Sparks Awards

The George M. Sparks awards recognize Georgia State’s unsung heroes: faculty, staff, and students who exemplify a willingness to go the extra mile with good humor and perseverance. These were the characteristics of one of the university’s most highly regarded presidents, Dr. George McIntosh Sparks, who served from 1928 to 1957.
A university committee that includes past Sparks Award recipients selects the winners based on the information submitted.
Faculty and staff nominees must be full-time employees who have been associated with Georgia State or Perimeter College for at least five years.

2014

Annie H. Turman
Justin Patrick Lilly
Mary A. Finn

2013

Scott R. Levin
Michael P. Black
Larry Youngs

2012

Flavia Canciani
Tammy Dudley
Linda King
Beatrice Logan

2011

Brian Buckwald
Shelby Frost
Luvert Holt
Alicia Knox

2010

Jill Chu
Elizabeth “Libby” Diaz
Carole Golder

2009

Glenda Crunk
Kyle Stapleton
Wanda Cooley
Annie Dillard
Jonette Gowan
Christopher Jackman
Barbara Lahey
Dona Stewart
Angela Turk
Danny Weipert

2008

Carles “Karl” Adams
John Brittian, Jr.
Meg Buscema
Sylvia Caley
Heather Housely
Gary Longstreet
Subhash Tah
Shelly-Ann Williams

2007

Natasha Barrett
Carolyn Codamo
Susan Coleman
Tonya Cook
Peter Farina
Elsa Gebremedhin
Ellen Posey
Susan Roman
Debbie Rupp
Derrick Williams

2006

Jennifer Stewart
Edward Miles
Trelley Murray
Rosalind Gates
Martha Fowler
Susanne Jernigan
Erin Erskine
William Moore, Jr.
Belinda Payton-Mack
Steven Whitfield

2005

Dracy Blackwell
Vickie Brown
Virginia Brown
W. Dwight Coleman
Robert Daniel
Doris Derby
Angela Garner
Janie Hardman
Bob Heck
Ruby Hopkins
Debbie Housworth
Jayant Kale
Sandy Land
Katie Lowery
Elgie Ogburn
Avani Raval
Mary Nell Stone
Tawanna Tookes
Bert White
Douglas Zimmerman

2004

Dan Adams
Becky Cain
Deborah Dunbar
Valerie Fleischmann
Quanda Miller
Bryan Murray
Debi Robbe
Julie Turman
Leigh Walker
Allen Wilbanks

2003

Mary Beran
Patricia Bryan
Charles Bush
Mildred Cody
Carol Cohen
Ruth Ebenezer
Crystal Love
Lucy McClurg
Roger Schuppert
Robin Steinbrenner

2002

Sibby Anderson-Thompkins
Jason Bradford
Mary Jane Casto
Carolyn Crutchfield
Lori Elliott
Lovell Lemons
Valencia Lewis
John Rowland
Pat Tasse
Janis Wilcox

2001

Angela Bourque
James Cochran
Caroline Griffin
Greg Lewis
Ellen Logan
Sabrina Manwiller
John McCullum
Davy McDonald
Carla Relaford
Frances Stone

2000

Janice Arsan
Dexter Benning
Jacqueline Boles
Bonnie Fritz
Sandra Garber
Dawn Jones
Sam Koffi
John Drafka
Chuck McCuen
Colleen O’Connell

1999

Sandy Anderson
Kathy Carter
Phyllis Kimbro
Mary MacKinnon
Shital Manjee
Jerry Rackliffe
Steve Strickland
Eva Trussell
Jeff Walker
Gretchen Young

1998

Jean Burrows
Trish Coady
Sue Fagan
Helen Fernandes
Brenda Holt
John Jackson
Fred Massey
David McCord
Bill Read
Tommy Young

1997

Rhea Ballard
Mary Bradley
Carol Brown
Randy Malamud
Maggie Mitchell
Jennifer Patterson
Carole Pearson
Usha Ramachandran
Mary Renfroe
Mary Ann Simpkins

1996

Clarence Cummings, Jr.
Janet Higdom
Brian Hyden
Roz Mallison
Becky Poling
Stella Richardson
High Robinson
Marolyn Wells
McRae Williams
Brian Winston

1995

Dianne Becht
Rim Bookout
Jerry Ferrell
Becky Graham
John Harris
Randy Jones
Magie McMillian
Trevor Sookdeo
Cecily Walker
William Young

1994

Jeanette Ballard
Delon Barfuss
Dwain Brown
Robert Dinwiddle
Gener Hines
Joel “Tommy” Kay
Selma Poage
Claire Roberts
Robert Shuford
Gloria Jean Upshaw

1993

Dawn Davis
Sandra Gibson
Beverly Hamilton
Cheryl Jackson
Clifford Johnson
Carolyn McGee
Sally G. Siewert
John Truslow, Jr.
Jessie Whitlocke
Phillip Williams, Sr.

1992

Jeannette Berry
James Bross
Evelyn Buffington
Cassandra Butler
M. Katherine Cowart
Sarah Farley
Carolyn Grant
Bruce LaBudde
John Preston
Karla Stein

1991

Donald Ahearn
Clyde Appling, Jr.
Patricia Bryan
Melissa Buchheit
Arthur Hughes
Benjamin Johnson
Larry Rifkind
Dorothy Sussman
Thelma Williams
Daniel Witt

1990

James Bailey
Kathryn Chance
Virginia Cox
Elsa Pena
Mary Roberts
Belita Smith
Gayle Smith
Margaret Stanley
Kenneth Terrell
Joan Tysinger

1989

Barbara Buffington
Eugene Burns, Jr.
Barbara Cheshire
Iren Cook
Danny Darby
Andrew Drooker
Janet Gabler-Hover
Jakki Gaither
Helen Gatlin
Roy Reeves

1988

Grace Moore Casnel
Christine d’Avanzo
Susan Goodroe
Georgia Griggs
Maureen Hurley
Robert Morsch
F. Dorset Noble
Charlie Prince
Alphonso Rosser
Henry Sottnek

1987

Ginger Cater
Marion Hale
Michael Hightower
Louise Ingebritsen-Hughs
Janice Irwin
Grace “June” Krugcale
Fred Lacey, Jr.
Steve Martin
Mark Mayfield
Denicd Pitters
Judith Rice
Dianne Smith
Claire Sturgeon
Iletha Thorton
Nina Walton

1986

Tracy June Anderson
Charles Barber
Susan Barnhill
Paul Bolster
Cary Bynum
Delle Cardwell
Susan Couvillon
Brenda Douglas
Lois Edison
Bess Gaddy
Jimmy Gilmore, Jr.
Norman Harbaugh
Betty Hutchins
Louis Kelly
K. Kern Kwong
Christina Landram
Andrea Maddux-Pitts
Elaine Murphy
Heather Olson
Clarelle Sauls
Melinda Sepmeyer
Betty Anne Smallwood
Milton Snoeyenbos
Patricia Tate
Edgar Torbert

1985

Janice Atkins
John Brown
Elese Culpepper
Sherman Day
Melvin Drucker
Leslie Hough
Charlotte Ivey
Joseph Krasevee
Rachel Kroll
Vicki Lautz
Edith Manns
Mollie McNair
Gary Moss
Michael Murrell
Gary Nelson
Joanne Nurss
Hugh Robinson, Jr.
Nancy Samples
Patti Shock
Judith Sizemore
Annie Smith
Carter Thomas
Phillip Wierson