The Steps to Leaps steering committee recognized winners of the Steps to Leaps awards at the 2024 Steps to Leaps Summit, held March 20, 2024 at Beck Agricultural Center.

Mary Busayo Oluyemi, a graduate student in the Department of Food Science, was awarded the Steps to Leaps Student of the Year Award. The honor is bestowed to a student who has shown a passion for growth within the Steps to Leaps pillar areas and/or contributes toward the education of peers within the Steps to Leaps pillars areas.

Oluyemi has worked to support students in the Department of Food Sciences through a graduate student mentorship program she created as a member of the Food Science Graduate Student Association and as social chair of the Food Science Student Association. She serves as the mental health officer for the Nigerian Student Association and is a member of the Purdue Student Health Center (PUSH) Student Advisory Board and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). Oluyemi also advocates for student support through the Disability Resource Center and International Student Services. She is lauded for her passion to build campus community through mental health support.

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The Steps to Leaps in Faculty Research Award was presented to Pam Sari, PhD, director of the Purdue Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center (AAARCC). The award is given to a researcher or team whose published work exemplifies efforts to expand the understanding of one or more of the Steps to Leaps pillars.

Sari is a principal investigator for AAARCC research projects and part of the affiliated faculty/staff for the Asian American Studies program. She currently serves as a principal investigator for several research projects, including a Purdue Institutional Review Board-approved research study, “Asian and Asian American Teens Living in Rural Indiana.” The research seeks to enhance Purdue’s mission as a land-grant institution by understanding how universities can support underrepresented adolescents in rural Indiana with their racial and ethnic identity formation. She has mentored more than 30 undergraduates and four graduate students in their research, academic and professional work. The AAARCC Research Lab will have published one book, two peer-reviewed articles and mentored two student-authored papers by the end of spring 2024.

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The Award for Academic Integration of Steps to Leaps was bestowed to The Perspective Project. The award recognizes an educator or program that has woven Steps to Leaps into their pedagogy.

The Perspective Project is a Steps to Leaps initiative designed to help Purdue instructors infuse the Steps to Leaps pillars into classrooms. Students are given reflective opportunities to make connections between their academic pursuits and personal well-being. Campus resource professionals are also integrated into classroom experiences with opportunities to share campus services that contribute to the well-being of students. A partnership incorporating iData helped examine the experience of students and faculty within the program. Faculty and staff associated with the Perspective Project include:

• Will Evans, senior assistant director – wellness programs, Purdue Recreation & Wellness
• Stephanie Knight, director, Roger C. Stewart Leadership and Professional Development Department
• Heather Servaty-Seib, professor of counseling psychology and senior associate vice provost for Teaching and Learning
• Crystal Cordes, associate director of operations, outreach and campus engagement, Counseling and Psychological Services
• Felicia Ahasteen-Bryant, director, Native American Educational and Cultural Center
• Melissa Gruver, senior associate director, Roger C. Stewart Leadership and Professional Development Department
• Jenny Strickland, assistant director, co-op programs and student development, Office of Professional Practice
• Stephen Roach, interim director, Center for Career Opportunities
• Maureen Huffer Landis, senior career services consultant, Center for Career Opportunities
• Karen Jacobsen, senior assistant director, Academic Success Center
• Jacob Baumgartner, associate director for undergraduate education, Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab
• Britni Henze, student support specialist, Office of the Dean of Students
• Craig Nadelson, medical director, Purdue University Student Health Center
• Xiaorui Li, lecturer, College of Liberal Arts
• Brooke Max, assistant professor of practice in mathematics, Department of Mathematics
• Rucha Karve, lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences
• Michael Johnson, continuing lecturer, Department of English
• Lindsey Payne, assistant professor of practice, Environmental and Ecological Engineering
• Christie Sennott, associate professor, Sociology Department
• Tongxiao Zhang, senior lecturer, White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Cassandra Ledman, clinical associate professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology
• Beth Hess, assistant professor of engineering practice and assistant head of undergraduate student well-being, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Summit, held March 22, 2023 at Beck Agricultural Center. Purdue President Mung Chiang and Provost Patrick Wolfe were on hand to recognize award winners.

