The 2017–18 College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty and staff award winners pose for a group photo during the awards luncheon held Oct. 24 in Appalachian’s Plemmons Student Union. Pictured, from left to right, are Dr. Timothy J. Smith; Dr. Alice P. Wright; CAS Dean Neva J. Specht; Dr. Allison Fredette; Heather Custer; Dr. Andrew B. Heckert; Sandy Hicks; Dr. Germán Camps-Muñoz; Carmen Scoggins ’94 ’98; Dr. Richard O. Gray; Dr. Joseph Gonzalez; and Dr. Ellen Lamont. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) conferred its 2017–18 faculty and staff awards during an awards luncheon on Oct. 24 in Appalachian’s Plemmons Student Union.
The awards, which include the Richard N. Henson Outstanding Advisor Award, the Jimmy Smith Outstanding Service Award, the Donald W. Sink Family Outstanding Scholar Award and several others, recognize CAS faculty and staff for their teaching excellence, outstanding service and/or scholarly work.
2017–18 CAS faculty and staff award winners
- Richard N. Henson Outstanding Advisor Award winner
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Dr. Joseph Gonzalez, associate professor in the Department of Cultural, Gender and Global Studies.
The Richard N. Henson Outstanding Advisor Award, which was established in the 1998–99 academic year, recognizes the importance of academic advising and the role that quality advising plays in student satisfaction and retention. The award is presented annually to a full-time faculty member in the CAS.
Nominees for the award must show evidence of appropriate advising techniques, be responsive to student questions and student concerns, and be knowledgeable about university policies and procedures.
- Outstanding Staff Award winner
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Sandy Hicks, administration support specialist in the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
The Outstanding Staff Award was established in 2014 to recognize the importance of services provided by staff members serving students and faculty in the CAS.
The award honors one staff member each year who has demonstrated concern for the well-being of students and faculty, enthusiasm for their service, exemplary work and who regularly surpasses job expectations.
- Jimmy Smith Outstanding Service Award winner
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Dr. Timothy J. Smith, associate professor in and chair of the Department of Anthropology.
In 2003, the CAS established the Jimmy Smith Outstanding Service Award in recognition of the numerous contributions of Dr. Jimmy Smith, a professor in the Department of Mathematics from 1968 to 2000.
The award honors a faculty member who has demonstrated meaningful and significant service to the college, the university and/or the faculty member’s profession.
- William C. Strickland Outstanding Junior Faculty Award winner
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Dr. Alice P. Wright, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology.
The William C. Strickland Outstanding Junior Faculty Award honors one assistant professor in the CAS who has made significant contributions to the intellectual life of the university. The award is designed to assist untenured tenure-track faculty in the development of his/her research programs or creative activity. It is awarded to a faculty member who has demonstrated, while at the university, the highest standards of excellence in research, scholarship and contributions to his/her academic field.
Dr. William C. Strickland, for whom the award is named, was dean of the CAS from 1968 to 1984 and a professor in the college’s Department of Philosophy and Religion.
- Donald W. Sink Family Outstanding Scholar Award winner
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Dr. Richard O. Gray, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
In 1994, the CAS established an Outstanding Scholar Award. In May 1998, it was renamed the Donald W. Sink Outstanding Scholar Award. Sink served as CAS dean from 1991 to 1998 and was a professor in the college’s Department of Chemistry (now known as the A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences).
The award honors a tenured faculty member in the college who has made outstanding scholarly contributions throughout his/her career.
- Non-Tenure Track Teaching Excellence Award winner
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Dr. Allison Fredette, lecturer in the Department of History.
The Non-Tenure Track (NTT) Teaching Excellence Award honors one NTT faculty member in the CAS who has demonstrated outstanding teaching as exhibited by a knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject matter and an exceptional concern for student success. The recipient should also demonstrate an active interest in departmental and university issues.
- Inductees into the Academy of Outstanding Teachers
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- Dr. Germán Campos-Muñoz, associate professor in the Department of English.
- Heather Custer, lecturer in the Department of English.
- Dr. Andrew B. Heckert, professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.
- Dr. Ellen Lamont, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology.
- College Teacher of the Year Award winner
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Dr. Germán Campos-Muñoz, associate professor in the Department of English.
In 1988, the CAS instituted its Academy of Outstanding Teachers and the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award to recognize excellence in teaching. All full-time, retired and emeriti faculty who have taught in the college for at least two full years are eligible for these honors. Persons nominated may have been an instructor in a lecture class or seminar at any level, a lab instructor or director of independent study, or an academic advisor or mentor.
Normally, those appointed to the Academy of Outstanding Teachers are currently active faculty members in the college; however, under extraordinary circumstances, retired or emeriti faculty may be appointed.
- CAS Outstanding Alumni Award winner
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Carmen Scoggins ’94 ’98, foreign language methodology instructor in the Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures and Spanish teacher at Watauga High School.
The Outstanding Alumni Award was instituted in 1998 to honor CAS alumni who have distinguished themselves through their remarkable contributions to a profession; through their ability to provide leadership; through public service activities; through outstanding creative endeavors; or through other accomplishments.
To view a complete list of this year’s nominees, click here.
To view past recipients and learn more about each award, visit https://cas.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/awards.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and locations. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,800 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
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