About Us

Kate Tennis, a female-presenting individual, smiles at the camera

Katherine Tennis, Ph.D
Faculty Director, Center for Undergraduate Scholarship and Honors
katherine.tennis@du.edu | 303-871-2237

  • Bio

    Kate Tennis is the director of the Center for Undergraduate Scholarship and Honors and the Faculty Director of the Honors program. She is a Teaching Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Kate began her career at the University of Denver in 2017 after serving as an EU Borders Visiting Scholar at the University of Victoria and completing her Ph.D. program at American University.  Her academic areas are interdisciplinary in nature; her scholarly work spans multiple research areas including migration, population research, economic development, and human security.  Her book, Outsourcing Control: The Politics of International Migration Cooperation, was published by McGill-Queens University Press in December 2020.  Kate has served in a variety of professional and leadership capacities during her time at the University. These include her leadership as the faculty director of the Undergraduate Research Center, service on Faculty Senate, supporting the DU Undergraduate Research Journal as a faculty mentor, and supervising student theses.

  • Schedule Honors Advising with Kate

    Kate advises on:

    • Honors Contracts
    • Distinction/Research

    Office Hours: http://calendly.com/khtennis  

Kira Castle, a female-presenting individual, smiles at the camera

Kira Castle
Assistant Director, University Honors Program
kira.castle@du.edu | 303-871-2035

  • Bio

    Kira Castle is the assistant director for the University Honors Program. She is a native Midwesterner who joined the University of Denver community in October '21. Kira is a proud alumna of a small liberal arts college in Michigan called Kalamazoo College, where she majored in English/Creative Writing and Economics & Business. She also holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Western Michigan University. She has worked in higher education for over a decade in a variety of roles, including program management, admissions, academic advising, and orientation. 

  • Schedule Honors Advising with Kira

    Kira advises on general Honors requirements.

Honors Student Staff

Program Assistants

Amanda McKellips, a female-identifying individual, smiles at the camera

Amanda McKellips '27
Honors Program Assistant

Deanna Sameshima, a female-identifying individual, smiles at the camera

Deanna Angela Sameshima '27
Honors Program Assistant

Recruitment Coordinators

Colton Arciniaga '24
Honors Recruitment Coordinator

 

Sarah Olson '25
Honors Recruitment Coordinator

Faculty Profile List

  • Honors Council

    2023-2024 Honors Council Members

    Phil Chen, Ph.D
    Assistant Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Political Science

    Richard Colby, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    Director of First Year Writing
    University Writing Program

    J. Michael Daniels, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Geography and the Environment

    Matt Gordon, Ph.D
    Professor
    Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science
    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

    Helen Hazen, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Geography and the Environment

    Gavin Hood '25
    Student Representative
    Major: Psychology
    Minors: Biological Sciences, Leadership Studies, Political Science

    Heidi Melton, MM
    Assistant Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Lamont School of Music

    Pamela Miller, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Psychology

    Lapo Salucci, Ph.D
    Teaching Associate Professor
    Josef Korbel School of International Studies
    Institute for Public Policy Studies

    Susan Schulten, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of History
    Department of Gender & Women's Studies

    Emma Seel '24
    Student Representative
    Majors: International Studies & Political Science

    Robin Tinghitella, Ph.D
    Associate Professor
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Biological Sciences 

    Benjamin Williams, Ph.D
    Assistant Professor
    Daniels College of Business
    Department of Business Information & Analytics

  • Current Honors Faculty

    2023-2024 Honors Faculty

    Angelo Castagnino, Ph.D
    Associate Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultures
    ITAL 2201: Modern Italian History/Fiction

    Kira Castle, M.A.
    Program Manager 
    University Honors Program
    HNRS 2400: Into the Unknown

    April Chapman-Ludwig, M.A.
    Teaching Associate Professor
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1733: Honors Writing

    Richard Colby, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    Director of First Year Writing
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1733: Honors Writing

    David Coppini, Ph.D
    Assistant Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Media, Film, and Journalism Studies
    MFJS 2280: Politics & Media

    J. Michael Daniels, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Geography and the Environment
    GEOG 1266: Global Environmental Change III

