Celebrating Graduate Excellence and Community Engagement at Rutgers
On the evening of April 10, members of the Rutgers community gathered at the Rutgers Club for the Collaborative Center for Community Engagement’s annual awards ceremony. The event brought together university leadership, including Saundra Tomlinson-Clarke, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Rutgers–New Brunswick alongside community partners, faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate students.
This special evening celebrated the work of our two SGS Community Engagement Award recipients as well as honorees from IDEA, ACD, Bonner, and Community Partners affiliated with the Collaborative Center.
Although Allison E. Bond, Psychology PhD Candidate and one of this year’s awardees, was unable to attend, her contributions were recognized during the ceremony. Rebecca Risman accepted her award in person from Professor Hae Chang Gea, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). Sean Stratton, one of last year’s SGS Community Engagement Award recipients and PhD student in the Public Health program, also attended the event. Sean and Rebecca connected during the evening and will be participating in an upcoming workshop on community engagement and graduate student professional development along with Allison. This interaction and upcoming collaboration illustrate how the award is not only spotlighting student achievement in community engagement and service but also fostering a community of practice among graduate students committed to the public good.
The 2025 SGS Community Engagement Award Winners exemplify the kind of thoughtful, socially engaged scholarship the evening sought to recognize.
Allison E. Bond, Clinical Psychology PhD Candidate
Allison has made significant contributions to science communication and public outreach. As co-founder of the Science Simplified Network, she has helped disseminate over 230 research-based visual abstracts, making psychological research more accessible to the public. Through her leadership as co-director of RU Communicating Science, she has trained graduate students and faculty at Rutgers to translate their research effectively for policymakers, journalists, and community groups. Her work combats misinformation, promotes mental health awareness, and ensures that historically excluded communities have access to accurate, evidence-based information.
Rebecca A. Risman, Biomedical Engineering PhD Candidate
Rebecca is a dedicated leader, mentor, and advocate committed to fostering inclusive academic and professional communities. As Vice President of the Rutgers Graduate Biomedical Engineering Student Society, she has organized symposiums, industry panels, and wellness initiatives that support students, faculty, and professionals. She has also played a key role in mentoring early-career researchers through the Rutgers T32 Biotechnology Training Program and the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Beyond Rutgers, Rebecca serves as Social Media Manager for the International Fibrinogen Research Society, amplifying scientific engagement on a global scale. Her outreach efforts include mentoring undergraduates, supporting wellness programming, and translating complex biomedical research for high school students.
Together, these awardees reflect the range of ways graduate students at SGS are using their academic training to advance the public good. As SGS and the Collaborative Center look ahead, they remain committed to expanding opportunities for community engagement and supporting graduate students who strive to make a difference on campus and beyond.