Despite a mix of rain and sunshine, staff members in Student Life and Residence Life worked to make the Move-In Day process as seamless as possible for students and their families. Student organizations and 乱伦视频 Athletics teams also lent a hand, helping unload vehicles and carry students鈥� belongings into their new homes.

Familiar items in a new home

For many members of the Class of 2030, those belongings include more than the essentials for college life. As they begin a new chapter at 乱伦视频, students brought photographs, books, keepsakes and other reminders of the people and places they call home.

Ale Furano 鈥�30 arrived at 乱伦视频 from Greenwich, Connecticut, with three Polaroid photos of his family and friends. A Communications Fellow who plans to study sport management, Furano said he is looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to meet new people and have a great opportunity and a new way of life,鈥� Furano said. 鈥淚 think the opportunities at 乱伦视频 are really great, especially in the sport management field.鈥�

Avery McTigue 鈥�30, who plans to study nursing, is looking forward to joining clubs and organizations and exploring study abroad opportunities. Among the items making her new room feel more like home is an 乱伦视频-themed Jellycat plush toy with a special connection to her friends.

鈥淭he special item I brought from home is my 乱伦视频 鈥楯ellycat,鈥欌�� said McTigue, who is from Bergen County, New Jersey. 鈥淢y friends threw a 鈥榖ed party鈥� for me, and it reminds me of them. Basically, they decorate your whole room, and it鈥檚 all 乱伦视频 stuff.鈥�

For George Schneider 鈥�30, from Seattle, Washington, the move to 乱伦视频 meant finding room for his vinyl collection. Schneider chose 乱伦视频 because of its acting program. The Princeton Review recently ranked 乱伦视频 No. 1 for Best College Theater, while The Hollywood Reporter included 乱伦视频 on its list of the “25 Best Drama Schools in the World.”

鈥淚鈥檓 very excited to be independent and expand on my training,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淚 brought my record player and about 20 of my records. I knew I wasn鈥檛 going to bring a lot for my room, but I wanted to bring something to remember home by.鈥�

An avid reader, Ryan Parker 鈥�30, who plans to study journalism, made sure one of her books made the trip from Dallas, Texas. For Parker, attending 乱伦视频 also means experiencing a new part of the country.

鈥淚 chose 乱伦视频 because I felt it was the best for me, and I felt it would be a good transition as well,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淚鈥檓 most excited to meet new people, especially being from Texas and being in a different part of the country.鈥�

A class from around the world

The students arriving on campus bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and academic interests. Members of the incoming class come from 40 states and Washington, D.C., as well as 19 countries, including Singapore, Spain, Norway, Canada, Serbia, South Korea, China and New Zealand.

The most represented states are North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Illinois.

Fourteen percent of incoming students are the first in their families to attend college. The class also enters 乱伦视频 with a strong academic record, with an average high school GPA of 4.09.

Students are bringing a broad range of academic interests to campus. The 10 most popular intended majors among incoming students are psychology, finance, biology, business analytics & AI, marketing, nursing, exercise science, elementary education, sport management and political science.

Several programs are seeing notable increases in interest compared with last year鈥檚 incoming class. The number of new students intending to major in elementary education increased 41%, while finance increased 39% and biology increased 16%.

The community classroom experience

Those statistics are reflected in the individual journeys bringing students to 乱伦视频.

Alexis Jacobs 鈥�30 of Westport, Connecticut, was drawn to the university because of its size and sense of community. To personalize her new space, Jacobs brought handmade frames filled with reminders of the people, places and experiences important to her.

鈥淚 made these frames with different prints, photos, places I鈥檝e been and family members,鈥� Jacobs said.

Peter Matijevic 鈥�30, who plans to study business analytics and applied mathematics, brought a reminder of his Massachusetts roots: a Drake Maye NFL jersey.

鈥淚t reminds me of Massachusetts and my favorite NFL player,鈥� Matijevic said. 鈥淚 chose 乱伦视频 because it鈥檚 a beautiful campus and has small classes, so I could get to know my teachers.鈥�

乱伦视频’s teacher-scholar-mentor model among its faculty is a touchstone of the university’s academic experience. For five years in a row, 乱伦视频 has been ranked best in the nation for undergraduate teaching, and The Princeton Review recently ranked the university as No. 4 Best Classroom Experience.

