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Awards nominees, finalists recognized at convocation
Dozens of Western Carolina University faculty and staff members were nominated for awards bestowed at the annual Spring Awards Convocation held Friday, April 16. The list of nominees or finalists and the name of the winner are below. The list of winners for division- and college-level awards also highlighted at convocation follows.
Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching – This award was established in 1994 by the UNC Board of Governors to underscore the importance of teaching and to reward good teaching across the university system. The annual award at each of the 16 campuses includes a $7,500 cash prize and a bronze medallion.
Finalists: Aaron K. Ball, H. Gibbs Knotts, Matthew H. Liddle
Recipient: H. Gibbs Knotts
Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award – This award encourages, recognizes and rewards superior teaching and meritorious performance, and includes a $2,000 cash prize.
Finalists: Ted Coyle, C. Don Livingston, Jill Manners, Wesley Stone, Elizabeth “Libby” G. McRae
Recipient: Elizabeth “Libby” G. McRae
Star Staff Award – This award recognizes a nonfaculty employee who has demonstrated consistent, exceptional service and has helped energize and enhance staff spirit and morale, and includes a $1,000 cash prize.
Nominees: Melissa Allen,“Regina” Grace Aton, Brittania Bintz, Dawne Coward, William “Kent” Davis, Patsy Lou “Pat” Deitz, Amy DeLorm, Linda Donaldson, Opal L. Douglas, Peggy L. Eidson, Vicki A. Fisher, Sheila K. Frizzell, Melissa S. Johnson, Richard “Rich” L. Kucharski, Eric J. Margiotta, Steve D. McClure, Amy L. McKenzie, Wilma C. Nations, Shauna M. Sage, Barbara L. Schade, Brenda B. Setzer
Recipient: Amy L. McKenzie
Judy H. Dowell Outstanding Support Staff Award – This annual award recognizes outstanding service by a member of the university’s support staff, and comes with a $1,000 cash prize.
Nominees: Lili M. Acheson, Shirley Beck, Dawne Coward, Rosemarie “Rosie” Greenwood, Brenda Holcombe, Alison Joseph, Marilynn Breen Kaufman, Patrick Brian McGraw, Sandra Oldham, Sharon P. Painter, Brenda Setzer, Martha Tolley, Donna Watson, Debbie West, Cindy Williams, Steven G. Wilson, Melissa Young
Recipient: Rosemarie “Rosie” Greenwood
Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award (Administrative Staff) – This award recognizes the quality of service contributed to the general welfare of WCU and how the contributions enhance WCU’s reputation as a regional comprehensive institution of higher education, and comes with a $1,000 cash prize.
Nominees: Richard “Rich” L. Kucharski, Amy L. McKenzie, Shauna M. Sage, Beth Tyson-Lofquist, George W. “Chuck” Wooten
Recipient: Richard “Rich” L. Kucharski
Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award (Faculty) - This award recognizes the quality of service contributed to the general welfare of WCU and how the contributions enhance WCU’s reputation as a regional comprehensive institution of higher education, and comes with a $1,000 cash prize.
Nominees: C. Dale Carpenter, David Claxton, Linda Comer, Christopher Cooper, Alessia R. Zanin-Yost
Recipient: C. Dale Carpenter
University Scholar Award – This award recognizes the research and creative activities of the faculty, and includes a $1,000 cash prize.
Nominees: H. Gibbs Knotts, Robert F. Mulligan, Laura Lynn Wright
Recipient: H. Gibbs Knotts
Integration of Learning Award - This award recognizes formal collaborative efforts between faculty members and the Division of Student Affairs to enhance learning, and comes with a $2,000 cash prize.
Finalists:
- Applied Leadership Projects – John Sherlock, associate professor for human resources and leadership; Marie-Line Germain, assistant professor for human resources and leadership; Michael Corelli, associate director for leadership programs; Steve Dutton, assistant director for leadership programs
- Peer-to-Peer Multimedia Training Program in Collaboration with Cherokee Language – Katherine Smith, WCU assistant director for student media and marketing; Hartwell Sweeney Francis, director of the WCU Cherokee language program
- Rape Aggression Awareness and Defense for Women and Men: A Comprehensive Approach for the Campus – Gayle M. Wells, assistant professor of health, physical education and recreation; Karrie Joseph, wellness coordinator for Campus Recreation and Wellness
- Wellness and Leisure Time: An Experiential Approach to Accomplish the QEP Student Learning Outcomes – Josh Whitmore, assistant director for outdoor programs; William J. Papin, visiting instructor of health, physical education and recreation; Robert Crow, instructional developer with Coulter Faculty Center
Recipient: Wellness and Leisure Time: An Experiential Approach to Accomplish the QEP Student Learning Outcomes
Excellence in Teaching Liberal Studies Award – This award recognizes a faculty member for excellence in promoting significant student learning in liberal studies courses and comes with a $1,500 cash prize.
Finalists: Sloan Evans Despeaux, Winford A. Gordon, Glenda G. Hensley
Recipient: Sloan Evans Despeaux
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award – This award encourages and recognizes a faculty member engaging in scholarship that focuses upon teaching and learning and then applying the results of that scholarship to courses taught.