    George DeMartino, Ph.D
    Professor
    Co-Director, Global Economic Affairs
    Josef Korbel School of International Studies
    INTS 1500: Contemporary Issues in the Global Economy

    Graham Faust, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of English and Literary Arts
    HNRS 2400: Beautiful Investigations

    Gustavo Fierros Torres, Ph.D
    Teaching Associate Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Spanish Language, Literary & Cultural Studies
    HNRS 2400: Inventing Latin America

    Robert Gilmor, Ph.D
    Teaching Associate Professor
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1733: Honors Writing

    Sarah Hart Micke, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1622: Advanced Rhetoric & Writing

    Helen Hazen, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Geography and the Environment
    HNRS 2400: Reproductive Geographies and the Politics of Population

    Douglas Hesse, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of English and Literary Arts
    ASEM 2499: Mountains--Ecologies & Imaginations

    W. Scott Howard, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of English and Literary Arts
    HNRS 2400: Shakespeare's Americas

    Lindsay Lawton, Ph.D
    Director
    Scholar Development & Fellowship Advising
    HNRS 2400: Connecting the Dots--Personal Narratives & Fellowships for Impact

    Chad Leahy, Ph.D
    Associate Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Spanish Language, Literary & Cultural Studies
    HNRS 2400: Cervantes and the Canon

    Leah McFail, M.S.
    Assistant Director
    Leadership Studies
    HNRS 2400: Into the Unknown

    Danny McIntosh, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Psychology
    ASEM 2454: Psychology of Religious & Spiritual Practices

    Daniel Melleno, Ph.D
    Assistant Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of History
    ASEM 2406: Myths of Medieval Encounter

    Pamela Miller, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Psychology
    PSYC 1001: Foundations of Psychological Science

    Bilha Moor, Ph.D
    Assistant Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    School of Art and Art History
    ARTH 1010: Images of Culture

    Thomas Nail, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Departments of Philosophy, Gender and Women’s Studies
    PHIL 2182: The Making of the Modern World

    Maik Nwosu, Ph.D
    Professor, Department Chair
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of English and Literary Arts
    HNRS 2400: Migration and Diaspora Narratives

    Juli Parrish, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    Director of Writing Center
    University Writing Program
    HNRS 2400: Intentional Academics

    Lisa Pasko, Ph.D
    Associate Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Sociology and Criminology
    ASEM 2666: Murder in America

    Laura Perille, Ph.D
    Executive Director
    4D Experience
    HNRS 2400: Intentional Academics

    LP Picard, MFA
    Teaching Professor
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1622: Advanced Rhetoric & Writing
    WRIT 1733: Honors Writing

    Chiara Piovani, Ph.D
    Associate Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Departments of Economics, Gender and Women's Studies, Asian Studies
    ECON 1020: Economics–A Critical Introduction

    Bin Ramke, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of English and Literary Arts
    ENGL 1110: Literary Inquiry–The Pastoral

    David Riche, Ph.D
    Teaching Associate Professor
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1733: Honors Writing

    Lapo Salucci, Ph.D
    Teaching Associate Professor
    Josef Korbel School of International Studies
    Institute for Public Policy Studies
    PPOL 1910: Hard Choices in Public Policy

    Susan Schulten, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Departments of History, Gender and Women’s Studies
    HIST 1510: War and the Presidency

    Geoffrey Stacks, Ph.D
    Teaching Professor
    University Writing Program
    WRIT 1622: Advanced Rhetoric & Writing
    WRIT 1733: Honors Writing

    Don Sullivan, Ph.D
    Associate Professor
    Director, Environmental Awareness LLC
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Geography and the Environment
    GEOG 1265: Global Environmental Change II

    Kate Tennis, Ph.D
    Associate Teaching Professor
    Josef Korbel School of International Studies
    HNRS 2400: Intentional Academics

    Erika Trigoso, Ph.D
    Teaching Associate Professor
    Director, Undergraduate Geography Program
    College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    Department of Geography and the Environment
    GEOG 1264: Global Environmental Change I

    Kate Willink, Ph.D
    Professor
    College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
    Department of Communication Studies
    COMN 2459: Between Memory & Imagination