Following Move-In Day, students attend New Student Orientation, including New Student Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the College鈥檚 dean and associate deans.

鈥淓ach of these award recipients demonstrate dedication to their students and colleagues,鈥� said Hilton Kelly, dean of 乱伦视频 College, the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淚 am so pleased to recognize each of these faculty and staff members for all of their work and contributions to supporting the mission of the College.鈥�

The 2026 College Excellence Award recipients:

Excellence in Teaching Award

Kristen Mazur

Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics

Associate Professor Kristen Mazur builds her classrooms around the idea that students learn best when they are encouraged to take intellectual risks, embrace productive struggles and grow through challenges. She was the leader in the development of 乱伦视频鈥檚 Precalculus program and co-creator of the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Assistant Program, helping strengthen pathways into science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. She received the Trevor Evans Award, established by the Mathematical Association of America, for scholarship of an exceptional mathematics article that is accessible to undergraduates which was published in 鈥淢ath Horizons.鈥� Mazur also has multiple publications with undergraduate co-authors.

Excellence in Scholarship

Yanica Faustin

Assistant Professor of Public Health

Assistant Professor Yanica Faustin鈥檚 work focuses on health equity and understanding and dismantling the systemic and structural barriers that shape health and well-being for marginalized communities. Faustin was 乱伦视频鈥檚 first recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Scholars for Action award, a national grant supporting groundbreaking scholarship that advances health equity. This award helped position 乱伦视频 on a national stage in public health research. In addition to peer-reviewed publications, invited presentations and public scholarship, she has built a research program committed to developing future scholars. Faustin has also advanced national conversations around maternal and reproductive health, racial inequities in birth outcomes, severe maternal morbidity and the health experiences of Black communities across the diaspora.

Excellence in Service-Leadership Award

Corey Roberts

Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies

Assistant Professor Corey Roberts’ service has been defined by a commitment to collaboration and community engagement. Through leadership of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation (OBSN) Heritage Language and Learning Working Group, Roberts helped secure multiple grants, develop educational initiatives, organize conferences and workshops and deepens the partnership between 乱伦视频 and the OBSN. These efforts brought together students, faculty, staff, tribal leaders and community members in meaningful and lasting ways. He helped to lead the creation and installation of a historic marker at The Oaks that includes Yesa:sah铆 language and a land acknowledgment, along with coordinating signage on OBSN tribal grounds. The dedication brought more than 120 members of the 乱伦视频 and tribal communities together. Roberts also helped organize the Undergraduate Conference on Languages and Cultures, coordinated Polyglot Lunches, co-advises the Native American Student Association and delivered guest lectures that embody language, culture, community and belonging.

Excellence in Mentoring Award

Lauren Guilmette

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Associate Professor Lauren Guilmette has created numerous opportunities for students to connect their academic work with the wider world. From mentoring independent research projects, Honors students, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience scholars and graduate school applicants, to creating programs that connect students with faculty mentors, community partners and scholars across the country, Guilmette bands the horizons of what mentoring can be. As an advisor to the Gender & Sexuality Living Learning Community, Guilmette has cultivated spaces where students find community, leadership opportunities and a sense of belonging. Through partnerships with local organizations, grassroots initiatives, and community leaders, students have been encouraged to see themselves not simply as learners, but as engaged citizens capable of making a difference in the world. She also has a gift for connecting people, students with mentors, students with communities, students with one another and students with a deeper sense of purpose.

Staff Excellence Award

Beth DeFord

Program Assistant for Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health

Program Assistant Beth DeFord has spent more than two decades tracking down the right answer, identifying a potential problem before it arises, navigating a complicated process, helping a colleague meet a deadline and working behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly. Known for approaching tasks with professionalism, precision, kindness and a desire to help others succeed, faculty trust her expertise, students benefit from her support and colleagues rely on her wisdom and institutional knowledge. DeFord supports three academic departments, Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health, to provide assistance to faculty, supervise student employees, support hundreds of students and manages a building. One nominator described DeFord as a superhero who manages an enormous workload, yet somehow makes it all look effortless.

