Employee Recognition Award Recipients

We began the October 6, 2021 College of Education and Human Services college meeting with a presentation of our first Employee Recognition Awards! We are grateful to work with so many wonderful and professional employees.

The first recipient is Christopher Cottle, Department Advisor for Family Science and Human Development (FSHD). Chris has worked tirelessly for over 15 years in advising, and his work enabled a higher than average rate of graduation among our students of color. Additionally, he serves on the FSHD Social Justice Advisory Board, which implements the department’s initiatives on promoting antiracism and inclusion. He also serves as Vice-President of the MSU’s African American Caucus to help lift black voices and make Montclair State University a more inclusive environment for students of color.

Michelle Shanahan is a Program Advisor in the Center of Pedagogy (CoP), and is the second recipient of the award. Michelle continually goes above and beyond for her students and is also the ‘go to’ person within the CoP. She plays an active role among students, and intervenes to help them in ways such as creating time management plans and checking in on their social-emotional health. Additionally, she supports the Urban Teacher Residency program thanks to her historical knowledge from the previous grants.

The last award recipient is Dr. Stephanie Silvera, Professor in the Public Health department. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Silvera has tirelessly responded to media requests and shared public health information, insight, and data. In a climate of misinformation that has been incredibly harmful in society’s ability to mitigate this pandemic, Dr. Silvera has been a scientific voice of reason.

Congratulations to Chris Cottle, Michelle Shanahan, and Dr. Stephanie Silvera!