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Through our Hall of Fame in ESL Teacher Education, we congratulate the many UAB ESL Teacher Education Program students and alumni who have received UAB Honors Outstanding Students Awards or UAB School of Education and Human Sciences Outstanding Students and Alumni Awards.



Hannah RodgersHannah Rodgers, UAB alumna and ESL Teacher at Pelham Middle School in Pelham, Alabama, participated in the National Education Association Foundation's Global Learning Fellowship program in 2018. The fellowship included a full year of professional development focused on global education, a workshop in Washington, DC, and a 9-day international field study in South Africa. Hannah is pictured here visiting Table Mountain in Capetown, South Africa.


Sarah Hicks, UAB ESL Alumna


Sarah Hicks, UAB alumna and ESL Teacher at Thompson Middle School in Alabaster, Alabama, was one of 35 educators from the United States and Canada to be selected for the 10th annual class of National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellows in 2016. The Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program gives K-12 classroom teachers the opportunity to foster excellence in geographic education. Exemplary educators like Sarah Hicks are recognized for their commitment to geographic education and given the opportunity to travel aboard the Lindblad-National Geographic fleet, giving educators the chance to enhance their geographic knowledge with hands-on field experience and bring that knowledge back to their classrooms and local communities.



UAB Honors Outstanding Student/Convocation Awardees - ESL Teacher Education Program

  • 2024 Courtney Jeffries [UAB's Community English Program]
  • 2023 Taylor White [Barbour County Schools]
  • 2022 Sydney Sneed [Mountain Brook Schools]
  • 2021 Amy Murphree [Jefferson County Schools]
  • 2020 Courtney Glenon [Hanceville]
  • 2019 Yuehui Hwang [China, INTO Pathways]
  • 2018 Candace Cooper [Jasper City Schools]
  • 2017 Gonul Uguralp [Istanbul, Turkey]
  • 2016 Monica Cantwell [INTO UAB English Language Programs]
  • 2015 Sarah Frisbie [ELLI, Samford University]
  • 2014 Monte Erwin [ELLI, Samford University]
  • 2013 Nancy Blanco [Lee County Schools]
  • 2012 Christa Hill [Etowah County Schools]

UAB School of Education and Human Sciences Awards - ESL Graduate Program Outstanding Students and Alumni

2024

  • Exemplary Educational Specialist - TESOL: Ninalynn Bradshaw [Atlanta, Georgia]
  • Exemplary Master's: Sally Justice [Pearl School District, Hawaii]
  • Exemplary Alternative Master's: Melissa Johnson [Elba City Schools]
  • Exemplary Master's Non-Certification: Betsy Misak [Missionary in Poland]
  • Exemplary Alumnus: Dr. Zachary Walker [University College, London, England]
  • Exemplary Service: Oscar R. Garcia [Founder/CEO, Need2Say, Irvine, California]

2023

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist - TESOL: Taylor White [Barbour County Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's: Erin Nickel [Jefferson County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Joy Machen [Auburn City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Elli Zhou [China}
  • Outstanding Alumnae: Rachael Reyes [Jefferson County Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Dr. Melissa Shields [Associate State Superintendent]

2022

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist - TESOL: Sally Anne Perz [UAB English Department]
  • Outstanding Master's: Samantha Baker [PreSchool Tallassee]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Alder Feroce [Birmingham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: John Chen [UAB Community English Program]
  • Outstanding Alumnae: Dr. Lynn Fuller [Madison County Schools, MS]
  • Outstanding Service: Lisa M. Preston [Webmaster, UAB's ESL Grants & AMTESOL]

2021

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Karen Hammonds [Attalla City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's:Eunice Virginia (Jenny) Stone [Madison County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Marisol Torres [Gadsden City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Meghan Walker [UAB Graduate School]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Amanda Rodriguez & Brandi Smith [Alabaster City Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Dr. Elisabeth Davis [Assistant State Superintendent of Student Learning, ALSDE]

