Five at Florida Tech Earn Womens History Awards

MELBOURNE, FLA.—A faculty member, three staff members and a student earned Florida Tech’s annual Joan Bixby Women’s History Award. The winners are Carolyn Fausnaugh, Ph.D., assistant professor of Strategy and New Ventures, College of Business; Marjorie Beckett, assistant alumni director; Debora Masters, administrative secretary, College of Psychology and Liberal Arts; Donn Miller-Kermani, director of the Women’s Business Center; and Melissa Rego, a student in the College of Aeronautics. Fausnaugh lives in Viera, Beckett in W. Melbourne, Masters in Palm Bay, and Miller Kermani in Grant-Valkaria. Rego is from Brewster, Mass.

Presented by the Office of Student Life, the awards recognize students, faculty and staff members (male or female) who have enhanced the climate for women’s participation and development at the university.

The award, established in 2003, is named in honor of Florida Tech alumna and former administrator, Joan Bixby, a Melbourne resident. Bixby, who earned a master’s degree in contract and procurement management in 1975, started her university career as development director in 1965.

She left Florida Tech’s employ in 1975 for a career as a government contracting officer and remains an active member of the university community.

Joan Bixby Award recipients are announced annually during National Women’s History Month. 

PHOTO: Florida Tech President Anthony J. Catanese with award receipents, from left:  Carolyn Fausnaugh, Marjorie Beckett, Donn Miller-Kermani, Joan Bixby, Melissa Rego, Gisela Susanne Bahr (emcee and assistant professor, School of Psychology), and Debora Masters.