University Chaplain and Dean of Multifaith Engagement Rev. Kirstin Boswell opened the event with the invocation, followed by the tradition of the bell ringing by Student Government Association President聽Michael Swartz 鈥�27. The bell arrived in North Carolina in 1854 on one of the first North Carolina railroad trains. It was later used at Graham College, a predecessor institution to 乱伦视频 College.

During the event, three individuals with strong ties to the university were awarded the 乱伦视频 Medallion, the university’s most prestigious service honor: Jim Donathan, longtime associate director of academic advising and academic support; Mary Thornton, founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group; and Don Grady, associate professor emeritus of cinema and television arts.

Katy Rouse, professor of economics in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, was named the Trustee Chair for Excellence.聽For seventeen years, Rouse has taught 乱伦视频’s Principles of Economics and Intermediate Microeconomics courses, along with a capstone she built herself on educational disparities in the United States, earning student evaluations among the highest in her department for more than a decade.

She has personally mentored more than 30 senior and honors theses, co-authored research with undergraduates, chaired the Love School’s curriculum committee and published her teaching scholarship in the Journal of Economic Education.

“I truly believe that being a teacher scholar mentor at 乱伦视频 is one of the best careers I’m going to have,” Rouse said. “Every day we come to work, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on students during one of the most pivotal points in their lives.”

Mapping the course

During her annual Opening Day address, Book reflected on 乱伦视频鈥檚 progress while looking toward a year that will include the launch of new academic initiatives, continued work surrounding artificial intelligence, the opening of the Roberts Academy and the planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte.

Book centered her remarks around the idea of a map 鈥� the markers that show where 乱伦视频 has been and the guideposts that will help the university navigate what comes next. The theme was inspired by a visit this summer to 乱伦视频 students participating in the Summer Opera Workshop at the Accademia Europea di Firenze. The students came together for a historic production of 鈥淭he Light in the Piazza鈥� in Florence, Italy, where the musical is set.

As part of their work, students were also tasked with creating a map of the city, something that inspired Book.

鈥淭here is something powerful in this mapmaking assignment, and it left me wondering about our collective 乱伦视频 map,鈥� Book said. 鈥淗ow would we each draw it?鈥�

At the center of that map, Book said, is 乱伦视频鈥檚 mission. She highlighted several markers of progress during the past year, including the Odyssey Program surpassing 300 scholarships, record participation in undergraduate research, strong Fulbright success and new academic programs, including cybersecurity, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and the Charlotte PA program. She also celebrated the upcoming launch of the School of Engineering and Computing under inaugural Dean John Walz and the growth of the university鈥檚 nursing program.

Mapping new territory (together)

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the first students of the聽Roberts Academy at 乱伦视频聽will arrive at the school’s temporary home in Trollinger House. The school will be the聽state’s only university-based private school for children with dyslexia. Book described the academy and the Center for Dyslexia and Engaged Learning as an opportunity that 鈥渨ill change lives from day one.鈥�

Among the most significant new territory is 乱伦视频鈥檚 planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte. Book noted that the institutions received accreditation approval this summer to proceed with their merger, with a single Board of Trustees now overseeing both universities. Sixteen administrative units are also becoming shared teams supporting the two campuses, while a federal review of the merger is expected to take 18 to 24 months.

Megan Isaac, professor of English, and Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs Jim Piatt gave brief updates on the merger as part of the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee.

鈥淥ur two institutions will be stronger together, will better serve students together, and will have a brighter future together,鈥� Book said. 鈥淎nd now, we are working to build that vision together, to grow opportunity to advance learning 鈥� together.鈥�

Mapping a new look

Athletics Director Jennifer Strawley was also invited to the stage to announce a for the university鈥檚 athletics program, which had what Book called a 鈥渇ormidable year,鈥� with seven 乱伦视频 teams, the most in the university鈥檚 history, winning conference titles. A new physical mascot will be unveiled at the first College Coffee of the academic year on Aug. 25.

