Faculty Awards

2025 Faculty and Staff Awards Call for Nominations

The College of Arts and Humanities is accepting nominations for the 2025 College-wide Faculty and Staff Awards.

The Awards Selection Committee consists of members from each of the departments in our college, and we have attempted to balance the number of representatives from the Armstrong, Liberty, and Statesboro campuses.

General Guideline for All Nominations:

  • Faculty who worked any semester of 2024 are eligible. Applications should consist of the following materials:
    • A letter of nomination (no longer than one page typed in 12-point font) explaining the reasons the candidate is worthy of the award by addressing the criteria for the award outlined below.
    • The candidate’s curriculum vitae (optional for staff awards)
    • An additional piece of evidence* of the candidate’s choice further demonstrating their worthiness of the award is recommended, but not required. The additional piece of evidence can be, but is not limited to:
      • A letter written by the candidate
      • A current annual evaluation
      • A creative work
      • A website
      • An accepted grant proposal
      • A video. 
    • It is up to the candidate to decide how that one piece of evidence best demonstrates their outstanding characteristics. The one piece of evidence, however, may not be an entire portfolio. The evidence must be limited to one document, one website, one creative work, one video, or one artifact. If the document is in electronic form, the nominee must ensure the selection committee’s access to it.
      • Links must be live, and privacy settings must be such that the committee members can view/hear the document.

To nominate someone or yourself, you must first submit your name and the name of the person being nominated by clicking or copy/pasting this link: https://forms.gle/GBNtv3AhJSoPAFV17

When the name is submitted, the nominated individual will be notified that they have been nominated, and they will be asked if they want to participate in the process. If so, then a dropbox will be made for the nominated individual and sent out to complete the process.

All nominations should be submitted via the Google Form link by midnight, Monday, March 24, 2025, and all materials for consideration must be submitted no later than midnight, Friday, March 28, 2025. 

The awards will be announced at the CAH Faculty and Staff Meeting at the end of the Spring 2025 semester. 

Awards of Distinction

All full-time staff, temporary, tenure-track, non-tenure track, lecturers at all ranks, and tenured faculty at all ranks who have completed at least one year of teaching or service at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for these awards.

Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities faculty members who have shown excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making a significant impact on students’ academic progress, development of leadership skills, participation in research, admission to graduate schools, or overall college experience.
  • Making significant contributions to students in the form of mentorship.
  • Making important curricular and/or pedagogical advances through innovative methods, approaches, or technology uses in the classroom.

Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities faculty members who have shown excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Demonstrating successful grant activity.
  • Producing significant peer-reviewed publications or creative juried projects that contribute to the discipline.
  • Demonstrating substantial evidence of recognition in the disciplinary field.

Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities faculty members who have shown excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  •  Making significant contributions to colleagues or staff in the form of mentorship.
  •  Making significant contributions to college-wide initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.


Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities staff members who have shown excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making significant contributions to colleagues or staff in the form of mentorship.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide service.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.

Teaching

Dr. Allison Belzer
Professor
Department of History

Scholarship

Dr. Dean Cummings
Associate Professor
Department of Communication of Arts

Service

Mr. Ben Drevlow
Senior Lecturer
Department of English

2023
Teaching

Dr. Olivia Carr Edenfield
Professor
Department of English

Scholarship

Dr. Amanda Konkle
Associate Professor
Department of English

Service

Ms. Karla Jennings
Lecturer
Department of Communication Arts

2022

Teaching

Dr. Diana Serrano
Lecturer
Department of World Languages & Cultures

Scholarship

Dr. Tim Whelen
Professor
Department of English

Service

Mr. William Dawers
Principal Lecturer
Department of English and Department of Communication Arts

2021

Teaching

Ms. Teresa Buzo Salas
Lecturer
Department of World Languages & Cultures

Mr. Youssef Salhi
Senior Lecturer
Department of World Languages & Cultures

Scholarship

Dr. David Murray
Professor
Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music

