Today@Sam Article

Faculty Honored During Annual Academic Awards Dinner

Aug. 26, 2015
SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt

Sam Houston State University faculty members who have obtained outstanding achievements and have reached significant milestones in their careers during the past year were recognized during the 11th annual Academic Awards Dinner on Tuesday evening (Aug. 25) in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom.

President Dana G. Hoyt and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jaimie Hebert welcomed the honorees and made the award presentations. Entertainment was provided by musical theatre students, who performed pieces from "Road to Morocco" and "As Time Goes By." 

Honorees include: 

Faculty promoted to associate professor, with tenure, included (from left): Lisa Shen, Newton Gresham Library; Brian Blackburne, English; Cihan Varol, computer science; Steve Nenninger, general business and finance; Kevin Clifton, music; David Thompson, chemistry; Aric Schneller, music; Timothy Pannkuk, agriculture; Valencia Browning-Keen, family and consumer sciences; Jason Konefal, sociology; with President Dana G. Hoyt; Jose Santiago, kinesiology; Susana Skidmore, educational leadership; with Provost Jaimie Hebert; Lautrice Nickson, curriculum and instruction; Hannah Gerber, language, literacy and special populations; Matthew Wagner, kinesiology; and Danielle Boisvert, criminal justice. Not pictured: Jason Enia, political science; Heather Evans, political science; Edward Morin, art; Janice Morris, accounting; and Susannah Strader, art. —All photos by Brian Blalock

Faculty promoted to professor, with tenure, included: John Strait, geography and geology; Joe Muller, agriculture; Julie Combs, educational leadership; Leana Bouffard, criminal justice and criminology; Barbara Greybeck, language, literacy and special populations; and William King, criminal justice and criminology. Not pictured were Craig Henderson, psychology and philosophy; Stephen Rapp, history; and Stacy Ulbig, political science.

Receiving tenure were: Thomas Garrett, associate professor of mass communication; Susan Reichelt, incoming department chair of family and consumer sciences; and Liette Ocker, incoming department chair of kinesiology. Not pictured were: Leif French, incoming department chair of foreign languages; Anthony Harris, incoming department chair of educational leadership; and Nancy Stockall, associate professor of family and consumer sciences.

Faculty who retired this year included: Janice Lange, associate professor for Newton Gresham Library; Paul Loeffler, professor of chemistry; and John de Castro, professor of psychology and philosophy. Not pictured were: G. Keith Jenkins, associate professor of general business and finance; Sheila Joyner, assistant professor of educational leadership; Lynn McCain, associate professor for Newton Gresham Library; Judith Nelson, associate professor and acting chair of counseling; Joseph O'Brien, associate professor of mathematics and statistics; James Ragsdale Jr., professor and department chair of communication studies; and Joan Williams, associate professor of language, literacy and special populations.

Joyce McCauley was recognized after earning the title of 2015 Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Piper Professor.

James Bexley, general business and finance professor, and Richard Watts, Regents' Professor of Counseling, were recognized for being named distinguished professor at SHSU. Not pictured was Balasundram Maniam, general business and finance.

Finally, faculty excellence award winners included: Karen Miller, music, David Payne Academic Community Engagement Award; Nancy Baker, history, Excellence in Teaching; Mary Alice Conroy, psychology, Excellence in Service; and Scott Chapman, mathematics and statistics, Excellence in Scholarly and Artistic Achievements.

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