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Scenes from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies

HDF Graduate Student Wins Top Award

December 13, 2012

Congratulations to Dana Behuniak, Human Development and Family Studies graduate student in College Student Personnel (CSP), who has been awarded the coveted Richard F. Stevens Outstanding Graduate Student Award for Rhode Island.

Behuniak's award came through the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Organization (NASPA) where, once a year, members acknowledge the contributions of current and future professionals who have demonstrated exemplary service, commitment to students, a desire to achieve, and outstanding leadership.

Behuniak was nominated for the award by her CSP advisor here at URI, Dr. Annemarie Vaccaro, who enthusiastically remarked, "Dana is a bright, hardworking, and talented young woman who exudes a deep commitment to issues of equality... [she] has been very involved in a variety of social justice issues both at URI and Roger Williams University." Behuniak's internship at RWU this past spring, also got her a nomination from her advisor there, Jen Stanely. "Dana is creative, hard-working, mature and self-motivated... RWU was truly blessed to have had the opportunity to have Dana as part of the Women's Center" said Stanley, whose praises went on to fill a page.

Currently, Behuniak is working as a student affairs advisor in CELS where assistant dean of student affairs (and CSP alumna), Kimberly Anderson, says, "I am pleased to see that she has been acknowledged for her contributions to the URI community. She will be an asset to the student affairs profession." With much success already behind her, Behuniak will get her Master's this spring in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in College Student Personnel.

It is with great pleasure that we recognize Behuniak's accomplishments.