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Program Awards
Pace Online presents awards to students with the highest GPA’s and impressive academic careers. We recognize them for their outstanding academic achievement.
Dyson College of Arts & Sciences
Associate in Arts: General Arts & Sciences
Recipient: Deedra Oliver, Brooklyn, NY
Q&A with Deedra
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My best friends.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
Having the flexibility to continue school while working, and the open invitations to participate in campus activities and networking opportunities with professionals.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I will continue to work towards a bachelors degree and pursue internships in the communications field, and eventually pursue graduate school.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
That I finally believed that it's never too late to start over. This is only the beginning.
Bachelor of Science: Professional Communication Studies
Recipient: Stephanie Ghelarducci, White Plains, NY
Q&A with Stephanie
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My family and friends, especially those who've watched me balance this alongside a demanding career. My colleagues also cheered me on in a way that meant a lot.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
The flexibility to keep working full-time in finance while pursuing the degree, and the chance to weave my own perspective (like my Italian American heritage and my career on a trading floor) into coursework that genuinely felt relevant.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I've been accepted into Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business Online MBA program, starting Fall 2026. I'm excited to keep building on what I've learned and grow further in my career.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
Maintaining an incredible GPA score while working full-time as an Executive Assistant supporting senior leadership and proving to myself that I could take on something this demanding and do it well.
Bachelor of Arts: Liberal Studies
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Recipient: Diego Duval, Haverstraw, NY
Q&A with Diego
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My mother and my kids
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
The discussions posts and the teachers
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
Enroll in law school
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I am proud of myself not letting go
Master of Arts: Communications
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and Digital Media
Recipient: Lakeisha Wright, Purchase, NY
Q&A with Lakeisha
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My partner Pedro Fabian. My professors at Pace.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
Synchronous classes with professor Sager. Media Ethics group project. Working with adobe premiere & audition.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
Registering for a teaching certificate.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
Being able to connect with classmates & show my professors my academic capability although online.
Master of Arts: Homeland Security
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Recipient: Taylor Racette Murray, Plymouth, MA
Q&A with Taylor
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
Jennifer Racette, my mother, and my partner, Weston. They both were so incredibly supportive from rereading my papers to help me proofread to making meals when I had a lot of school work to do.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
My advisors and professors were so incredibly supportive and helpful. I found it easy to be successful with their support.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I’m looking for roles within Emergency Management.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
My work on my research colloquium and some other larger projects were incredibly important to me and potential work in the future.
Master of Public Administration
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Recipient: Karen Carlini, Staten Island, NY
Q&A with Karen
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My Family, Colleagues, and Best Friend
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
I enjoyed seeing how what I was learning connected to my everyday work.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I will continue in my current position as Executive Director of a community-based nonprofit organization.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I’m most proud that I accomplished it. Balancing a demanding job and a full life as an older student wasn’t easy, but this was a personal goal of mine. While there wasn’t much to gain beyond the learning itself, that knowledge means a great deal to me.
Lubin School of Business
Bachelor of Business Administration: Business Studies
Recipient: Courtney Tandazo-Morales, Beltsville, MD
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Q&A with Courtney
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My biggest supporters while earning my degree have been my family. They always believed in me and reminded me to keep going, even when things felt stressful or overwhelming. Their support motivated me to continue with my studies despite the obstacles I faced in my personal life.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
What I enjoyed most about my online experience was the clear communication, which made it easy to understand coursework expectations. I also liked the flexibility it provided, allowing me to complete my assignments on time while still managing my personal responsibilities.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
My plan now that I’ve graduated is to start working in the business field, where I can apply the skills I learned in my classes and continue improving them.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
What I am most proud of from my time as a student is graduating with honors and seeing the effort I put into my studies pay off. I am proud of how hard I worked to achieve success.
Recipient: Steven Spiro, Dix Hills, NY
Q&A with Steven
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My greatest supporters were my family. Their encouragement and patience motivated me to continue through challenges and stay focused on my academic journey.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
I appreciated Pace Online's flexibility, which enabled me to balance full-time work with my academic goals. It also helped me broaden my education and explore subjects outside my main field.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I plan to continue advancing my career by pursuing a master’s degree at Purdue University. I look forward to building on the knowledge and skills I developed during my studies at Pace, furthering my professional growth, and preparing myself to take on new challenges and opportunities.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I'm most proud of completing my degree while working full-time, which improved my time management and showed my dedication to ongoing growth.
Master of Business Administration: Business
Recipient: Seulgi Kim, Staten Island, NY
Master of Science: Accounting
Recipient: Scott Renza, Mount Kisco, NY
School of Education
Master of Arts: Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs
Recipient: Noel Davila, Staten Island, NY
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Q&A with Noel
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My greatest supporters while earning my degree were my family. My brother inspired me to pursue a master’s degree and encouraged me to continue advancing my education. My mother provided constant encouragement throughout my academic journey. My wife gave me financial stability, patience, and unwavering support as I balanced school, work, and family responsibilities. My daughter was also incredibly understanding and never complained during the many times I had to devote extra time and attention to my studies. I truly would not be in the position I am today without their love, sacrifice, encouragement, and support.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
What I enjoyed most about Pace’s online program was the flexibility it provided in completing assignments, participating in class discussions, and managing coursework. The online format allowed me to continue advancing my education while balancing work, family, and other life responsibilities. I also appreciated the opportunity to learn from classmates with diverse professional backgrounds and experiences, which brought valuable perspectives to our classroom discussions.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I was able to secure employment as a Deputy Director of Financial Aid Operations at Long Island University.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
What I am most proud of from my time as a student at Pace University is returning to school nearly 20 years later and successfully earning my master’s degree. This experience reinforced for me that it is never too late to continue learning, growing professionally, and pursuing new opportunities. I hope my journey serves as an inspiration to others who may be considering returning to school to further their education and achieve their goals.