Emmanuel Oluwarotimi, a graduate student in the Purdue Interdisciplinary Life Science Program, was awarded the Steps to Leaps Student of the Year Award. The honor is bestowed to a student who has shown a passion for growth within the Steps to Leaps pillar areas and/or contributes toward the education of peers within the Steps to Leaps pillars areas. Oluwarotimi pictured below (left) with Vice Provost Beth McCuskey (right).

Oluwarotimi was recognized for his grit, persistence and resourcefulness, as well as the inspiration he has provided to other students. After earning one of 30 Opportunity Fund program awards to study in the United States, Oluwarotimi mentored, reviewed application materials and provided support to students subsequently applying for the award and admission into graduate school. He is a founding member of the Jaris Computational Biology Center in Jos, Nigeria, has presented at virtual workshops and will present his work at a professional gathering in St. Loui this May. His impact in academic settings has afforded him co-authorship on six articles. Oluwarotimi’s nominators also praised his ability to build relationships with passion and without bias while committing to helping others be productive. 

The Steps to Leaps in Faculty Research Award was presented to Evan Perrault, associate professor for communication. The award is given to a researcher or team whose published work exemplifies efforts to expand the understanding of one or more of the Steps to Leaps pillars. Perrault pictured below (left) with Vice Provost Beth McCuskey (right).

Perrault collaborated with Purdue Recreation & Wellness to create the “Napkin Campaign,” the result of a grant from the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction from 2017-21. A series of eight messages were printed on more than 8 million napkins used in Purdue dining courts to promote mindfulness. Assessment of the program revealed that 97 percent of students who dined in person were aware of the napkin messaging. Further results indicated significant changes in beliefs and perceptions, such as an increased level of self-efficacy for keeping a phone out of sight while speaking with someone. The research from the project has been published in the Journal of American College Health.

The Award for Academic Integration of Steps to Leaps was bestowed to Lakshmy Mohandas, associate instructional developer for teaching success. The award recognizes an educator who has woven Steps to Leaps into their pedagogy. Mohandas pictured below (left) with Vice Provost Beth McCuskey (right).

Mohandas worked on a National Science Foundation grant to expand the accessibility of learning through blended synchronous instruction of face-to-face and remote students. Through her teaching efforts, Mohandas seeks to improve STEM education for undergraduate students by examining how a problem-centered course focus can be delivered in an effective way using a combination of in-person and online approaches. She was described by her nominator as “an effective, skilled educator committed to student support and student-centered pedagogy. The deep empathy and genuine concern for the well-being of the students in one-on-one, group or class settings creates a safe and supportive environment for students to be their best selves.”

The Steps to Leaps Student Support Award was presented to the Purdue University Student Health Service (PUSH) Physical Therapy Department The award is given to an individual or unit that consistently leveraged the language of Steps to Leaps in their conversations and communication with students. Dr. Jeff Stein, director of physical therapy at PUSH pictured below (left) with Vice Provost Beth McCuskey (right).

The PUSH Physical Therapy Department was lauded for their daily engagement with patients, students and staff to ensure their well-being by creating rehabilitation plans, performing evaluations, offering treatments and helping write patient notes. The department also plays a crucial role in obtaining clinical observation hours for Boilermakers with an interest in becoming a physical therapist. One nominator wrote, “the lessons we have all learned will impact our well-being, professional development, networking and our persistence in the field.” A second nominator noted that “the department has created a scale of excellence that spills over into all the areas of dealing with patients, students and staff members.” The department is led by Dr. Jeff Stein, director of physical therapy.

The Steps to Leaps steering committee recognized winners of the inaugural Steps to Leaps awards at the Steps to Leaps Summit, held March 9 at Beck Agricultural Center.

The Steps to Leaps Excellence in Research Award was presented to Nasreen Lalani, assistant professor of nursing. The award is given to a researcher or team whose published work exemplifies efforts to expand the understanding of one or more of the Steps to Leaps pillars. Lalani is pictured below left with Provost Jay Akridge on the right.