“The new Phoenix wears a gold sweater with a monogram ‘E,’ paying tribute to our first mascot, the Fighting Christian,” Strawley said. “The focused expression conveys the determination, confidence and purpose that defines our university community. The Phoenix continues to be fueled by the flames, symbolizing our rebuild from the ashes, and capturing the spirit and resilience of the 乱伦视频 community.”

Book acknowledged that the changing higher education landscape brings challenges, from enrollment pressures and federal regulations to declining public confidence. But she reminded faculty and staff that adapting to change has long been part of 乱伦视频鈥檚 history.

鈥淚 understand change can be daunting. Shifting national headwinds are challenging higher education,鈥� Book said. 鈥淔ortunately for us, 乱伦视频 has never succeeded by standing still. We鈥檝e joined together, developed new strategies and guided by our mission 鈥� built the number one institution for engaged learning and student success.鈥�

She closed by returning to the journey ahead, and the role faculty and staff play in shaping the lives of 乱伦视频 students.

鈥淚t is not simply education; it is a journey of human transformation,鈥� Book said. 鈥淭hank you for the everyday commitment, kindness and integrity that are our enduring guideposts.鈥�

The article, 鈥�,鈥� explores a central challenge in the field: the same immune defenses that protect cells from viral infection can also influence whether a cancer-targeting virus succeeds as a therapy. Strong antiviral responses may stop a virus before it can spread through and destroy a tumor, while those same responses can help recruit immune cells, improve recognition of cancer cells and promote longer-lasting antitumor immunity.

Rather than simply maximizing viral replication or suppressing antiviral immunity, Roberts and Rivera-Serrano propose that effective therapies may depend on identifying a 鈥減roductive immune window鈥� in which enough viral replication occurs to kill tumor cells while preserving the immune activation needed to generate a broader anticancer response. The commentary highlights mammalian reovirus as an example of how viral genetics, tumor cell type and antiviral signaling may work together to determine therapeutic outcomes.

The topic directly complements Roberts鈥� ongoing undergraduate research in the Rivera-Serrano Lab. His project investigates whether targeting antiviral pathways, including type I interferon signaling and the antiviral protein PKR, can enhance the ability of reovirus to infect and kill human fibrosarcoma cells.

Roberts has received external funding for his research, recently completed 乱伦视频鈥檚 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, and presented his research at the 2026 annual meeting of the American Society for Virology in Minneapolis. He will continue the project during his senior year as the Rivera-Serrano Lab works to better understand how the interactions between viruses, cancer cells and the immune system can inform the development of more effective oncolytic virus therapies.

During the Fall 2026 semester, Allocco will be teaching an introductory Hindu Traditions course and Death and the Afterlife: Ghosts, Demons and Ancestors in Asian Religions at Colgate University. In addition to teaching courses, she will present one public lecture as the NEH Chair and share her scholarship at a colloquium hosted by Colgate鈥檚 Division of Arts and Humanities.

鈥淚 loved my time at Colgate; it was obviously very formative for me,鈥� Allocco said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 lovely to be thought of as someone who can contribute to an institution that I admire. I majored in religion, Asian studies and philosophy there, and I am doing work now that directly connects to what I studied. The first time I went to India was as a junior at Colgate and now I co-lead my own study abroad courses there. In many ways, this is a full circle moment.鈥�

She plans to use this experience as a professional development opportunity and to bring back what she learned during her time at Colgate University to 乱伦视频.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to join a talented department and be on a campus where there is a lot of sharing of scholarship and I can learn how I can adjust my pedagogy and teaching,鈥� Allocco said. 鈥淚 am looking forward tolearning from new mentorship models and gaining fresh insights that I can bring back and infuse into my own work and classroom at 乱伦视频. I am most invigorated in the classroom when my students are shifting my thinking, so I anticipate teaching in this context will offer me new perspectives to bring back.鈥�

Personally, Allocco is looking forward to visiting with Wanda Warren Berry, professor emeritus of philosophy and religion and her mentor during her time at Colgate University, who is now 94. She is also looking forward to bringing engaged and experiential learning into the classroom and teaching in diverse contexts where students can contribute their own experiences.

