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KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Lyssa Wilson Becho, principal research associate at The Evaluation Center at Â鶹´«Ã½, has been honored with the prestigious Marcia Guttentag Promising New Evaluator Award by the American Evaluation Association (AEA). The award recognizes exceptional early-career evaluators and highlights Becho's outstanding evaluation practice, scholarship, and leadership achievements. Becho’s award is the latest in a series of honors received by current and former WMU affiliates for their work in evaluation, including twelve from the American Evaluation Association and six from the Michigan Association for Evaluation.

Becho, who completed her Ph.D. in interdisciplinary evaluation at Western in 2019, has already made significant contributions to the field of evaluation. She has co-edited influential publications, including the book Core Concepts in Evaluation: Classic Writings and Contemporary Commentary and an issue of the journal New Directions for Evaluation. She is the co-executive editor of the WMU-based Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation. 

Her contributions to evaluation scholarship also include her collaborative work on the garden of evaluation approaches, a practical framework for learning and using evaluation approaches. As principal investigator for EvaluATE, the evaluation hub for the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, she leads efforts to strengthen evaluation capacity within the ATE program and beyond. Under her leadership, EvaluATE recently secured $6 million in funding, building on EvaluATE’s 15 years of continuous funding by NSF.

"We are incredibly proud of Lyssa’s accomplishments," says Lori Wingate, executive director of The Evaluation Center. "She is an exceptional evaluation scholar, practitioner, and educator. Her commitment to advancing evaluation practice, her contributions to elevating equity in evaluation and her projects, and her outstanding leadership make her a true rising star in our field and at WMU."

Becho's work is grounded in AEA's guiding principles of systematic inquiry, integrity, and respect for people. She advocates for culturally responsive evaluation practices and prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion in her work. 

"I am deeply honored to receive this award," says Becho. "Evaluation is not only a profession but a passion, and I am grateful for the Â鶹´«Ã½ I’ve had to contribute to the field. I am especially proud of the work we are doing at EvaluATE to promote high-quality, inclusive evaluation practices."

The Marcia Guttentag Promising New Evaluator Award is given annually to an emerging leader in evaluation who has demonstrated excellence in the field within five years of receiving their terminal degree. Becho’s selection for this award recognizes her many accomplishments and promise of future achievements.

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