The W hosts Faculty Excellence Award banquet
Mississippi University for Women honored the outstanding achievements of faculty members with the second Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Service Awards, Thursday, March 26.
There are 11 award categories: Distinguished Leadership in research and Creative Activity, Excellence in research, Excellence in Creative Activity, Early Career Award for Research and Creative Activity, Teacher Scholar, Excellence in Traditional Teaching, Excellence in Teaching in Creative Spaces, Excellence in Online Teaching, New Faculty and Faculty Service. Each award comes with a $500 prize.
“It is an honor to recognize the recipients of this year’s Faculty Excellence Awards” said Dr. Scott Tollison, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “These 11 faculty members reflect the very best of our academic community through the engagement present in our classrooms, the innovation taking place in our labs and the imagination found in our creative spaces.”
Dr. Travis Hagey, associate professor of biology, was the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership in Research and Creative Activity Award. The award recognizes faculty who have maintained a research or creative program for at least five years while working at The W.
Dr. Benjamin Onyeagucha, assistant professor of biology, was the recipient of the Excellence in Research Award. The award recognizes faculty whose publications, presentations and/or programs in the physical or social sciences have made a sustained contribution to their field.
David Carter, chair of the Department of Theatre, was the recipient of the Excellence in Creative Activity Award. The award recognizes faculty whose publications, performances and/or exhibitions in literary or creative arts have made a sustained contribution to their field.
Dr. Jianwen Crump, assistant professor of speech-language pathology, was the recipient of the Early Career Award for Research and Creative Activity. The award recognizes new faculty for demonstrating the potential for a sustained program of scholarly activity in their field while working at The W. Their program may be in any area of research or creative activity.
Dr. Cecilia Brooks, associate professor of family science, and Dr. T. Michael Dodson, assistant professor of biology, were the recipients of the Teacher Scholar Award. The Award recognizes an early or mid-career faculty member for the development and/or implementation of new teaching methods or course designs that were generated through scholarship or specific research in pedagogical practices and strategies.
Dodson also was the recipient of the Teacher Scholar Award and the Excellence in Traditional Teaching Award. The award recognizes faculty or instructors who have been at The W for at least three years and have executed new teaching strategies, processes or course designs that address new issues in higher education in traditional, in-person classroom environments.
Ian Childers, associate professor of art, was the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching in Creative Spaces Award. The award recognizes faculty or instructors who have executed new teaching strategies, processes or course designs that address new issues in higher education contexts involving theatrical performance, studio instruction or other non-traditional formats.
Dr. Alena Groves, professor of graduate nursing, was the recipient of the Excellence in Online Teaching Award. The award recognizes exceptional online teaching practices and significant contributions to the design, development and delivery of student-centered online teaching and learning.
Dr. Renea Hopple, instructor of graduate nursing, was the recipient of the New Faculty Teaching Award. The award recognizes new faculty who are committed to providing accommodating and engaging instruction for students in their courses, regardless of format.
Dr. Shonda Phelon, professor and department chair of graduate nursing, was the recipient of the Faculty Advising Award. The award recognizes faculty who have made a significant contribution to academic advising in their departments and are committed to engaging their advisees throughout their time being advised.
Dr. Laura Beth Turner, associate professor of graduate nursing, was the recipient of the final award of the evening, the Faculty Service Award. The award recognizes faculty who have contributed outstanding professional service to the University and/or community.
Faculty are nominated for awards, and the winners are decided upon by the faculty research committee, which features representatives from each of the colleges as well as Library Services and Sponsored Projects.