The International Mentoring Association (IMA) has presented Michigan State University Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education (HALE) graduate Connie Tingson-Gatuz with the 2012 Hope Richardson Dissertation Award. The award is given every two years to the person who has submitted the best doctoral dissertation on mentoring. The goals of this honor are to foster and disseminate research in the practice of workplace learning and performance.

Tingson-Gatuz’s dissertation was titled: “Mentoring the Leader: The Role of Peer Mentoring in the Leadership Development of Students-of-Color in Higher Education.”

Since her graduation from Michigan State in 2009, Tingson-Gatuz accepted a position at Madonna University in Livonia, Mich., where she has been working as the vice president of student affairs. She has also started dozens of mentorship programs at three universities.

She says, “MSU’s College of Education, specifically the HALE program, has shaped my perspectives, knowledge and approaches to serving in higher education.  My career progression in higher education can largely be attributed to the rigorous curricula, rewarding graduate assistantships, in-depth teaching apprenticeships and intensive faculty mentoring from the MSU College of Education.  The personalized instruction and care that I received from the HALE faculty was precious.”

Tingson-Gatuz plans present her dissertation at the IMA International Mentoring Conference in Orlando, Fla. on Mar. 14-16, 2012.

Tags: Award, dissertation, HALE, mentoring