Each year at convocation, the Outstanding Student Medal award is presented to an undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral student in the College of Education. The College of Education faculty members nominate these students for the award, and each OSM recipient delivers a speech to their peers. These individuals display a superior level of scholarship within their departments and programs; offer their time and service to the college, campus, or community; and show promise as potential leaders in the education field.

Congratulations to the 2021 Outstanding Student Medal recipients:

Tremaine Harris is the Bachelor’s degree Outstanding Student Medal recipient. Trey is graduating with his B.S. in Middle Grades Education and intends to teach math. He has a strong desire to make a difference and impact the lives of disadvantaged and underrepresented youth.

Gloriana Gonzalez, associate professor of Curriculum & Instruction, praised Trey’s work ethic, passion, community engagement, and leadership skills, and said that “Trey’s commitment with education goes beyond academic work.” Kathy Ryan, assistant dean for academic affairs, also applauded Trey’s professional growth and passion for his major: “Trey is a passionate student. He is committed to becoming a teacher and making positive changes in the classrooms and the communities in which he serves.”
Listen to Trey's 2021 Convocation Video speech...

Adriana Kaori Terol Aveiro is this year’s Master's degree/Advanced certificate Outstanding Student Medal recipient. Adriana has earned her Master's degree in Early Childhood Special Education. Adriana, a speech language pathologist in her home country of Paraguay, came to the United States to study because she is interested in improving policies and resources to meet the developmental and educational needs of young children with disabilities in Paraguay.

Dr. Hedda Meadan commended Adriana’s performance as a member of the Family Lab research team. “I’m very impressed by her abilities, knowledge, and commitment to further her education and research skills to promote the quality of life of young children with disabilities and their families,” said Dr. Meadan. Adriana is continuing her education and has been accepted to the doctoral program at the Department of Special Education at Illinois. She says that she is looking forward to furthering her education and understanding of different methodologies for implementing interventions for young children with disabilities in different cultural contexts and environments.
Listen to Adriana's 2021 Convocation Video speech...

HyeJin Tina Yeo is the recipient of the Doctoral degree Outstanding Student Medal. Dr. Yeo has earned her Ph.D. in Sociology of Higher Education in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership. Dr. Yeo has an extensive research background where she has “investigated minoritized students’ experiences, identity formation, perceptions of campus climate, and educational STEM pathways and outcomes at community colleges and predominantly white institutions.” Dr. Yeo is currently serving as a Postdoctoral Scholar at UCLA in a research center called Momentum: Accelerating Equity in Computing and Technology.

In her nomination letter, Dr. Linda Sax, Founding Director of Momentum, commended Dr. Yeo’s contributions to the team as a scholar, leader, and mentor to graduate students. “Dr. Yeo has impressed me in the way that she has built trust with the graduate student researchers and seeks to provide them with intellectual and emotional support.”

These three awardees will deliver video remarks on behalf of their represented class as part of the College of Education's 2021 Virtual Convocation event on Saturday, May 15. Congratulations to Trey, Adriana, and HyeJin on receiving the Outstanding Student Medal award and for their outstanding achievements.
Listen to HyeJin Tina's 2021 Convocation speech...