For the Record provides information about recent professional activities and honors of University of Delaware faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Recent appointments, presentations, publications, honors and partnerships include the following:

Appointments

Tory McHugh, senior associate director in College of Education and Human Development’s Center for Excellence and Equity in Teacher Preparation, was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Advisory Council of State Representatives (ACSR) within the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). State AACTE leaders across the nation serve on the ACSR to represent state-level perspectives in association activities and help identify important issues for AACTE to monitor and manage. McHugh will serve as the Northeast Region Representative for the 2026-27 year. 

Presentations

Gene Koshinski and Tim Broscious, School of Music Faculty Artists in Residence with their group Quey Percussion Duo, recently presented a showcase concert at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. PASIC is the largest and most comprehensive conference in the percussion field with more than 100 sessions/concerts and 10,000 attendees. Showcase concerts are only granted to leading artists in the field and professors Koshinski/Broscious were proud to represent UD in this capacity.  

Dominique Baker, associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development’s (CEHD) School of Education and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, presented “What If We Leave It Up to Chance? The Viability of College Admissions Lotteries” as part of the John and Patricia Cochran Scholar Lecture Series on Nov. 20, 2025, in the Trabant University Center Theater. Baker’s research in educational policy focuses on student financial aid, admissions policies and other policies related to inclusive and equitable campus climates in higher education. 

Zoubeida Dagher, professor in CEHD’s School of Education, gave a presentation on how citizen science can promote student learning and affect public policy as part of Academic Technology Services’ Tech Talk Tuesdays series on Nov. 18, 2025, in Pearson Hall. Dagher’s research focuses on the nature of scientific methods and practices, representations of scientific epistemology in science curriculum and clinical digital simulations in science teacher education.

Raphael Travis, professor in CEHD and faculty director of the college’s master of social work program, presented “EMPOWERMENTODAY Through Digital Music Engagement: Beyond Lyric Writing and Song Creation” at the 2025 Hip Hop Studies Conference from Nov. 14-16, 2025, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

With the support of Kate Riera, assistant professor in CEHD’s Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS), several undergraduate students majoring or minoring in HDFS attended, volunteered and/or served on student panels at the 2025 Higher Education Suicide Prevention Conference on Oct. 29, 2025, at Delaware State University in Dover. The participating students included Erin Fitzgerald, Mia Graziano, Annie Heischober, Margaret Janvrin, Kara Mey, Alexandra Reed and Victoria Saskin. The students also engaged in networking with community agencies and related workshops.

Publications

Peter Weil, associate professor emeritus of anthropology, has published an article, “Red Hot Typewriters: Typewriters at the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire,” in the fall 2025 issue of ETCetera, no. 147, pages 16-20

Honors

Under the direction of Paul D. Head, director of choral studies and Unidel Professor of Music in the School of Music, Delaware Choral Scholars won top prizes at the 2025  International Choral Contest of Tolosa. The ensemble took first prize in Chamber Choirs - Polyphony, Chamber Choirs - Folklore and the Basque Government Award for the best performance in Basque. They also brought home the overall grand prize and will go on to compete in the Grand Prix Finale in April.

Ravi Ammigan, vice provost for Global Engagement, was named one of The PIE’s 50 Voices of 2025 for the Americas region — an honor that recognizes leading influencers and policy makers shaping the future of international education. With more than 25 years of experience, Ammigan has been a driving force behind UD’s global engagement strategy and a champion for advancing the international student experience. In addition to his leadership role, he serves as an associate professor in the School of Education, where his research and extensive publications focus on how institutions can best support and enhance student success. His insights and expertise are sought after around the world, and we are proud to see his contributions recognized on such a prestigious platform. The PIE’s 50 Voices celebrates innovative leaders and changemakers whose work strengthens the global education ecosystem. Being included on this annual list is a significant distinction and highlights Ammigan’s and UD’s impact and continued commitment to the field.

Miles Brown, associate professor of string bass and jazz in the School of Music, received two Grammy Award nominations as a member of the new-music ensemble Alarm Will Sound. Their 2024 album, Land of Winter, featuring compositions by Donnacha Dennehy, is nominated for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance and Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Alarm Will Sound commissions and records innovative works, while incorporating theatrical and multimedia elements by choreographers, visual artists, designers and directors in their performances. The Grammy Awards will be presented on Feb. 1, 2026. 

Julia Birchfield, a senior in the University of Delaware’s Honors College marketing and global enterprise management double major with a minor in business analytics, received the 2025 Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) Best Property Manager Marketing Campaign Award, one of the association’s top international honors. Birchfield works as a marketing associate for Seaside Vacations and Sales, a property management company based on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, and in Ocean City, Maryland. She and colleague Timothy Johnson Jr. led a six-month digital campaign celebrating Seaside’s 10th anniversary and the 100th annual Chincoteague Pony Swim. The campaign featured a full-length documentary, Tides of Tradition: The Story of Chincoteague Island, which the pair wrote, directed and produced. The project generated more than 1.7 million views and significant engagement growth across platforms, contributing to Seaside Vacations becoming the first company in VRMA history to earn three consecutive marketing awards. Birchfield accepted the honor at the VRMA International Conference in Las Vegas.

