Recognizing Our Distinguished Alumni
The College of Science and Mathematics Alumni Awards celebrate graduates who embody the guiding principles of COSM: discovery with impact, leadership and influence, talent and workforce development, partnership and collaboration, and enduring scientific legacy. We recognize the full arc of achievement at all stages of a career as we honor our graduates’ contributions to their fields and the lives they change along the way.
Alumni of the Year Award
This award recognizes a single alumnus or alumna of the College of Science and Mathematics who has attained an exceptional level of distinction over the course of their career. It honors sustained excellence, leadership and long-term impact within their profession, as well as a demonstrated record of dedication, service and meaningful engagement with the College, their academic department and/or 91Âţ»app. Recipients exemplify the highest standards of professional achievement and enduring commitment to their alma mater.
Professional Achievement Award
This award honors alumni of the College of Science and Mathematics who have achieved notable professional success or made significant contributions in their field, community or organization. It recognizes outstanding career accomplishments that may be emerging or mid-career in nature, along with evidence of continued interest in and support of 91Âţ»app and the College. Recipients are distinguished in their profession and reflect positively on the College through their achievements and pride in their alma mater.
Young Alumni Award
The Young Alumni Award recipients must be graduates of 91Âţ»app College of Science and Mathematics who are not more than 10 years past graduation. The award recognizes alumni who have outstanding records of distinguished career accomplishments, and/or have exhibited dedication, commitment and service to the College and/or their home department. One award will be given for each COSM department.
Nominees for the award must have distinguished themselves through contributions in one or more of the following: to a profession, leadership roles, public service, creative endeavors or other accomplishments.
- Nominator Contact Info
- Nominee Name
- Nominee’s Major at Georgia Southern
- Nominee’s Year of Graduation
- Nominee’s Contact Info
- Explain why this alumna or alumnus should receive this award
- Please share some of the professional/career achievements and/or service/civic activities of this alumna/alumnus
- Please list any honors/awards this alumna/alumnus has received
- Nomination Letter
- Resume of nominee
Completed nomination materials should be submit to cosm@georgiasouthern.edu
2026 Program Deadline and Announcement Timeline
Application due: Friday, May 1, 2026
Award Recipients Announced: June 1, 2026
Awards Banquet: July 24, 2026
- Exhibit their support of the college or unit within their commitment of time, talent, or treasure.
- Must demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with 91Âţ»app and the College through research, alumni activities, or other programs.
- Must be a graduate of 91Âţ»app, or any of its prior entities.
- Would not foster controversies that would divide 91Âţ»app.
- An individual cannot receive the same award from the college or its units in any five-year period.
2026 Alumni Award Winner
Dr. John “Rickey” Hodges Jr.
Dr. John “Ricky” Hodges, Jr. (’83) has been named the College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Alumni of the Year, a prestigious honor recognizing his nearly 40 years of professional excellence and enduring commitment to 91Âţ»app. A Magna Cum Laude graduate in Chemistry, Dr. Hodges earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia before completing extensive residency and fellowship training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital. His distinguished career as a gastroenterologist includes specialized expertise in Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy and a remarkable record of Board Certifications in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology spanning four decades. In addition, Dr. Hodges served as the Head of Gastroenterology for University Hospital in Augusta for 20 years. Recognized as a Regional Top Doctor and a recipient of the CMS Stage EHR award, Dr. Hodges has also served as a vital “connector” for the university, playing a pivotal role in the development of the EagleMed program. His legacy of success is further cemented by his philanthropic leadership, including the establishment of a scholarship for COSM students and his active service on the EagleMed advisory board, ensuring a bright future for the next generation of Georgia Southern scientists. Rick is also known as the “ultimate pit boss” where he makes world class BBQ.
2026 Professional Achievement Award Winners
Dr. John Allen
Dr. John Allen (’07) has been honored with the 2026 College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Professional Achievement Award, a distinction celebrating his clinical leadership, academic excellence, and community service. A Magna Cum Laude Biology graduate of Georgia Southern, Dr. Allen earned his medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine before distinguishing himself during his residency as Outstanding Resident of the Year and receiving the prestigious Teachers Fellowship, an honor granted to only two residents annually. Now a board-certified surgeon and the newly appointed Chief of Surgery at Cedar Surgical Associates and East Georgia Regional Medical Center, he also previously led the OR Governance Committee. Dr. Allen is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Beyond his clinical success, he founded “Grillin’ For Healing,” a barbecue cook-off that has raised funds for the Hearts & Hands Clinic, and continues to serve as a dedicated mentor and speaker for COSM’s EagleMed program.
