April 3, 2007 issue
Week of Excellence highlights EMU's best faculty, staff and students

By Ron Podell

 

Eastern Michigan University rolled out its version of the red carpet last week, honoring its best and brightest faculty, staff and students during its annual Salute to Excellence Week.

The awards ceremonies included the Graduate Research Fair Awards; the Human Resources Employee Recognition Awards (for years of service); Student Gold Medallion Awards; the Celebration of Faculty Excellence Awards, which included the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Awards; the College of Education Salute to Excellence and the Undergraduate Symposium.

"EMU's Salute to Excellence Week is a time for celebrating our strengths as a University, our academic diversity as a campus and the outstanding work accomplished by our students, faculty and staff," said EMU President John Fallon.

EXCELLENT FACULTY: These EMU faculty took home the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Awards. From left, Ann Orr, assistant professor of special education (Teaching I Award); Linda Lewis-White, professor of teacher education (Teaching II Award); Gregg Barak, professor of sociology, anthropology and criminology (Scholarly/Creative Activity); and Jessica "Decky" Alexander (Service to the University), associate professor of communication and theatre arts.

Four Distinguished Faculty Awards — the University's most prestigious for faculty, which were renamed six years ago to honor the late, former provost Ron Collins — were handed out at the 30th Annual Celebration of Faculty Excellence Awards March 28.

Ann Orr, assistant professor of special education, took home the Teaching I honor and Linda Lewis-White, professor of teacher education, won the Teaching II Award. Jessica "Decky" Alexander, associate professor of communication and theatre arts, garnered the Service to the University Award and Gregg Barak, professor of sociology, anthropology and criminology, earned the Scholarly/Creative Activity Award. Each received a plaque and a $3,500 honorarium.

The winners talked of teaching inspirations, their students and those who helped them along the way. Some even shed a few tears.

"I accept this award on behalf of all of us (teachers) and especially those teachers that helped shape my teaching efforts," said Orr, who gave credit to Alane Starko for hiring her and Kathleen Beauvais for serving as a shining teaching example.

Lewis-White recalled her days in the Arlington Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, mentioning two inspiring students whom, she said, taught her as much about life as she gave them an education in the classroom.

"Teaching is not an arrival place. It's a journey," she said. "We dream and grow and, when we do, we create possibilities for our students."

Barak, the author/editor of 12 books and more than 100 publications, made the analogy that scholars who write "are like long-distance runners. They work out by themselves and usually do so for an extended part of their life course."

Barak said he spends about one-half of his scholarly/creative time writing and the other half editing.

"Both give me a great deal of pleasure. Although I enjoy writing more, I learn more from editing," Barak said.

Alexander, perhaps the most emotional of the four Distinguished Faculty Award winners, was recognized for her service contributions, including serving as founder and co-director of EMU's CloseUP Theatre Troupe; as a coordinator of the annual MLK Jr. Day Celebration; and, most recently, as a co-chair of EMU's United Way campaign.

"I don't believe engaging in EMU or the community, beyond teaching and scholarship, is a choice. It just is," she said. "...You become part of something or it becomes part of something else...without you. You initiate or stagnate. Be in the game or watch it from the sidelines   Seek fortune or create the rainbow, which may, of course, lead to fortune. Which is what I have found, here at the end of the rainbow — a fortune of friends, students and colleagues who shape and color my every day."

Office of Academic-Service Learning Fellows, Sabbatical Leave recipients, Provost's New Faculty Research Awards, Faculty Scholarship Recognition Awards and Faculty Artistic Recognition Awards also were announced.

For the Faculty Scholarship Recognition Awards, Kyung Hee Kim, an assistant professor of teacher education, won the "fewer than five years of service award" for her article, "Can Only Intelligent People Be Creative?" Clovis Semmes, professor of African American Studies, took honors in the "five years or more of service" category for his book, "The Regal Theater and Black Culture."

In the fine arts category of the Faculty Artistic Recognition Awards, Beilu Liu, an assistant professor of art, won for her artwork, "Three Mixed Media Projects: Ailment, Ashen and Recall," which were displayed at previous exhibitions. Lee Stille, associate professor of communication and theatre arts, took the performing arts category with his direction of "The Tempest," an EMU Theatre production.

SPLENDID SERVICE: From left, Howard Booth, an professor of biology, receives a handshake from EMU President John Fallon during the Employee Recognition Awards March 27 in the Student Center Ballroom. The event recognized employees who have provided 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service to EMU. Booth was one of six EMU employees recognized for 40 years of service.

Approximately 188 EMU employees were recognized for their years of service (1,340 years of service total) to the University at the "Decades of Dedication" Employee Recognition Awards March 27.

