Darden Fellows Alumni Awards

Dr. David Julius Ford, Jr.

David Julius Ford, Jr., holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, both from Wake Forest  University. In May 2014, he earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Old Dominion University. Dr. Ford is fully licensed in North Carolina, Virginia, and New Jersey. He is a Board-Certified Counselor and Approved Clinical Supervisor. Dr. Ford taught for four years at James Madison University and is now a Tenured Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Professional Counseling at Monmouth University, where he is in his eighth-year of teaching. He has held several leadership positions in the American Counseling Association and on two journal editorial boards. Dr. Ford’s professional interests are Black Greek life; Black men in higher education; career counseling; addictions counseling; supervision; qualitative research; queer and trans BIPOC; and persons living with HIV/AIDS. He is one of 24 inaugural doctoral fellows of the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program. He is the 2020 recipient of the AMCD Samuel H. Johnson Distinguished Service Award and the 2020 ACES Outstanding Counselor Education and Supervision Article Award. Dr. Ford is a classically trained pianist and is a proud, active, and financial member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

“The department of counseling and human services is where I learned to be me. I’m very thankful for the training and mentorship I received in my program,” shared Dr. Ford.

Dr. Pietro Sasso

Dr. Pietro Sasso is an associate professor of higher education at Delaware State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Old Dominion University in 2012. His research centers student voices, student success, and educational equity within the college experience. Dr. Sasso has authored more than 100 scholarly publications, including 11 co-edited books, and has delivered over 130 conference presentations. His work has been recognized by national professional associations, including ACPA and AFA, and he is currently a faculty research fellow with Penn State University’s Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research.

“ODU follows you. And the stories and memories you make here follow you, too. The research impact and innovation I’ve experienced here made me a scholar,” reflected Dr. Sasso.

Dr. Annemarie Horn

Dr. Annemarie L. Horn is an assistant professor of special education at Radford University and coordinator of the Blindness and Visual Impairment Graduate Program. She earned her M.S.Ed in Special education in 2008 and her Ph.D. in Special Education from Old Dominion University in 2017. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Horn began her career as a paraeducator before becoming a special education teacher and, ultimately, university faculty. Her research focuses on professional learning for paraeducators and special education teachers, with an emphasis on using technology—particularly eCoaching and bug-in-ear support—to strengthen evidence-based instructional practice, especially in rural communities. Dr. Horn has published more than 30 refereed journal articles, received multiple national awards for her scholarship, and currently serves as president-elect of the American Council on Rural Special Education.

“My master’s program was the stepping stone into my Ph.D. studies. Even more than what I learned in my classes, one of the main things I’ve learned from ODU and from my faculty and mentors is that “I’m here for you.” The support I’ve received here is unmatched,” said Dr. Horn.

Dr. Enilda Romero-Hall

Dr. Enilda Romero-Hall is an associate professor in the Learning, Design, and Technology program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She earned her Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology from Old Dominion University in 2013. An award-winning scholar, Dr. Romero-Hall has published two edited books and more than 40 scholarly works, and has delivered over 60 peer-reviewed presentations at regional, national, and international conferences. Born and raised in Panama, she brings a global and equity-centered perspective to her work in teaching and learning with technology. In addition to her research, Dr. Romero-Hall is deeply engaged in professional service, including serving on the editorial team for the Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online digital guide and as Awards Chair for the AERA Special Interest Group on Instructional Technology.

Reflecting on her time at the University, Dr. Romero-Hall reflected, “Like many international students, I came to ODU looking for a degree, and got so much more than that. It’s wonderful to be a Monarch. Everything I’ve learned from ODU has shaped me into the person I am today and has allowed me to better serve my field.”

Dr. Mark Diacopolous

Dr. Mark Diacopoulos is an educator with more than three decades of experience in teaching, teacher education, and academic leadership. He earned two degrees from Old Dominion University: his M.S.Ed. in Secondary Education in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in 2018. Dr. Diacopoulos began his career teaching high school history in England before continuing his work in Virginia as a middle and high school social studies teacher and soccer coach. His passion for inquiry-based teaching and educational technology led him into roles as a technology specialist and social studies coordinator while completing his doctoral studies. He later served as a teacher educator in curriculum design and social studies methods and developed a strong research agenda focused on teacher education, technology integration, and educator identity. Dr. Diacopoulos is an active mentor and scholar in the field and currently serves as assistant provost at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, where he oversees accreditation, assessment, and program review.

“Being here at ODU changed how I thought about education,” shared Dr. Diacopolous. “Education is not something you do to people - it’s what you do for people. Being a Monarch changed my direction. I didn’t come here expecting to become the scholar I am today, but I have nothing but thanks and admiration for the people I worked with on campus.”