Dr. Jodi A. Hadden-Perilla
Dr. Jodi A. Hadden-Perilla (’07) has been honored with the 2026 College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Professional Achievement Award, celebrating her groundbreaking contributions to computational virology and her commitment to scientific accessibility. A 2007 B.S. Chemistry graduate from the Armstrong campus, Dr. Hadden-Perilla currently serves as an Associate Professor and the C. Eugene Bennett Early Career Chair of Chemistry at the University of Delaware. Her innovative research uses supercomputers to visualize how viruses move and change shape at the atomic level, revealing how these tiny biological machines function and helping scientists discover new ways to target them with antiviral drugs. With over $2 million in research funding, including a prestigious NSF CAREER award, her work has been featured in top-tier journals such as Nature and Science Advances. Dr. Hadden-Perilla is also a dedicated advocate for inclusivity and science outreach, developing tools such as TactViz to improve accessibility for researchers with low vision and creating gamified learning activities like “VirusGo” to inspire students and engage local communities in STEM education. Her exceptional record of discovery and leadership reflects the highest standards of her Georgia Southern roots.
2026 Young Alumni Award Winners
Trent Gay
Trent Gay (’15) has been named a recipient of the 2026 College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Young Alumni Award, an honor reserved for graduates within ten years of graduation who have demonstrated an outstanding record of professional success. After earning his B.S. in Geography with a minor in GIS and a concentration in ecohydrology from Georgia Southern, Gay completed a Master of Water Management and Hydrological Sciences at Texas A&M University in 2016. He currently serves as the Water Rights Technical Review Section Manager for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas’ regulatory authority for surface water rights. In this role, Gay leads a section of technical professionals conducting detailed reviews of water right permit applications — evaluating water availability, assessing potential impacts on existing water rights and the environment, and maintaining GIS databases and water availability models for the state’s river basins. He also provides supporting contributions to Texas’ obligations under several interstate river compacts. Earlier in his career, Gay contributed to ecohydrology research on throughfall dynamics in Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) laden southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) forests, authoring and co-authoring several peer-reviewed articles in publications such as the Canadian Journal of Forest Research and the Journal of Hydrology. His dedication to understanding and managing Texas water resources embodies the COSM mission of “discovery with impact” and reflects the high standard of workforce development fostered at his alma mater.
Favour Ukpongson
Favour Ukpongson (’19) has been named a recipient of the 2026 College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Young Alumni Award, an honor recognizing graduates within ten years of graduation who have demonstrated an outstanding record of distinguished career accomplishments and service. A Summa Cum Laude graduate who earned her B.S. in Biology at just 19 years old, Ukpongson was a powerhouse of leadership at Georgia Southern, serving as the Student Government’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and a Supplemental Instruction Leader for COSM. After earning a Master of Science in Health Administration from Georgia State University, she transitioned into a high-impact career at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she currently serves as a Project Management Specialist. In this role, she acts as a vital staff liaison for the ImproveCareNow Patient Advisory Council, ensuring patient and family voices drive quality improvement in pediatric healthcare for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Ukpongson’s commitment to the “nest” remains steadfast as a member of the Georgia Southern Young Alumni Council, alongside her national leadership as Chair-Elect of the National Mentoring Program for the National Association of Health Services Executives. Whether through her work in pediatric healthcare or her community service as a Co-Director of Camp7 Georgia, she embodies the COSM mission of “discovery with impact” and serves as a beacon of excellence for the next generation of Georgia Southern scientists
Nicole Naclerio
Nicole Naclerio (’17) has been named a recipient of the 2026 College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Young Alumni Award, a distinction celebrating graduates within ten years of graduation who demonstrate outstanding professional achievement and leadership. A A bachelor’s of science in  Chemistry graduate and former scholarship student-athlete for the Georgia Southern Women’s Soccer Team, Naclerio has built a stellar career in the biotechnology sector, currently serving as a Senior Engineer at Amgen. With a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University, she has established herself as a leader in downstream processing, large-scale manufacturing, and process engineering, following a series of rapid promotions at Biogen. Her technical expertise in biomanufacturing and her transition from a standout collegiate athlete to an engineering professional perfectly embody the COSM mission of “discovery with impact”. Whether in the lab or on the field, Naclerio reflects the highest standards of talent and dedication fostered at 91Âţ»app.
2026 Dean’s Special Recognition Award Winner
Dr. Stuart Tedders
Dr. Stuart Tedders (’87) has been honored with the 2026 College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) Dean’s Special Recognition Award, a distinction celebrating his nearly 30 years of transformative leadership in public health and his unwavering commitment to 91Âţ»app. A founding member and current Dean of the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Dr. Tedders has dedicated his career to improving rural population health status through “discovery with impact”. After earning his B.S. in Biology from Georgia Southern, followed by advanced degrees from Clemson University and the University of South Carolina, he returned to the “nest” to lead vital initiatives, including leading a massive Community Health Needs Assessment project for 18 rural Georgia hospitals and working with rural groups to apply epidemiologic principles to more fully understand the complexities of health in their communities. A former Georgia Rural Health Researcher of the Year, Dr. Tedders is a prolific scholar with over 150 research outputs and has been a central figure in Georgia’s public health infrastructure, serving on boards like the State Office of Rural Health, the Statewide Area Health Education Advisory Council, and the Bulloch County Board of Education. Whether guiding the university through the COVID-19 pandemic or mentoring the next generation of epidemiologists, Dr. Tedders exemplifies the highest standards of professional achievement and enduring scientific legacy.