in the College of Education and Health Professions prepare students for a variety of careers in education and health professions. In addition to its longstanding role of preparing educators and educational leaders, the university also trains nurses, speech-language pathologists, public health professionals, recreation and sports professionals, counselors, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, and exercise scientists. I am training.
