Scholarships were bestowed on students who have excelled in the arenas of special needs, physical therapy, educational leadership and a host of other specialties at the Neag School of Education’s 16^th Annual Honors Celebration in April.

“Over the past 16 years, this event has grown from a small, lunchtime reception in the faculty lounge, to over 170 scholarship recipients and more than 50 scholarships,” Dean Thomas DeFranco said in his welcome to the crowd on April 23.

Recipients were noted for their scholastic achievement, passion for a certain subject, research on children in low-income circumstances, global interests, work with persons with developmental disabilities, community service and a range of other high-level pursuits.

Donald Briere, a special education teacher and third-year doctoral student in the educational psychology department, was awarded the Lisa Pappanikou Glidden Scholarship, which supports a graduate student in special education. His focus is on positive behavioral interventions and supports, and his research centers on classroom management practices, small-group interventions, and fidelity of program implementation. Briere, Neag BS ’07 and MA ’08, says he developed his passion for research as a graduate assistant in the master’s program.

Besides the award itself, “being able to meet and talk with the scholarship donor was such an honor,” Briere said about his time with Elayne Marrotte, the sister of the scholarship’s namesake and daughter of the late professor emeritus A.J. Pappanikou and his wife, Lucette. “The scholarship will certainly aid in my journey through my post-graduate program. I am humbled by the accomplishments past recipients have made and am striving to uphold these high expectations with my future research and endeavors,” Briere said.

Along with recipients of specifically named and purposed scholarships, 74 students who received support through the Neag Endowment also were honored.

Many thanks to scholarship donors who attended the 16^th Annual Honors Day

• Mrs. JoAnn Aitken, Andrew T. Aitken Physical Therapy Scholarship
• Mrs. Lynne Allen and Mr. William Barney, Neag School of Education Alumni Society Scholarship
• Dr. Francis X. Archambault, Jr., Friends & Colleagues of Francis X. Archambault, Jr. Fellowship
• Dr. & Mrs. Scott & Margie Brown, Vernon and Elizabeth Brown Family Scholarship
• Dr. & Mrs. Robert & Gladys Dunn, Robert E. and Gladys B. Dunn International Scholarship
• Mrs. Kettely Florian and her sister Eurley Hercule, Hans Carson Hercule Memorial Scholarship
• Mr. Richard V. Jackman, Fran Tappan Student Aid Scholarship
• Mrs. Elayne A. Marrotte, Lisa Pappanikou Glidden Scholarship Fund
• Mr. Roland J. Perreault and Dr. Joseph W. Smey, Joseph W. Smey, ’68 EdD, PT Endowed Scholarship in Physical Therapy
• Drs. Sally M. Reis & Joseph S. Renzulli, Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis Renzulli Fund for Graduate Studies in Gifted Education
• Drs. Richard & Kristin Schwab, Richard L. and Kristin E. Schwab Fellowship Fund
• Dr. & Mrs. Steven J. & Catherine W. Smith, Steven J. Smith Scholarship Fund
• Drs. Thomas & Mary Weinland, Thomas P. Weinland Fund

Congratulations to all the 2010 Scholarship Recipients