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The SIUE Graduate School held their annual Fall Awards Reception on Tuesday, October 27, honoring recent graduate student awardees as well as faculty excellence in supporting graduate students.

Graduate student awardees included the 2026 recipients of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award and the Outstanding Thesis Award. Betty Duplantis, current student in the Master of Arts in English with dual concentrations in Teaching of Writing and Literature, received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at the master’s level for her demonstrated commitment to a student-centered and intellectually vibrant approach in teaching first-year composition courses. Sender Kyeremeh, a 2026 graduate of the Master of Science in Geography program, received the Outstanding Thesis Award for his project “Integrated Effects of Land Use on Water Quality and Fish Biodiversity in Urban Freshwater Systems: Evidence from the Chicago and Des Plaines River Watersheds.” Graduate student recipients of the Competitive Graduate Award and Graduate Scholar Award scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year were also recognized.

Two graduate faculty members were celebrated for their commitment to graduate student learning and support. Maurina Aranda, PhD, associate professor of Biological Sciences, was recognized for receiving the 2026 Paul Simon Teacher-Scholar Award, in recognition of her years of excellence in incorporating her scholarship into the classroom. Drew Dolan, PhD, professor of Public Administration and Policy Analysis, received the 2026 Graduate Faculty Mentor Award for his commitment to providing exceptional support to graduate students’ academic and professional development.

PHOTO: Faculty mentor Sanor Rahman, PhD, Sender Kyeremeh, winner of the Outstanding Thesis Award, and Provost Denise Cobb, PhD