Service

Dr. Brad Edwards
Senior Lecturer
Department of Writing & Linguistics

2020

Teaching

Dr. Olivia Carr Edenfield
Professor
Department of Literature

Scholarship

Dr. Kendra Parker
Assistant Professor
Department of Literature

Service

Encarnacion Cruz Jimenez
Lecturer
Department of World Languages & Cultures

2019

Teaching

Dr. James Todesca
Associate Professor
Department of History

Scholarship

Dr. Christina Oslon
Associate Professor
Department of Writing & Linguistics

Service

Ms. Christy Mroczek
Senior Lecturer
Department of Writing & Linguistics

2018

Teaching

Dr. Lisa Costello
Associate Professor
Department of Writing and Linguistics

Scholarship

Dr. Ty Boyer
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology

Service

Dr. Richard Flynn
Professor
Department of Literature and Philosophy

2017

Teaching

Dr. Dustin Anderson
Associate Professor
Department of Literature and Philosophy

Scholarship

Dr. Finbarr Curtis
Assistant Professor
Department of Literature and Philosophy

Service

Dr. Karen Naufel
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology

2016

Teaching

Dr. Olivia Carr Edenfield
Professor
Department of Literature and Philosophy

Research

Dr. Tim Whelan
Professor
Department of Literature and Philosophy

Service

Dr. Dustin Anderson
Associate Professor
Department of Literature and Philosophy

2015

Teaching

Dr. Anna Alexander
Assistant Professor
Department of History

Scholarship

Mr. Derek Larson
Assistant Professor
Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art

Service

Dr. Larry Locker
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology

2014

Teaching

Dr. Shannon Jeffreys
Director of Choral Activities
Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music

Scholarship

Dr. Carolyn Bryan
Professor
Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music

2013

Teaching

Dr. Nancy Malcom
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology & Anthropology

Scholarship

Dr. Bradley Sturz
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology

Service

Dr. Jeff Kilbert
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology

2012

Teaching

Mr. Nathan Palmer
Lecturer
Department of Sociology & Anthropology

Scholarship

Dr. Timothy Whelan
Professor
Department of Literature & Philosophy

Service

Dr. K. Bryant Smalley
Associate Professor
Department of Psychology

2011

Teaching

Mr. Kent Murray
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication Arts

Scholarship

Dr. Krista Wiegand
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science

Service

Dr. Michelle Haberland
Associate Professor
Department of History

2010

Teaching

Dr. Christine Ludowise
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science

Scholarship

Dr. Catherine Marcum
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science

Service

Dr. Jane Pleak
Professor
Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art

Awards of Excellence

(ten years as cumulative credit awarded for teaching at GS)

 
All tenure-track, non-tenure track, lecturers at all ranks, and tenured faculty at all ranks who have completed at least one year of teaching at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for this award. Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities faculty members who have shown excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making significant contributions to colleagues or staff in the form of mentorship.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.
  •  Making a significant impact on students’ academic progress, development of leadership skills, participation in research, admission to graduate schools, or overall college experience.
  • Making significant contributions to students in the form of mentorship.
  •  Making important curricular and/or pedagogical advances through innovative methods, approaches, or technology uses in the classroom.
  • Producing significant peer-reviewed publications or creative juried projects that contribute to the discipline.
  • Demonstrating substantial evidence of recognition in the disciplinary field.
  •  Demonstrating successful grant activity.

All CAH staff who have completed at least one year of service at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for this award. Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities staff members who have shown excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making significant contributions in the form of mentorship.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.
  • Making a significant impact on faculty or students’ overall college experience.
  • Demonstrating substantial evidence of recognition in their field.
  •  Increasing morale of faculty, staff, and administration.

All tenure-track, non-tenure track, lecturers at all ranks, and tenured faculty who have completed at least one year of teaching at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for this award. Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities faculty members who have shown inclusive excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making significant contributions to inclusion in the form of mentorship.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide inclusion initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.
  • Making a significant impact on students’ inclusive college experience.
  •  Making important curricular and/or pedagogical advances toward inclusion through innovative methods, approaches, or technology uses in the classroom.

Staff at all ranks who have completed at least one year at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for this award. Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities staff members who have shown inclusive excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making significant contributions to inclusion in the form of mentorship.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide inclusion initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.
  • Making a significant impact on students’ inclusive college experience.
  • Making important curricular and/or pedagogical advances toward inclusion through innovative methods, approaches, or technology uses in the classroom.

All staff at all ranks who have completed at least ten years of service at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for this award. Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities staff members who have shown a career’s worth of excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Increasing morale of faculty, staff, and administration
  • Making significant contributions in the form of mentorship.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  • Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.
  •  Making a significant impact on faculty or students’ overall college experience.
  • Demonstrating substantial evidence of recognition in their field.

