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Announcing the 2022 SPAA Award Winners

On behalf of the dean, faculty, and staff of the School of Public Affairs and Administration, we are pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 SPAA Awards.

The SPAA Awards recognize our graduates, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members who embody the values of SPAA and a commitment to public service. Please join us in congratulating this year's award winners:

Outstanding BA Student
Awarded for high achievement in both academic and co-curricular pursuits.

  • Renee David (BA'22)
  • Mark Steinberg (BA'22)

Outstanding MPA Student
Awarded for high achievement in both academic and co-curricular pursuits.

  • Elijah Rosenthal

E. Drexel Godfrey Award
Awarded for embodying the SPAA core values of high academic achievement, scholarship, and service to the community. (The award is named after E. Drexel Godfrey, former assistant director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who joined the faculty of Rutgers University–Newark in 1974 and established and directed the graduate program in public administration.)

  • Lucas Brunskill (EMPA Student)

SPAA Faculty Teaching Award
Awarded for significant contributions to SPAA students’ intellectual lives through superior teaching practices.

  • Dr. Domonic Bearfiled (PhD'04) – Associate Professor, Rutgers SPAA

SPAA Faculty Service Award
Awarded for outstanding service to our students, faculty, and the greater SPAA community.

  • Dr. Gregg Van Ryzin – Professor, Rutgers SPAA

Gail Daniels SPAA Staff Award
Awarded to recognize a SPAA staff member who displays outstanding service to students, faculty, and the greater SPAA community. (The award is named for Gail Daniels who served Rutgers SPAA as an administrative staff member for over 43 years within academic and student services.)

  • Dr. Rachel Emas – Assistant Teaching Professor, Rutgers SPAA

Distinguished Alumni Award for Academic Excellence
Awarded for outstanding contributions to the intellectual, theoretical, and institutional advancement of public administration.

  • Étienne Charbonneau (PhD'10) – Professor, National School of Public Administration, Quebec, Canada

Distinguished Alumni Award for Practitioner Excellence
Awarded for outstanding achievement in public administration and public service through applied practice in the field.

  • Norman Eckstein (MPA'08) – Chief Financial Officer and Tax Collector, Township of Boonton, NJ; Adjunct Professor, Rutgers SPAA

SPAA Community Service Award
Awarded for outstanding contributions to the community through time, actions, talents, and dedication.

  • Anthony Smith – Executive Director, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District

Dean's Public Service Award

  • Irene O'Brien (MPA'05) – Vice President, Central Fundraising and Donor Engagement, Rutgers University Foundation