Lalani’s research aims to develop strengths-based approaches and interventions to promote resilience, existential and spiritual well-being of vulnerable individuals at the end of life and in disasters. In conjunction with the Red Cross and other disaster agencies, Lalani developed a Psychological First Aid training module for social work students and other human service professionals. One of her current research projects examines the effectiveness of spiritual intervention to promote the resilience and well-being of nurses and healthcare providers, especially during the pandemic. A second grant project examines the perceptions of nursing and medical students about death and dying using simulation strategies, done in partnership with Kent State University. During the pandemic, Lalani contributed to a nine-week online social media program aimed at developing tools and resources to foster resiliency and well-being among children, youth and families in small towns and rural communities.

Roseline Adewuyi, a graduate student in the School of Language and Cultures, was awarded the Steps to Leaps Student of the Year Award. The honor is bestowed to a student who has shown a passion for growth within the Steps to Leaps pillar areas and/or contributes toward the education of peers within the Steps to Leaps pillar areas. Adewuyi is pictured below left with Provost Jay Akridge on the right.

Adewuyi serves as a staunch gender advocate for girls and women, particularly in the African conteXt. Her commitment to gender advocacy has taken her from her home country, Nigeria, to the United States, Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia, France and other countries. She was recently awarded the Social Justice Award from Purdue University’s Women’s Gender, and Sexuality program for her project “Breaking Gender Stereotypes and Reimaging the Woman.” Since 2017, she has organized a program for secondary school girls in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child. Much of her work focuses on connecting with young girls and helping them choose their own path independent of societal expectations. On campus, she serves as the treasurer of the Nigerian Student Association. She has helped lead innovative projects, including several webinars and seminars in the area of professional development. She will be featured in an upcoming BBC piece for her work.

The Award for Academic Integration of Steps to Leaps was bestowed to Abrar Hammoud, clinical assistant professor for technology, leadership and innovation. The award recognizes an educator who has woven Steps to Leaps into their pedagogy. She is pictured here (left) with Provost Akridge (right).

Hammoud helps lead the Teaching Excellence Collaborative, a community of transformation in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute that supports faculty teaching efforts. She has worked to incorporate the Leadership and Professional Development competencies of the Roger C. Stewart Leadership and Professional Development Department into Purdue Polytechnic curricula. She supports student well-being as a Mental Health First Aid trainer at Purdue and has trained nearly 100 members of the Purdue community through her efforts. Hammoud additionally contributes to the Steps to Leaps Tip of the Week Series, which provides well-being tips for Purdue students, faculty and staff. During fall 2020, she led efforts to produce a series of projection art installations on prominent campus buildings, including the France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center, and Krannert School of Management. Colleagues say Hammoud’s encouragement for students to fail “spectacularly” so they strengthen and leverage grit contribute significantly to the resilience of students in Purdue Polytechnic.The Award for Academic Integration of Steps to Leaps was bestowed to Abrar Hammoud, clinical assistant professor for technology, leadership and innovation. The award recognizes an educator who has woven Steps to Leaps into their pedagogy.

The Steps to Leaps Student Support Award was presented to Autumn Cummings, assistant director of advocacy and training for University Residences. The award is given to an individual or unit that consistently leveraged the language of Steps to Leaps in their conversations and communication with students. She is pictured here (left) with Provost Akridge (right).

Cummings’ work directly connects students with well-being resources. She has led a University Residences initiative to create resource cards for students who are working through concerns related to anxiety, depression, eating disorders and addiction/substance use. These resource cards utilize Steps to Leaps language while providing tangible steps for students to improve their well-being and develop networks of support. She often connects with students of concern, works to understand their experiences and directs them to appropriate campus resources. Cummings also serves as a conduct hearing officer with University Residences, where she works to balance accountability with learning opportunities for students. In her previous work with Dining & Culinary, Cummings developed numerous resources for Dining staff and annually trained staff in areas such as Title IX, compliance and student advocacy.