  • 2024 Lindsey Chappell, Department of English
  • 2023 Daniel Larkin, Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
  • 2022 Felicity Turner, Department of History
  • 2021 Annie Mendenhall, Department of Writing & Linguistics
  • 2020 Amanda Konkle, Assistant Professor, Department of Literature
  • 2019 Daniel Pioske, Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
  • 2017 Sarah McCarroll, Associate Professor, Department of Communication Arts
  • 2016 April M. Scheuths, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
  • 2015 Laura Stambaugh, Associate Professor, Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music
  • 2014 Bradley Sturz, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
  • 2013 Dustin R. Anderson, Assistant Professor, Department of Literature/Philosophy
  • 2012 John D. Thompson Assistant Professor, Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music
  • 2011 Dr. Bryant Smalley, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
  • 2010 Dr. Krista Wiegand, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
  • 2009 Dr. Jose Manuel Hidalgo, Assistant Professor, Department of World Languages and Cultures

Ruffin Cup Award

All tenure-track, non-tenure track, lecturers at all ranks, and tenured faculty at all ranks who have completed at least ten years of teaching at Georgia Southern University at the time of the nomination are eligible for this award. Although nominations for this award can be made from outside the college, those nominated must be College of Arts and Humanities faculty members who have shown a career’s worth of excellence in their contributions in this area of work. Such contributions might be demonstrated in (but not limited to) the following ways:

  • Making significant contributions to colleagues or staff in the form of mentorship.
  • Demonstrating successful grant activity.
  • Making significant contributions to college-wide initiatives, such as interdisciplinary programs, first-year experience, undergraduate research, or the honors program.
  •  Showing significant innovation in helping the college or the department, the university, or the community carry out its mission.
  • Making a significant impact on students’ academic progress, development of leadership skills, participation in research, admission to graduate schools, or overall college experience.
  •  Making significant contributions to students in the form of mentorship.
  • Making important curricular and/or pedagogical advances through innovative methods, approaches, or technology uses in the classroom.
  • Producing significant peer-reviewed publications or creative juried projects that contribute to the discipline.
  • Demonstrating substantial evidence of recognition in the disciplinary field.

  • 2024 William T. Allison, Department of History
  • 2023 Michael Pemberton, Department of English
  • 2022 Carol Jamison, Department of English
  • 2021 Kathleen Comerford, Department of History
  • 2020 Maria Adamos, Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
  • 2019 Michael McGrath, Department of World Languages and Cultures
  • 2017 Michael Nielsen, Department of Psychology
  • 2016 William L. Smith, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
  • 2015 Douglass Thomson, Department of Literature & Philosophy
  • 2014 Linda Cionitti, Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music
  • 2013 Janie H. Wilson, Department of Psychology
  • 2012 Craig H. Roell, Department of History
  • 2011 Sandra Peacock, Department of History
  • 2010 Bruce Little, Department of Art
  • 2009 Eric Nelson, Department of Writing and Linguistics
  • 2008 Janice Kennedy, Department of Psychology
  • 2007 Gary Dartt, Department of Communication Arts
  • 2006 David Alley, Department of World Languages and Cultures
  • 2005 Vernon Egger, Department of History
  • 2004 Richard Rogers, Department of Psychology
  • 2003 Michael Braz, Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music
  • 2002 Sue M. Moore, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
  • 2001 Jane Rhoades Hudak, Department of Art
  • 2000 Walter J. Fraser, Department of History
  • 1999 Margaret A. Lloyd, Department of Psychology
  • 1998 John H. Daily, Department of Political Science
  • 1997 George H. Shriver, Jr., Department of History
  • 1996 Roger G. Branch, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
  • 1995 C. Charlton Moseley, Department of History
  • 1994 J. Norman Wells, Department of Mathematics and CSC
  • 1993 Daniel B. Good, Department of Geology and Geography
  • 1992 Gale A. Bishop, Department of Geology and Geography
  • 1991 R. Frank Saunders, Jr., Department of History
  • 1990 Lowell Bouma, Department of World Languages and Cultures
  • 1989 G. Hewitt Joiner, Jr., Department of History
  • 1988 John B. Humma, Department of Literature and Philosophy
  • 1987 Hollis Cate, Department of Literature and Philosophy
  • 1986 Sturgis McKeever, Department of Biology
  • 1985 Lane Van Tassell, Department of Political Science
  • 1984 Robert D. Ward, Department of History
  • 1983 George A. Rogers, Department of History
  • 1982 Donald A. Olewine, Department of Biology (posthumously)