Finalists: Debra D. Burke, John James Sherlock, Barbara L. St. John
Recipient: Debra D. Burke
Jay M. Robinson eTeaching Award – This award honors a WCU online teacher who represents the best that the university offers and comes with a $1,000 cash prize.
Finalists: Christopher Grant Blake, Frederick C. Buskey, Linda Comer, Claire DeCristofaro, Kathleen Topolka Jorissen, Lucian Szlizewski, Delores “Lorrie” Willey, Stephen C. Wohlrab
Recipient: Claire DeCristofaro
Scholarly Development Assignment Program – This program allows faculty a period of leave to pursue concentrated scholarly work.
Recipients: Paul Andrew Heckert, Elizabeth “Libby” McRae, Eleanor Blair Hilty
Last Lecture Award – This award recognizes a faculty member who inspires students with passion and enthusiasm in his or her teaching, and the honoree presents a public lecture in the fall.
Nominees: Theodore “Ted” P. Chiappelli, Margaret “Peg” L. Connolly, Cynthia Caravelis Hughes, Brian L. Lawrence,Heather Laine Talley
Recipient: Theodore “Ted” P. Chiappelli
Academic Program of Excellence Award – This award recognizes an academic unit’s achievement of excellence, and carries with it a cash prize of $10,000.
Nominees: Biology, Business Administration and Law and Sport Management, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Geosciences and Natural Resources, Mathematics and Computer Science
Recipient: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Other recognitions and awards noted at convocation include:
Retiring Faculty and Administrative Staff
Millicent Abel, Patricia Bailey, Patricia Brown, Mary Deck, Marilyn Feldman, Debra Higdon, James Kirk, John F. LeBaron, Irene Mueller, Mary Anne Nixon, Elizabeth Robinson, Ralph Willis, Steven Yurkovich
Faculty Entering Phased Retirement, 2010-2011
Stephen Jarrell
Retiring Staff
Kathy Brashear, Frankie Burrell, Allie Carter, James R. Clayton, Dianne Cochran, Faye Deitz, Marlene Dills, Steve Flury, Thelma Gates, Carroll Gregory, Janie Kirkland, Anne Lauder, Norcella Massingale, Bessie Mathis, Etta McCall, Richard L. Moore, Hildegard Morgan, Karen Nicholson, Doris Pawlowski, Ellen E. Robinson, Dennis Rogers, Gloria Rogers, James R. Rogers, W. Douglas Smith, Roger Tate, Gregory West, Ray Wike, Robert Wikle
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST
Provost’s Instructional Improvement Grants
Mary Kay Bauer, Travis Bennett, Daniel E. Cherry, Hartwell Sweeney Francis, Daniel R. Gonko, Ian MacDonald Jeffress, William Ernest Lehman, L. Alvin Malesky Jr., William Robert Martin, Masafumi Takeda, Cheryl Waters-Tormey, John Allan Williams, Stephen C. Wohlrab
Microgrant Recipients
Kia Karin Terese Asberg, Leonardo “Leo” Bobadilla, William Hunt Boulware, Andrew Craig Denson, Sloan Evans Despeaux, Sharon F. Dole, Amy Crandall Dowling, John E. Duncan, Mary Ella Engel, David D. Evanoff, Dorothy Saxon Green, Cynthia Caravelis Hughes, Cheryl Ann Johnston, Trevor M. Jones, Hollye K. Moss, Karyn Tomczak, Blair Ryan Tormey, James H. Ullmer, John C. Wagaman, John Allan Williams, Alessia R. Zanin-Yost
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Board of Governors’ – College of Arts and Sciences Teaching Award
H. Gibbs Knotts
Arts and Sciences Teaching Award
Laura Lynn Wright
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Board of Governors’ – Creative and Innovative Teaching Award
Robert F. Mulligan
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
Botner Superior Teaching Award
Maurice L. Phipps
Board of Governors’ Awards for Superior Teaching
Russell Binkley, Frederick C. Buskey, Winford A. Gordon, John James Sherlock
Dean’s Research Award
L. Alvin Malesky Jr., David Strahan
Exemplary Service Award
Laura Hoxit Phillips
Soaring High Award
Patricia Lynn Bricker
COLLEGE OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS
James Dooley Excellence in Music Teaching Award
Jason W. Solomon
GRADUATE SCHOOL AND RESEARCH
Faculty Research Grant Recipients
Leonardo “Leo” Bobadilla, Christopher “Chris” T. Coburn, Mario A. Gaetano, David Andrew Kinner, Weiguo “Bill” Yang
Hunter Scholar Award
Annette Debo
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES
Board of Governors’ Innovative Teaching Award
Kimberly C. Crawford
Faculty Student Engagement Award
Tracy L. Zontek
Faculty/Staff Leadership Award
Lisa J. Lefler
Faculty Service Award
Mary Spivey Teslow
HONORS COLLEGE
Recognition of Distinction in Instruction and Nurturing
Inhyuck “Steve” Ha, Richard D. Starnes, Tracy L. Zontek
KIMMEL SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
Distinguished Research and Scholarly Engagement Award
Ronald R. Mau
Board of Governors’ Distinguished Teaching Award
William L. McDaniel II
Distinguished Student Engagement Award
Robert Anderson
Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising
George D. Ford
Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award
Weiguo “Bill” Yang
The George Reeser Outstanding Faculty Award
James Zhiming Zhang
