2023 Gerard Babo Award Winner: Dr. Nicole Giglia, Ph.D.

Nicole Giglia, Ph.D. (Higher Education), has been selected as the 2022-23 Gerard Babo Award winner.

Gerard (Gerry) Babo, Ph.D. was an Associate Professor in the Department of Education Leadership, Management & Policy in the College of Education and Human Services. After his passing, the Babo family and the College of Education and Human Services established a fund in Babo’s memory in order to perpetuate his work with students and to pay honor to his incredible dedication to his students, his community, and Seton Hall.

Babo was the epitome of a servant leader, and an outstanding educator and researcher. Giglia embodies each of these characteristics. She is a higher education professional and scholar with 10+ years of experience working in Catholic higher education. From 2022-2023, Giglia served as a Programming Committee Chair and board member for the New Jersey American Council of Education (NJACE) Women’s Network, coordinating events for local professionals in higher education, including the group’s Spring 2023 conference at Seton Hall. Giglia is also involved with the One Love Foundation, a non-profit organization aimed at helping young people learn about healthy relationships.

Throughout her Ph.D. program, Giglia has worked full-time at Seton Hall, currently as the Associate Dean of Students (promoted into this position in May 2022). In this role, Giglia oversees residential life and student conduct and leads campus-wide efforts to prevent sexual violence, alcohol and drug use, and issues related to student mental health. Giglia’s work advising a SHU student organization focused on the prevention of sexual violence has been recognized by the university, and by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Still, Giglia goes above and beyond the formal responsibilities of her role, volunteering to chair the Student Experience working group for the institution’s Middle States Accreditation process, teaching University Life courses for new undergraduate students, and providing leadership training for students and staff across campus.

Academically, Giglia has been a leader among her peers, earning top grades in all of her courses. She was invited to share her research at the University’s Conference on Women and Gender, and at SHU’s 2023 Petersheim Exposition. She currently has a paper from her dissertation under review with the Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, in collaboration with Katie Smith, Ph.D.

Giglia will be formally recognized during the College of Education and Human Services graduation ceremony on Saturday May 20th. Past winners of this award include Xanthy Karamanos (Ed.D., K-12), 2020-21, and Jorge Ventura (Ed.D., K-12), 2021-22.

To learn more about the award, Gerry, or to donate to the fund, click here.

More about this story and nominees: https://www.shu.edu/education/news/2023-gerard-babo-award-winner-announced.cfm

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