2022 Kendall Awards

Outstanding Program Leadership

Tetyana Bezbabna

University of Maryland, College Park
Information Science Program
 

Tetyana has been with the Universities at Shady Grove since 2012: first, as an undergraduate student in the UMD Robert H Smith School of Business; then as a graduate student in the UMD's College of Information Studies; and finally as an Assistant Director in the College of Information Studies since January of 2018.

Tetyana is very enthusiastic about educating our community about Information Science and all the great opportunities it presents. In addition, she is very passionate about working with students and making sure they all succeed academically and professionally.

As an Assistant Director, Tetyana has contributed to establishing and managing UMD's Information Science (InfoSci) program at the Shady Grove campus and developing program-related policies, processes, and procedures. Under Tetyana's leadership, InfoSci grew to over 60 students in just two academic years. In addition to managing program operations, Tetyana has contributed to the curriculum assessment and development, ensuring that InfoSci students are well prepared to succeed and meet all the industry demands and requirements after graduation. Tetyana has been able to establish strong relationships with local community colleges and build detailed transfer plans, ensuring a seamless transition of community college students to the InfoSci STEM program offered by UMD at the Shady Grove campus.

Excellence in Teaching

Eric Kuhn

Towson University

M.Ed. Special Education Program

Eric Kuhn has been an educator in Montgomery County for more than 42 years, serving  as a special educator, school leader, special education supervisor, and adjunct instructor, instructor and program director for Towson University at USG. He has spent many of those years working with MCPS students with disabilities. Eric has been an adjunct instructor since 2013 at USG for Towson University’s M.A.T. and M.Ed. programs, and in 2019, he  joined Towson full-time at the USG campus.  Professor Kuhn consistently supports his students with their academic goals and career goals, through his advising, instruction and advocacy. He partners with MCPS to pair his students’ strengths with the district's needs, while guiding the MCPS Human Resources department on where the students should potentially begin their special education career in serving students with disabilities, along with their families.

Eric strategically instructs his students about the pedagogy of teaching and how to apply that knowledge in the classroom. He blends his decades of knowledge and skills into his classes each session with best teaching practices from MCPS, the Maryland State Department of Education, and from around the nation.  His passion for teaching university students and in supporting their career journey is evident daily on the USG campus.

Outstanding Service to Students

Greta Ober-Beauchesne

The Universities at Shady Grove

Priddy Library

Greta Ober holds a Master’s degree in Library & Information Science (MLIS) from McGill University in Montréal; with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics/Statistics. Prior to joining USG, Greta was a Research Librarian at the International Monetary Fund (Joint World Bank/IMF Library). Also the training coordinator, she conducted database instruction, and contributed to developing an outreach strategy to market library services, increasing usage of the library. In addition, Greta developed research skills at Barents Group/KPMG, American Association of University Women, Georgetown University/Institute for Reproductive Health, and Columbia Hospital for Women (Reproductive Toxicology).  Greta has shared her professional expertise as an invited speaker at the Central Bank of Mexico, AMIGOS Congress in Mexico City, and conferences hosted by: Special Libraries Association (SLA), and American Libraries Association (ALA). An active member of SLA, Greta has demonstrated leadership skills serving as President of the Washington, DC Chapter, Chair of the Social Sciences Division, and held various Committee positions. 

Outstanding Service to the USG Community

Nitshu Joshi

The Universities at Shady Grove

Human Resources

Nitshu Joshi serves as the Human Resources (HR) Manager at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). While she joined the HR team in 2017, Nitshu has long been a part of the USG family. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UMBC at USG and then, afterward, her Master of Professional Studies degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, also from UMBC at USG. As a student on the USG campus, she earned the prestigious Academic Achievement Award and served on many student committees. In her current capacity as the HR Manager, Nitshu has served on several campus committees and has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues throughout the institution. She has recently attained an important industry credential, earning her certification as a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) in March 2022.

Special Commendation

John Brandt

The Universities at Shady Grove

Office of Safety and Security

John Brandt began his career in public safety in 1975. While attending the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), John developed an interest in law enforcement and began working at the student police auxiliary for the UMCP Police Department. In 1980, John was officially hired as a UMCP Police Officer. He excelled at a variety of assignments and rose through the ranks until retiring as a Captain in 2010. After a very short break, John then pursued a career at USG and served as the Safety & Security Manager for over 11 years. John has recently retired after an impressive career in public safety, but the USG community will never forget his dedication and passion for protecting the USG campus – including his leadership in keeping the campus community safe throughout the many challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.