EMU honors its best during Salute to Excellence Week

Eastern Michigan University rolled out its version of the red carpet, as it honored its best and brightest during its annual Salute to Excellence Week March 28-April 1.

TEACHING ACCOLADES: David Geherin, professor of English language and literature, makes some comments after being named the winner of the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Teaching II Award. Geherin was one of numerous EMU award winners during the University's annual Salute to Excellence Week.

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

Four Distinguished Faculty Awards — the University's most prestigious for faculty which was renamed two years ago to honor the late, former provost Ron Collins — were handed out.

Carla Damiano, assistant professor of foreign languages and bilingual studies, took home the Teaching I honor and David Geherin, professor of English language and literature, won the Teaching II Award. Chris Wood Foreman, professor of communication and theatre arts and campus director of American Humanics, garnered the Service to the University Award and Allen Kurta, professor of biology, earned the Scholarly/Creative Activity Award.

"Receiving an honor like this is a genuine honor no matter when you receive it," Geherin said. "I'm getting this in the latter part of my career. It's like one of those Lifetime Achievement Awards they give you at the Academy Awards."

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