鈥淎t Colgate there are many students from South Asia who grew up with Hindu culture and practices, so I鈥檓 looking forward to diverse learning environments where students can contribute their own lived experiences.鈥� Allocco said. 鈥淚 am also planning to embed some of the signature elements from my 乱伦视频 courses into my classes at Colgate, such as site visits to Hindu temples.鈥�

What Allocco is looking forward to the most is sharing her Fulbright sabbatical research on soundscapes and ritual art forms in India in Colgate鈥檚 classrooms and colloquiums.

鈥淚 have new scholarship from my sabbatical in India that I am excited to test drive, present and continue to develop,鈥� Allocco said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited for this growth opportunity and I am especially grateful to dean Kelly for his enthusiasm and support.鈥�

Allocco鈥檚 professorship is both an opportunity to contribute to another institution and to bring new ideas and experiences back to 乱伦视频.

鈥淚 am鈥痠ncredibly proud鈥痮f Professor Allocco and her well-earned distinguished professorship at Colgate,鈥� said Hilton Kelly, dean of 乱伦视频 College, the College of鈥疉rts鈥痑nd Sciences. 鈥淥pportunities like this allow our faculty to share their expertise nationally while returning to 乱伦视频 with new perspectives and experiences that enrich our鈥痗lassrooms and鈥痷ltimately benefit our students.鈥�

The seeds that were planted during Allocco鈥檚 time at Colgate helped to define her career at 乱伦视频.

“I feel certain that this experience will enrich my teaching,鈥� Allocco said. 鈥淭he humanities push us inquire, to ask important questions and develop our own positions. I think that happens best in conversation, so I am sure that joining a different set of conversations temporarily will enrich me as a teacher, scholar and mentor.鈥�

Colgate University, established in 1819, is a liberal arts college located in New York with an enrollment of over 3,000 students. Their Department of Religion has nine faculty members.

The 2026鈥�2029 CompBioPMN brings together more than 20 faculty members from primarily undergraduate institutions across the United States. The program seeks to strengthen participants’ connections to the computational biology community, reduce the professional isolation that faculty can experience at smaller institutions, and provide strategies and resources to support career advancement.

Ryu and Perreault participated in the network’s first in-person workshop Aug. 3鈥�4 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The workshop introduced participants to the network, provided opportunities to build relationships with peers, and highlighted resources for teaching and undergraduate research.

A central component of CompBioPMN is the development of sustained peer-mentoring relationships. During the 2026鈥�27 and 2027鈥�28 academic years, participants will meet regularly in small “Alliance” groups of approximately four to six faculty members. These groups are designed to provide ongoing mentorship, accountability and community while helping participants establish and make progress toward individual professional goals.

The program also provides opportunities for participants to exchange educational resources and approaches for teaching and mentoring undergraduate research at the intersection of biology, computer science and mathematics.

Participation in CompBioPMN complements 乱伦视频’s commitment to interdisciplinary teaching, scholarship and undergraduate research. Through the network, Ryu and Perreault will have opportunities to develop new collaborations with faculty at other undergraduate-focused institutions, exchange ideas for integrating computational approaches into computational biology education and research, and bring new resources and perspectives back to the 乱伦视频 community.

The CompBioPMN Program is organized by Anna Ritz, Margaret Oakley Dayhoff associate professor of bioinformatics at Reed College, and is supported by the National Science Foundation through the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Award #2527521 to Ritz).

The funding was awarded through HSS 4110: Designing and Assessing Human Services Programs, a senior-level course taught by Tony Reyes, associate professor of Human Service Studies. In the course, students learn how to design programs that address social problems by conducting needs assessments, developing interventions, identifying necessary resources and evaluating program effectiveness.