2020

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Emily Day [Gadsden City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's: Anna Suthoff [Opelika City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Christy Iwuaba [Birmingham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Lantong Huang [China]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Julie Caine [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Heath Grimes [Superintendent, Russellville City]

 2019

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Emily Blackstock [Homewood City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's: Kaitlyn Allen [Birmingham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Diana Hilton [Gadsden City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Courtney Jeffries [UAB Passport Office]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Hannah Rodgers [Pelham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Lorrie Bowman [Attala City Schools]

2018

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Melinda Harrison [UAB English Department]
  • Outstanding Master's: B. DeAnna Logan [Jefferson County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Donna Hall [Tarrant City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Brian Rice [Peace Corps, Ecuador]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Julie Paul [UAB Project IMPACT-PD]
  • Outstanding Service: Dr. Rebecca Oxford [UAB; also UA and U/Maryland-CP]

2017

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Melissa Hawkins [INTO UAB English Language Programs]
  • Outstanding Master's: Lauren Craddock [Tuscaloosa, AL]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Tanya Hiers [Jefferson County Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Josephine Cox [INTO UAB English Language Programs]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Marcia Farabee [Etowah County Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Lari Valtierra [Jefferson County Schools]

2016

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Holly Blain [Eufala City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's: Gwendolyn Ramos [Enterprise City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Elizabeth House [Decatur City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Stephen Rowlett [The Literacy Council of Central Alabama]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Ann Marie Batista [Huntsville City Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Dely Roberts [ALSDE Federal Programs Title III - ELL]

2015

  • Outstanding Master's: Vann Edge [Etowah County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Devin Melton [Bessemer City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Megan Gilliland [English Language Institute, UAB]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Maggie Jensen [Vestavia City Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Julia Austin [UAB, retired]

2014

  • Outstanding Educational Specialist: Holly Hubbard [Etowah County Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's: Daphne Kennedy [Jasper City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Susie DuBois [Birmingham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Neva Garner [UAB research]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Sandi Prater [ELLI, Samford University]
  • Outstanding Service: Kathy Nichol [Baldwin County Schools]

2013

  • Outstanding Master's: Chad Strawn [Etowah County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Virginia Crittenden [Birmingham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Oscar Garcia [Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Kelly Hill [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Service: Cindy Hunt [Decatur City Schools]

2012

  • Outstanding Master's: Tammy Davis [Enterprise City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Frankie Perez [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Linda DeRocher [The Literacy Council, Birmingham]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Mary Earley [Shelby County Schools]

2011

  • Outstanding Master's: Candace Hatcher [Huntsville City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Rhonda Gregg [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Sherine Wahba [UAB ELCI]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Jenny Duckworth [Mercer University, Atlanta]

2010

  • Outstanding Master's: Karen Hill [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Tyler Bryant [Birmingham City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Lucy Dingledy [Jefferson State Community College]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Jennifer Williams [Dekalb County Schools]

2009

  • Outstanding Master's: Monica Coe [Walker County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Marie Sandoval [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Margariette Hoomes [UAB Graduate School]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Karen Snyder [Auburn City Schools]

2008

  • Outstanding Master's: Esther P. Cunill [Jefferson County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Abby Becker [Homewood City Schools]
  • Outstanding Master's Non-Certification: Bryan Lowry [UAB ELCI]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Cindy Cox [Shelby County Schools]

2007

  • Outstanding Master's: Sevim Whitaker [Hoover City Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Cheryl Jones [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Judy Wright [Calhoun County Schools]

2006

  • Outstanding Master's: Jan Renfro [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Naomi Abe [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Anne Betbeze [Birmingham City Schools]

2005

  • Outstanding Master's: Shay Stewart [Baldwin County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alternative Master's: Jennifer Greer [Shelby County Schools]
  • Outstanding Alumna: Alice Owens [Alexander City Schools]