Dr. Marieta Velikova awarded 2025 Presidential Faculty Achievement Award
Belmont hosted its annual Scholarship and Awards Day celebration Wednesday, April 9 to honor faculty and students who have dedicated themselves to championing and bettering those around them.
Award recipients inspire creativity in their respective fields, challenge others to be the best versions of themselves, reflect Christ’s attitude towards service and make Belmont a better place for all to flourish.
“Faculty — we are grateful for your teaching, how you come alongside students through triumphs and tragedies, help them to continue to learn and grow and serve in ways that enrich and enhance this community,” said President Greg Jones. “To all the students receiving awards today, we celebrate your hard work and achievement.”
In total, five faculty awards and 12 student awards were bestowed during the momentous ceremony held in the Massey Performing Arts Center.
Faculty Achievement Awards
President Greg Jones and Provost Dr. David Gregory presented the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award, Chaney Distinguished Professor Award, Faculty Scholarship Award, Leadership in Christian Service Award and Christian Scholarship Award to the following faculty.
Learn more about each award here.
Presidential Faculty Achievement Award
Dr. Marieta Velikova, professor of economics and director of the Center for Global Citizenship, received the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award.
Outside her faculty role, Velikova serves as the faculty advisor for Ascend and the Alexander Hamilton Society. Additionally, she has led Belmont students on over 25 study abroad trips and her nominators spoke about her hospitality, how she builds relationships and how she cares for others.
Chaney Distinguished Professor Award
Dr. Kara Smith, department chair of economics and finance and professor of economics, received the Chaney Distinguished Professor Award.
Smith’s innovative approaches to education, including flipped classrooms and integrating new technology into the classroom, define her students’ learning experiences. She also participates in programs outside of Belmont such as Operation Stand Down Tennessee to benefit the community.
Faculty Scholarship Award
Dr. Luke Petach, associate professor of economics, received the Faculty Scholarship Award.
Petach’s expertise spans a variety of fields including economic inequality and regional economic development, and he has been published in prestigious journals such as Public Choice and the Journal of Banking and Finance.
Leadership in Christian Service Award
Dr. Amy Hodges Hamilton, professor of English, Global Honors and director of undergraduate core curriculum, received the Leadership in Christian Service Award.
Hamilton has dedicated her classroom career to using writing as a tool for overcoming trauma, impacting communities who have suffered from eating disorders, sexual assault, and those recovering from addiction.
Christian Scholarship Award
Dr. Gideon Park, assistant professor of religion, and Dr. Will Best, assistant professor of statistics, received the Christian Scholarship Award.
Park conducted groundbreaking work studying the Gospel of Matthew and created study notes for the Westminister Study Bible. Best published an innovative and acclaimed work titled “Divine Odds,” exploring the intersection of faith and statistical analysis.
Student Achievement Awards
The following 12 student honors were also awarded during the ceremony.
The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Award and Mary Mildred Sullivan Award recognize individuals who demonstrate the highest standards of character, integrity and service to others and their community.
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Award Winner: David Richardson
Mary Mildreal Sullivan Award Winner: Annalise Mitchell
The John Williams Heart of Belmont Award recognizes a third-year or fourth-year student who meets the following criteria: portrays an intrinsic commitment to voluntary service, an initiative and innovation in problem solving, a persistence in overcoming obstacles, is an advocate for change that enhances the lives of those in the community, exhibits a mature understanding of community needs and systemic problems, showcases sensitivity in developing a partnering relationship with the community and forms habits of reflection that derive from service and lead to service.
Winner: James Stanfield
The Graduate Student Leadership Award recognizes a graduate student completing the final year of their program who has distinguished themself through a willingness to engage in meaningful collaboration and service to their community.
Winner: Naomi Ordonez
The Graduate Student Scholarship Award recognizes a graduate student completing the final year of their program who has distinguished themself through academic success, original scholarly research, writing and creative output.
Winner: Zachary Sterne
The University Hale Leadership Awards recognize a first-year, second-year, third-year and fourth-year student who exhibit leadership, service and perseverance at Belmont and are poised to transform the world post-graduation.
First-Year Winner: David Lin
Second-Year Winner: Skyler Duplessis
Third-Year Winner: Tyne Dougherty
Fourth-Year Winner: Sarah Ereio
The Dr. Fannie Hewlett Award celebrates racial and ethnic diversity by recognizing student courage, leadership and contribution to a culture of inclusion at Belmont. Each year, there is an undergraduate and graduate winner.
Undergraduate Winner: Caelyn Rolle
Graduate Winner: Janet Reyes
The Lumos Travel Award allows students to participate in self-designed international projects lasting a minimum of four months, allowing them to directly engage with an international community.
Winners: Janelle Lockney, Madison Novak, Erina Shin, Valeria Draine, Alexandra Johnston, Caelyn Rolle, Miriam Blake, Annie Wardroup and Sarah Myers
The Stacy Awalt Writing Award is given to a student who submits a paper to the Department of Philosophy which explores a perennial question or contemporary issue from a philosophical point of view.
Winner: Dane Swenson
The Annette Sisson First Year Writing Award given to a first-year student to honor outstanding writing.
Winner: Morgan Hatfield
The Alfred Leland Crabb Award honors a student who has submitted any written work in response to a class assignment in any field. Students' instructors submit works to be nominated.
First Place Winner: Ryan Curry
Second Place Winners: Maxwell Goskie, Dane Swenson
First Place Winner: Joseph Garate
Second Place Winner: Claire Hickey
Winner: Kelsi Towle
Honorable Mention: Paige Hill
Ryan Curry, Dane Swenson and Maxwell Dane Goskie
Janet Reyes and Caelyn Rolle
James Stanfield
2025 Lumos Travel Award recipients
Sarah Ereio, Tyne Dougherty and David Lin
Naomi Ordonez and Zachary Stone
Paige Hill, Kelsi Towle, Claire Hickey and Joseph Garate
Learn More
Learn more about Scholarship and Awards Day at Belmont.