Four Human Service Studies students 鈥� Jack Bull 鈥�26, Haleigh Cephus 鈥�26, Margaret Crawford 鈥�26, and Eden Redmond 鈥�26 鈥� wrote the grant proposal that led to the award. Bull, who was interning with Sustainable Alamance at the time, brought firsthand knowledge of the organization’s work to the group’s research. Their proposal recommended funding a program to help people leaving incarceration understand the conditions of parole, a gap the students identified while researching reentry services in Alamance County.

Parole conditions are often complex and violating them can send someone back to prison for reasons unrelated to new criminal activity. The students proposed a series of monthly classes covering what counts as a violation, how to navigate parole requirements, and how to use the technology needed to pay parole fees. The program would be added to the life-skills courses and in-jail classes Sustainable Alamance already provides.

Sustainable Alamance has worked in reentry for 17 years and serves as the Local Reentry Council for Alamance County. The organization was founded by Phil Bowers, who continues to lead it.

“Students in this course don’t write a hypothetical proposal for a hypothetical organization,” Reyes said. “They identify a real gap, work with a real partner, and make a funding decision that has consequences. That changes how carefully they think.”

The grant funding was made possible through a gift from an 乱伦视频 alumna who supports the Learning by Giving model, an educational approach that allows students to learn philanthropy by making real funding decisions. The model has been championed at 乱伦视频 by Bud Warner, emeritus professor of Human Service Studies, who advocated for incorporating hands-on philanthropy into undergraduate education.

Through the project, students gained experience researching community needs, working with local partners, and developing a professional grant proposal.

Four 乱伦视频 students and five faculty members attended the conference, presenting research and scholarly work spanning mathematical biology, mathematics education, artificial intelligence and undergraduate research.

Student Accomplishments:

• Lisa Kranec 鈥�28, a double major in applied mathematics and engineering and a Lumen Scholar, presented her research project, 鈥淢athematical Modeling of Cardiac Macrophages in COVID-19,鈥� during a poster session. Kranec is mentored by Associate Professor of Mathematics Hwayeon Ryu, and her research is supported by the through an award to Ryu as principal investigator.
• Pagnapech Ngoun 鈥�26, an engineering graduate, and Nicolas Alvarez 鈥�27, a double major in mathematics and engineering and a Lumen Scholar, presented their published research in a poster titled 鈥淢athematical Modeling of COVID-19 Reveals Immune Cell Dysfunction.鈥� Their research presents findings from a mathematical model that accounts for interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the human immune system. Ngoun and Alvarez are mentored by Ryu, and their work is also supported by the through the award to Ryu.

Faculty Accomplishments:

• Professor of Mathematics Todd Lee gave a contributed talk titled “MAA Journal Problems Provide a Foundation for Undergraduate and High School Research Programs.”
• Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Kristen Mazur gave a contributed talk on her work titled 鈥淪ame Course, Different Outcome: Reflecting on Failure after Success in a Mathematics Capstone Course.鈥�
• Associate Teaching Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Brittany Riggs gave a contributed talk titled “An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Women throughout the History of Mathematics.”
• Associate Professor of Mathematics Hwayeon Ryu gave an invited talk titled 鈥淔rom Failure to Insight: Rethinking Writing-to-Learn through Projects in the Age of AI鈥� during the special session 鈥淢AA Project NExT and its Impact on Teaching and Learning.鈥�
• Associate Professor of Mathematics Aaron Trocki聽gave a contributed talk titled “Using GenAI to Include Students鈥� Interests in Calculus.”

The students鈥� and faculty members鈥� participation at MathFest highlights the department鈥檚 commitment to undergraduate research, innovative teaching and engagement with the broader mathematical community. Their presentations provided opportunities to share work developed at 乱伦视频 while connecting with mathematicians, educators and students from across the country.

Ryu was nominated for the award by her colleagues. The nomination process included evidence of teaching effectiveness, mentorship, contributions beyond the classroom and letters from colleagues and former or current students that document the nominee鈥檚 impact on undergraduate mathematics education.

