Laughter and applause filled the Alumni House when UNC Greensboro’s faculty and staff came together on Friday, April 8, for the 2021-22 Faculty Awards ceremony. It was about more than showcasing some of the best work done by their colleagues. It was a time to enjoy one another’s company in person, two years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before Provost Debbie Storrs presented the awards, Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr., praised everyone for rising to the challenges of remote teaching and social distancing. “I think we’re in a position to be a national model. In many ways, we’re the tip of the spear. The events, the changes that have come in higher education, I think are hitting us first. More universities will look like us in the future.” He continued, “Times change and we must change. And so while we think we may be experiencing things first, it does provide us the opportunity to show the way.”
Dr. Storrs reflected on how the winners were selected through a collaboration of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. “These awards really reflect a recognition and acknowledgment of a larger community,” she said.
Please join us in congratulating the award recipients listed below:
Teaching Awards
- UNC BOG Excellence in Teaching Award: Dr. Nadja Cech, Patricia A. Sullivan Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Mary Settle Sharp Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. David Wharton, Associate Professor, Dept. of Classical Studies
- James Y. Joyner Award for Teaching Excellence: Prof. Erin Speer, Assistant Professor, School of Theatre
- Anna Maria Gove Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. Jessica McCall, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Communication Studies
Instruction/Education Related Awards
- Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award: Dr. Rosemery Nelson-Gray, Professor, Dept. of Psychology
- Thomas Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, Pre-tenured Category: Dr. Jaclyn Maher, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Kinesiology
- Thomas Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, Post-tenured Category: Dr. Asa Eger, Associate Professor, Dept. of History
- Student Learning Enhancement Awards: DMA and MM degree in Music
- Advising Excellence Award: Prof. Robin Maxwell, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Biology
- Outstanding First Year Student Advocate Award: Dr. Jeffrey Kaplan, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Philosophy
Service Leadership Awards
- O. Max Gardner Nominee: Dr. Eugene Rogers, Professor, Dept. of Religious Studies
- Senior Research Excellence Award: Dr. Ratnasingham Shivaji, H. Barton Excellence Professor, Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
- Junior Research Excellence Award: Dr. Hemali Rathnayake, Associate Professor, Dept. of Nanoscience
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography by Martin W. Kane, University Communications
