The Cato College of Education Early Career Faculty Award
2026 Recipient

Dr. Natalie Ricciutti
Department of Counseling
The Cato College of Education Early Career Faculty Award is made possible by the generous gift of John Cato. The goal of this award is to honor the extraordinary work of an assistant professor in the Cato College of Education annually. To be eligible, the nominees must be tenure-track assistant professors with at least one full year as a tenure-track faculty member at UNC Charlotte. This year’s recipient will receive a $5000 cash award.
Previous Recipients:
2025 – Dr. Kyle Cox