鈥淚 was so honored to be nominated for the award,鈥� said Ryu, associate professor of mathematics. 鈥淚 was deeply touched that so many people were willing to invest their time and effort in supporting my nomination. Being nominated also gave me an opportunity to reflect on my journey as an educator and on the many students, colleagues, and mentors who have shaped that journey.鈥�

In the classroom, Ryu strives to create a space for students to actively engage with mathematics through inquiry, collaboration and problem solving. Beyond the classroom, she creates opportunities for students to participate in undergraduate research, engage in interdisciplinary projects that connect mathematics with biology, present at national conferences, publish research and grow into confident mathematicians and scholars.

鈥淭his national-level award for distinguished teaching is truly an incredible honor,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淭he MAA has been my professional home throughout my career. To be recognized by colleagues whose work I have admired for many years is both humbling and deeply meaningful. More than anything, this award reflects the students, colleagues and mentors who have inspired and supported me along the way.鈥�

To Ryu, the award signifies that teaching is about believing in students, creating opportunities for them to succeed, and helping them discover their own potential.

鈥淚 have always tried to create a classroom where students feel comfortable asking questions, taking intellectual risks and learning from mistakes,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淚 hope to inspire students to see mathematics as a creative and meaningful discipline. Knowing that the MAA recognizes this philosophy is incredibly meaningful to me, and it encourages me to continue growing as an educator and mentor.鈥�

As an award recipient, Ryu will continue giving back to the mathematical community. This year, she will serve as a Teaching Support Group Facilitator for Project NExT, supporting a new cohort of early-career mathematics faculty. She will also serve on the MAA Euler Book Prize Committee and as secretary of the BIO SIGMAA, the MAA鈥檚 Special Interest Group for Mathematical and Computational Biology. She looks forward to giving back to an organization that has had such a profound impact on her career.

鈥淧ersonally, to be selected for this award is incredibly rewarding because it recognizes the work that brings me the greatest joy鈥攚orking with students,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淧rofessionally, it affirms the importance of investing in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. At the same time, while the Alder Award recognizes excellence in teaching, I see it as a celebration of continuous growth rather than perfection. Every meaningful step in my career has been shaped by challenges and the lessons I learned from them. Those experiences have made me a more thoughtful teacher, a better mentor and a more resilient person.鈥�

Throughout her career, Ryu has mentored nearly 40 undergraduate researchers while striving to create an environment where all students, especially women, first-generation college students and international students feel welcomed, supported and confident that they belong in mathematics.

鈥淲atching students develop confidence in themselves and discover what they are capable of has been the most rewarding part of my career,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淥ne of the things I value most at 乱伦视频 is the opportunity to know students as individuals and to help them grow both academically and personally. This award recognizes one individual, but it reflects the collective efforts of many people who have supported me throughout my career.鈥�

Ryu joined the MAA as a graduate student. Early in her career she participated in Project NExT, the MAA鈥檚 nationally recognized professional development program for new mathematics faculty. The program connected her with a community of educators who encouraged her to think more intentionally about teaching, mentoring and leadership.

鈥淢any of the ideas I use today鈥攊nquiry-based learning, creating inclusive classrooms and integrating undergraduate research into teaching鈥攚ere strengthened through that experience,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淩eceiving the Alder Award from the same organization makes this recognition especially meaningful because it feels like coming full circle.鈥�

Ryu was honored with the award at the 2026 MAA MathFest annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts on August 7. As part of the award ceremony, she will deliver an award address titled 鈥淔rom Outlier to Teacher-Scholar-Mentor: Lessons from Productive Struggle.鈥� The talk reflects Ryu鈥檚 personal and professional journey and how challenges, setbacks, and unexpected experiences shaped her teaching philosophy and mentoring approach.

Created in 2003, the Henry L. Alder Award is presented annually to up to three early-career college or university mathematics faculty members in recognition of extraordinary success and effectiveness in undergraduate mathematics education and for an impact that extends beyond their own classrooms.

The MAA is the world鈥檚 largest community of mathematicians, students, and enthusiasts.

Viral myocarditis is a potentially serious condition in which a viral infection triggers excessive inflammation that damages the heart. When the body detects the virus, it activates an immediate defense system called the innate immune response. That response is necessary for controlling the infection, but if it is too strong, lasts too long or occurs at the wrong time; the resulting inflammation can also damage heart tissue. Their project seeks to understand why the immune response sometimes protects the heart and, at other times, contributes to injury.