The award honors EMU employees who have provided 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service to EMU. Dennis Beagen, Howard Booth, Carter Eggers, Mark Morton, James Porter and Charlotte Stigler were recognized for their 40-year contributions. Another seven EMU employees received kudos for contributing 35 years of service to the University.

"Today, we are measuring peoples' contributions by the number of years that they have individually worked at EMU," said Art Timko, general manager/director of WEMU 89.1 and the event's emcee. "We're calling it 'Dedication Through the Decades,' but this is more than just time spent on the job. Look around this room. The sum of these hundreds of careers is much greater than any total years of service."

"No matter what your job is, be proud of your accomplishments because you have made — and continue to make — a positive difference in the lives of thousands of students," Fallon said. "Your efforts have contributed to the molding of EMU as a great place to work and get an education."

Student Gold Medallion recipients also were recognized March 27. The Student Gold Medallion Awards program, which began in 1996 as a separate event, honors student leaders who have made significant leadership and community service contributions within the Division of Student Affairs, as well as student organizations and student organization advisers who have made a positive impact on the University.

GOOD AS GOLD: Student Gold Medallion winners and nominees pose for a group shot after the Student Gold Medallion Awards March 27. Awards were presented in nine categories.

Those individuals and organizations honored, and their respective categories are:

Allison Sheppard (Goodwill Ambassador), Leena Karsan (Leadership by a Student), Carrie Hauser (Mentorship by a Student), Lu Chang (Student Employee), Chris Halliwill (Volunteerism by a Student), Sara Carter (Graduate Student), Jamar Humphrey (Service Delivery by a Student), College Panhellenic Council (Student Organization affiliated with the Division of Student Affairs) and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (Student Organization non-affiliated with the Division of Student Affairs).

During the Graduate Research Fair award ceremonies March 26, Brian Ohsowski was awarded the Ronald W. Collins Medal for Excellence, which honors a graduate student for outstanding research or scholarly contributions to their discipline or department. Emily Wilson-Tobin won the Gerri Collins Medal, which is awarded to a graduate assistant who has demonstrated extraordinary service contributions to the department, school, office and community.

The Graduate Research Fair, now in its ninth year, showcases outstanding research and creative projects by EMU's graduate students. The fair included oral presentations or poster/display sessions of: dissertation research, thesis research, independent study projects, capstone experiences or special projects, examples of art and music, and outcomes from practicum and internship experience.

Michael Gabor, Tilok Kataria and Susan McMahon were the recipients of the Sigma Xi Awards.

MEDAL WINNER: Graduate student Emily Wilson-Tobin proudly displays the Gerri Collins Medal she was awarded at the Graduate Research Fair. She is flanked by Provost Don Loppnow and Deb deLaski- Smith, interim dean of the Graduate School.

Outstanding Graduate Research Fair presenters were Kevin Alschuler, Matthew Altiere, Jeffery Barnett, Andrew Cameron, Lisa Grimble, Laura Hardy, Hannah Morales, Heather Steffy and the group of David Saunders-Scott, Amy Collins, Nancy Angelella and Valentina Lvezaj.

Emily Haney, Jennifer Rosebrock, Katherine Anderson and Kenneth Bouchard received The Anton Brenner Scholarship, each worth $500. Gayle Lavictoire and Chiharu Hensley won the Goldenberg/Schreiber Scholarship, also each worth $500.

Other winners included: Maria Boles, Michelle Corwin, Paul Doran, Audrey Farrugia, Kylee Guenther, Nada Hoblos, Ali Hussain, Jennifer Schmidt and Anke Thorney, Barton Scholarship; Miles Becker, biology, and Reshmi Radhakrishnan, chemistry, Graduate Dean's Award for Research Excellence; Carole Benedict, Anglesia Brown, Bobby Thomas, Tyrone Weeks and DeRon Williams, King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship; Benjamin Bigelow, Patrick Green, Carol Hannah, Sally Houck and Suzanne LaLonde, Art Awards; Jinjing Zhou, Music Award; Claudia Wier, Theatre Arts Award; and Michael Alber, Writing Award.

The Undergraduate Symposium, now in its 27th year, took place March 30 in the Student Center. Approximately 235 students from across all disciplines presented their research and creative projects through 135 oral presentations and 73 poster displays. Their work was supported by 147 faculty mentors.

Faculty and tutors who have helped the Holman Learning Center make a difference in the lives of students this past year will be honored during the Seventh Annual Faculty and Tutor Appreciation Day, Tuesday, April 3, 3-5 p.m., Student Center Grand Ballroom A.

Faculty, lecturer, tutor and supplemental instruction leader awards will be presented. The Holman Learning Center provides supplemental instruction to students; tutors for a variety of subjects; skill-building workshops; testing accommodations; and has a first-year academic support program.