Three accounting majors in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics have been named 2025–26 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholars, marking the second consecutive year that UD students have earned this national recognition. Seniors Redwanul Bari, Dean Horner and Matthew Musacchio were among 685 students selected nationwide for the merit-based scholarship, the largest class in the program’s history. Each student received a $15,000 award. Bari, a first-generation college student, has paired his 4.0 GPA with service through UD’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and said the scholarship provides meaningful financial support as he prepares for a career in auditing. Horner, who discovered his passion for accounting after growing up around a family business, credits UD faculty and his VITA experience for shaping his professional goals. Musacchio, who also plans to pursue auditing, said the award alleviates financial strain and affirms his commitment to the field. Caroline Levine, chair of the Department of Accounting and Management Information Systems, said the recognition reflects the strength of UD’s accounting program. “These scholarships endorse the excellence of our students and the rigor of our curriculum,” she said.

Natalie Kazanjian, Class of 2027, a UD student-athlete majoring in media communications and sport management, represented UD as part of the FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia™ Rising Stars Academy. The program brought together 24 students for six in-person sessions featuring executive panels, site visits and mentorship as Philadelphia prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Kazanjian gained hands-on experience in event operations, leadership and citywide planning through visits to City Hall, Xfinity Live! and Lincoln Financial Field. She also helped develop a public safety proposal for Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and is now mentored by Michael DelBene, president and CEO of Welcome America.

From Nov. 2-5,2025, the American Public Health Association (APHA) hosted more than 10,000 public health professionals at its 2025 Annual Meeting. Each year, the Epidemiology Section of the Annual Meeting selects winners of the Epidemiology Student Abstract Award with event recognition and an opportunity to present their work in an oral session. For 2025, Epidemiology graduate student Fadzai Dube received the Epidemiology Student Abstract Award and presented her research on cardiovascular health among economically disadvantaged adults across the U.S. Dube’s research used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to determine that higher food insecurity was associated with reduced cardiovascular health among economically disadvantaged U.S. adults, with age and racial/ethnic group differences. Her research was conducted under the mentorship of Tarang Parekh, assistant professor, and Jee Won Park, assistant professor. Additional presentations were led by University of Delaware faculty and students including Jennifer Horney, professor and founding chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Zakariah Robinson, graduate research assistant. 

K. Marshall Green, assistant professor in the Department of Africana Studies, was inducted into the Collegium of Scholars at the Martin Luther King Jr International Chapel at Morehouse College on Oct. 2, 2025. The chapel fosters sustainability, peace, understanding and equity in the world. The Collegium of Scholars is comprised of academics and scholars who are "committed to research, writing, teaching and mentoring in a wide variety of disciplines and contexts that promote and give support to the work of peace through moral cosmopolitan social responsibility." Members are charged to follow in the footsteps of leaders as “affirmative, appreciative, coherently critical and engaged role models” for the next generation of students, while working to create an inclusive, global society in which, “the full development of each individuals’ potential is realized.”

Stephanie Kotch-Jester, associate professor in CEHD’s School of Education, has been named a 2026 Association of Teacher Educators Clinical Practice Fellow. With a select group of teacher educators from across the nation, she will participate in a special symposium in February 2026. The symposium is by invitation only and will connect scholars across the nation who share a passion for putting clinical practice at the center of all teacher education endeavors.

Jiaheng Xie, assistant professor of MIS in the Department of Accounting and Management Information Systems at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, has received the Association for Information Systems (AIS) Early Career Award. This international honor is given to a small number of scholars who have demonstrated exceptional early-career contributions in information systems research, teaching and service. The award will be presented on Jan. 19, 2026, during a virtual ceremony. Xie’s research examines interpretable artificial intelligence, generative AI, deep learning, health risk analytics and business analytics. His work has been published in leading journals, including Management Science, MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, the Journal of Management Information Systems, INFORMS Journal on Computing and the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. The AIS selection committee noted that award recipients have already made outstanding scholarly impact and show strong promise for continued leadership in the field. Xie’s recognition highlights the growing strength of UD’s research community in information systems and emerging technologies.

Lawrence A. Cunningham, presiding director of the University’s John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, has been named to the Directors and Boards “Directors to Watch 2026: Large Cap” list. The honor recognizes 16 directors whose leadership, governance expertise and board service are expected to shape public-company oversight in the coming year. Cunningham serves on the boards of Markel Group and Constellation Software Inc., contributing to key committees. His selection reflects his longstanding impact in corporate governance and the Weinberg Center’s national reputation for advancing board excellence.

Partnerships

The Gillmore Centre for Financial Technology at Warwick Business School and UD’s  Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics have signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a new transatlantic partnership in fintech and proptech research. The agreement was introduced Nov. 7 at “Unlocking the Potential of PropTech,” hosted by the Gillmore Centre’s FutureFinance.AI Research Group. The collaboration outlines joint research projects, academic exchanges, visiting scholar opportunities and shared seminars and conferences. “By combining the strengths of the Gillmore Centre and Lerner College, we are building a dedicated engine for innovation,” said Ram Gopal, professor of information systems management and director of the Gillmore Centre. He noted that Lerner’s expertise in data analytics and economic modeling complements the centre’s work in AI and blockchain. Oversight of the partnership will be led by Gopal and Lerner Dean Oliver Yao, with Gang Wang, associate professor of management information systems, JEI research fellow and co-director of UD’s FinTech Innovation Hub on the STAR Campus, managing activities on behalf of UD. Conference sessions highlighted innovations in AI for real estate, data-driven forecasting and market communication.

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