A mathematical model allows Ryu and Rivera-Serrano to create a simplified, virtual representation of what is happening inside the infected heart in ways that are currently impossible to achieve using biology and experiments alone. They will use equations to describe how the amount of virus changes over time, how different heart and immune cells respond, how those cells communicate through signaling molecules, and how those interactions influence inflammation and tissue damage.

鈥淥ur goal is to develop a mathematical model that integrates several biological processes occurring during viral myocarditis, including viral replication, infection and death of heart muscle cells, activation of antiviral defenses, recruitment of immune cells, inflammatory signaling and longer-term tissue damage,鈥� said Ryu, associate professor of mathematics.

This will be a highly interdisciplinary project. Ryu, as a principal investigator, will lead the development, simulation and mathematical analysis of the model, while Rivera-Serrano, as a co-principal investigator, will provide expertise in virology, cell biology and innate immunity and will lead the experimental component.

鈥淭he mathematical and laboratory work will inform one another鈥攅xperimental findings will help us make the model more biologically realistic, while predictions from the model will help us decide which biological interactions and hypotheses should be tested in the laboratory with undergraduate researchers here at 乱伦视频,鈥� Ryu said.

The project combines computational research, led by Ryu, with hands-on laboratory experiments, led by Rivera-Serrano.

鈥淚n the laboratory, we will grow heart and immune cells to examine how viral infection changes the behavior and biochemical signals produced and received by these distinct cell types,鈥� Rivera-Serrano said. 鈥淲e will measure outcomes such as viral infection and replication, cell survival or death, and the production of antiviral and inflammatory signaling molecules鈥�.

These experiments will provide currently unavailable data that can be incorporated into the mathematical model and used to evaluate whether the model accurately reflects biological behavior. The process will also work in the other direction: if the model predicts that a particular cell type, signaling molecule or time point has an especially strong effect on inflammation, they can design experiments to test that prediction. Rather than treating the laboratory and mathematical components as separate projects, Ryu and Rivera-Serrano see them as a continuous feedback loop.

This research is important because the body needs a strong enough response to control the virus, but excessive or prolonged inflammation can weaken the heart, interfere with its electrical activity, and contribute to heart failure or other serious complications. Although many aspects of viral myocarditis have been studied, it remains difficult to understand how the different cardiac and immune cells communicate and how their interactions collectively shape disease progression over time.

鈥淏y combining mathematical modeling with laboratory experiments, we can gain insights into the immune response that neither approach could achieve independently,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淭his allows us to integrate existing knowledge, identify the most influential biological mechanisms, and determine which questions are the most important to investigate experimentally. Ultimately, our goal is to provide researchers with a better roadmap for understanding when inflammation is protective and when it begins to damage the heart. That knowledge could guide future studies aimed at developing safer and more effective treatments for viral myocarditis.鈥�

By the end of the project, Ryu and Rivera-Serrano hope to have developed and experimentally evaluated a mathematical framework that explains how viral replication, antiviral immunity, inflammatory signaling, and communication among heart and immune cells shape the progression of viral myocarditis.

Undergraduate research will be a central component to this project. Students from biology, mathematics, engineering and related STEM disciplines will be able to contribute according to their interests and expertise while also learning how researchers communicate and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries.

Students may help review scientific literature, design the model, estimate biological parameters, write and analyze computer simulations, conduct cell biology and biochemical experiments, analyze experimental data and compare laboratory findings with model predictions. They will also gain experience communicating their work through research presentations, national conferences and scientific publications.

鈥淎 particularly valuable aspect of the project is that students will not be limited to one narrow role,鈥� Rivera-Serrano said. 鈥淎 biology student may learn how experimental observations are converted into equations, while a mathematics or engineering student may learn how assumptions in a model correspond to actual cellular processes. Learning to communicate across disciplines is one of the most valuable skills students can develop for today鈥檚 biomedical research, where many important problems require expertise from multiple fields.鈥