Each year, the University recognizes faculty and staff for the highest levels of academic excellence, outstanding leadership, and meritorious service. This year’s Faculty/Staff Recognition Awards Program luncheon will be held at noon on Monday, March 26, at the Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park Campus. The following is a list of those individuals to be honored at the ceremony.
********************************************
ZARIT RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMIC INTEGRATION
Steven H. Zarit, professor of human development and assistant director of the Gerontology Center, has been honored with the President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Integration. The award is given to a full-time member of the faculty who has exhibited extraordinary achievement in the integration of Penn State’s three-pronged mission: teaching, research or creative accomplishments, and service.
ZOLKO HONORED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXCELLENCE
Wayne W. Zolko, associate vice president for finance and business/controller of the College of Medicine at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, will be honored for Administrative Excellence. The award is given to a faculty or staff member whose performance methods and achievements exemplify administrative excellence.
FACULTY TO RECEIVE ATHERTON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Four faculty members will receive the George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching. They are: Richard M. Doyle, associate professor of English, University Park campus; Nigel D. Higson, distinguished professor of mathematics, University Park campus, Arnold A. Markley, assistant professor of English, Delaware County campus; and John M. Simpson, associate professor of chemistry, Beaver campus. The award, named after Penn State's seventh president, honors excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level.
ANDERSON, SOKOL TO RECEIVE EISENHOWER AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED TEACHING
Douglas R. Anderson, associate professor of philosophy, and Paul E. Sokol, professor of physics, will receive the Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching. The award, named after Penn State’s eleventh president, recognizes outstanding efforts among tenured faculty who have been employed full time for at least five years with undergraduate teaching as a major portion of their duties.
KING TO RECEIVE THE BARASH AWARD FOR HUMAN SERVICE
Ermyn King, project associate in the Office of the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, will receive the Barash Award for Human Service. The award recognizes a full-time member of the faculty, staff or student body at University Park who has contributed most, apart from assigned duties, to human causes or public service activities in the Centre Region or the University Park campus.
OPALL TO RECEIVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AWARD
Christopher A. Opall, Media and Technology Support Services building technician for University Libraries, is the recipient of the Dr. James Robinson Equal Opportunity Award, which recognizes a faculty or staff member who promotes the concept of equal opportunity through affirmative action and/or contributes to enhancing the educational environment of the University through improving cross-cultural understanding.
BISE AND KRIMMEL RECEIVE EXCELLENCE IN ADVISING AWARDS
The 2001 Excellence in Advising Awards will be presented to Christopher J. Bise, centennial professor of mining engineering, and Sharon W. Krimmel, instructor and advisor in the College of Health and Human Development and Coordinator of the Kinesiology Advising Center The award acknowledges excellence in advising, academic and career guidance and assistance to students in decision-making and goal setting.
HERR TO RECEIVE PALMER FACULTY MENTORING AWARD
Edwin L. Herr, associate dean for graduate programs, research and technology in the College of Education, is the recipient of the Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award. The award recognizes faculty members who most effectively promote the collegial and professional development of junior faculty.
VERNER TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR FACULTY OUTREACH
Keith Verner, chief of the Division of Development Pediatrics and Learning, College of Medicine, is the recipient of the Award for Faculty Outreach. The award recognizes faculty members who extend the intellectual expertise and resources of the University through teaching, research and service to address the social, civic, economic and environmental issues and opportunities facing our Commonwealth, nation and world.
FOUR EARN FACULTY SCHOLAR MEDALS FOR OUTSTANDING RESEARCH
Four professors will receive Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement: Sarah M. Assmann, professor of biology, and W. Larry Kenney, professor of physiology and kinesiology, will both receive the Life and Health Sciences Medal; Xumu Zhang, associate professor of organic chemistry, will receive the Physical Science Medal, and Glenn Firebaugh, professor of sociology and demography, will receive the Social and Behavioral Sciences Medal. The award recognizes scholarly or creative excellence represented by a single contribution or a series of contributions around a coherent theme.
GRADUATE FACULTY TEACHING AWARD GOES TO GRAY, KATOK
Barbara Gray, professor of organizational behavior and director of the Center for Research in Conflict and Negotiation, and Anatole Katok, the Raymond N. Shibley Professor of Mathematics, are the recipients of the Graduate Faculty Teaching Award. The award honors tenured faculty members who have excelled both in teaching at the graduate level and in supervising thesis work of graduate students.
ROBILLARD RECEIVES FACULTY INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Paul D. Robillard, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, has been chosen to receive the W. LaMarr Kopp Faculty International Achievement Award. The award acknowledges faculty members who have made a noteworthy contribution to Penn State's international mission.
GAGE RECEIVES STAFF INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
H. Mary Gage, recently retired director of the Undergraduate Fellowships Office, is the recipient of the W. LaMarr Kopp Staff International Achievement Award. This award honors staff members who have contributed significantly to the University's mission of helping the international community.
BERKOWITZ TO RECEIVE McKAY DONKIN AWARD
Leonard J. Berkowitz, associate professor of philosophy at the York campus, has been selected as the recipient of the McKay Donkin Award. The award is presented to a full-time faculty or staff member or retiree who has made significant contributions to the economic, physical, mental, or social welfare of the faculty.
PAWELCZYK RECEIVES PRESIDENT’S AWARD
James A. Pawelczyk, assistant professor of physiology and kinesiology, is the recipient of the President’s Award for Engagement with Students. The award is given to a full-time member of the faculty who has exhibited extraordinary achievement in the integration of teaching, research or creative accomplishment, and service.
THORNTON WINS STAFF EXCELLENCE AWARD
The Staff Excellence Award will be presented to Patricia T. Thornton, administrative assistant in the Office of the Vice President for Outreach and Cooperative Extension.
The award is given to a staff member who has demonstrated and practiced the philosophy of Continuous Quality Improvement, team spirit and managerial excellence, and who has provided leadership in establishing a quality service orientation in the performance of assigned duties
WEBSTER RECEIVES SUPPORT STAFF AWARD
Marianne A. Webster, staff assistant to the Division of Undergraduate Studies Program coordinator and Advising Center advisors in the Department of Academic Affairs at the DuBois campus, will receive the Support Staff Award. The award is granted to recognize the overall high quality performance of a non-exempt member of the support staff and his or her dedication to customer service, quality improvement, teamwork and professionalism.
CORTY AND TALMAGE WIN TEACHING FELLOW AWARDS
Eric W. Corty, associate professor of clinical psychology at Erie, The Behrend College, and Gita Talmage, associate professor of mechanical engineering, have won the Teaching Fellow Award: The Alumni/Student Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award honors distinguished teaching and offer encouragement and incentive for excellent teaching.