Master of Education: Literacy Specialist
Recipient: Kristina Brown, Ossining, NY
Q&A with Kristina
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My greatest supporters while earning my degree was my family, most especially my mom and sister. My sister and I both attending grad school together motivated each other to do our best. My mother was always there to talk whenever I needed it or encourage me during times of doubt. Lastly, God was my solid rock.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
I enjoyed the flexibility of the program, the understanding professors, and the support I received even while not being physically in person.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I plan to continue to use the skills I have learned to better my teaching and make an impact on my students. As I was a first year teacher in the program , I am excited to take what I have learned into my second year of teaching.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I am most proud of balancing being a full time student and a full time teacher. I learned how to manage my time wisely and prioritize. I also was able to maintain great grades and a high gpa which is something I am very proud of.
Advanced Certificate: Literacy Specialist
Recipient: Lilly Davis, Williamstown, NJ
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Q&A with Lilly
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My parents, Noah, Tracy Koy, Sheldon Koy
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
I enjoyed that even though it was an online degree, the professors were very supportive and passionate about making sure we were receiving the best experience while getting our degree.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I plan to continue teaching and building relationships with students! It is my favorite part of being an educator!
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
The growth I have gained from learning new strategies that I have and will continue to apply in the classroom.
Master of Science for Teachers: Visual Arts Education
Recipient: Mari Burg, Hopewell Junction, NY
College of Health Professions
Master of Science: Health Informatics
Recipient: Amaka Auer, Montvale, NJ
Q&A with Amaka
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My family has been extremely supportive. Balancing school with a full-time job and family obligations has not always been easy, but they've understood the time I've had to dedicate to pursing my degree and have continued to cheer me on. Their patience and support have meant so much to me.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
What I really enjoyed most about my Pace Online experience was connecting with others who are also pursuing a career in health informatics. I really appreciated the chance to interact through projects and online discussions. Having the opportunity to work together made the program feel more collaborative and supportive.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I plan to apply the skills and concepts I learned to continue strengthening my work as an informaticist. This program has given me a stronger foundation and greater confidence in my current role.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I am most proud of taking the initiative to pursue higher education and enter a field that is rapidly growing. Stepping into a profession that is constantly evolving pushed me to grow, and I'm proud of the dedication and resilience it took to succeed.
Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems
Bachelor of Science: Professional Technology Studies
Recipient: Joshua Tabler, Camas, WA
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Q&A with Joshua
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My parents.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
The flexibility to my homework during the day or evening.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
Continue onto the Masters program in cyber security while working full time.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
Sticking with the program and seeing it all the way through despite major hurdles and obstacles.
Master of Science: Computer Science
Recipient: Joshua Arnow, West Palm Beach, FL
Master of Science: Cybersecurity
Recipient: Johnson Edouard, Peekskill, NY
Q&A with Johnson
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My wife, Lirose, and our daughters, Mya (9) and Leah (5)!
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
The program’s flexibility and the professors’ support were essential. Without them, I couldn’t have returned to school and earn my degree. These factors made balancing my responsibilities possible, and I’m deeply grateful for it.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
I am actively seeking opportunities to apply the extensive knowledge gained from this program, together with over ten years of legal experience, in roles focused on GRC or Data Privacy. That said, I remain open to exploring other roles that may arise.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
Balancing the roles of husband, father, and full-time employee, there were many moments when I felt overwhelmed -- having to choose between spending time with my daughters or focusing on assignments, or missing family movie nights to complete a paper. I am most proud that, by the grace and strength provided by my Lord and Savior Jesus, I embraced this challenging journey, made significant sacrifices, persevered through difficulties, and in the end succeeded with a near-perfect GPA. Additionally, I am honored to call myself a Pace-Setter!
Master of Science: Data Science
Recipient: Paul Tuccinardi, Stamford, CT
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Q&A with Paul
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
The greatest supporters I had while earning my degree were my parents and my sister. They provided me with the tools and confidence to succeed during my education.
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
I enjoyed the class structure the most. It allowed me to do the work on my own time and schedule, while still keeping a standard class format.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
Now that I have officially graduated, I look forward to my next step in applying these skills in Data Science-related opportunities. I am still learning by taking on personal projects, as this space never stops evolving.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I am most proud of the opportunities this time has given me. I interned at Charter Communications back in 2024, where I got to work with real-world data and problems and got to learn tools I was not familiar with beforehand. In addition, I got to work on projects with students and external clients that gave me hands-on experience within the field.
Master of Science: Information Technology
Recipient: Adam Baginski, Brooklyn, NY
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Q&A with Adam
Who were your greatest supporters while earning your degree?
My family (my parents and my two older siblings).
What did you enjoy most about your Pace Online experience?
Doing schoolwork from home which allowed me to free up my time so I could help out around the house and not be exhausted.
What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
Find a good paying job that allows me to use the skills I acquired during my time at Pace.
What are you most proud of from your time as a student?
I'm most proud of my time management skills as it allowed me to divide my workload in certain days which helped to keep me from being overwhelmed.