Annual faculty, staff honorees are among those 鈥榳ho make 幺力视频 special鈥
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擣or thousands of Bulldog students, the impact of knowledgeable, supportive 幺力视频 faculty and staff rings true from freshman year to graduation and beyond. MSU recently presented 10 of these educators with special honors during the annual Faculty Awards and Recognition Reception.
Provost and Executive Vice President Judy Bonner, whose office co-sponsored the event with the university鈥檚 Alumni Association, said in addition to a beautiful campus with strong academic programs, 鈥渢he thing that makes 幺力视频 special is its people.鈥
鈥淭here is nothing more exciting than taking the time to recognize and say thank you to an exceptional group of faculty and staff who have gone an extra mile and distinguished themselves,鈥 Bonner said. 鈥淲e thank and congratulate each of them and all of our faculty and staff across campus on the outstanding work they have accomplished in the 2018-19 academic year.鈥
Peter Ryan, associate provost for academic affairs; Jeff Davis, executive director of the MSU Alumni Association; and Jim Dunne, physics professor and interim associate vice president for academic affairs, also congratulated and thanked award recipients for their service to the state鈥檚 leading university.
MSU Associate Professor of English Michael Kardos joined a select group of role models and mentors for campus colleagues with his acceptance of the John Grisham Master Teacher Award. Also in his 12th year as co-director of MSU鈥檚 creative writing program, Kardos has authored novels that have received the prestigious Pushcart Prize, among other honors.
First presented in 1993, the Grisham Master Teacher honor is a tribute to classroom and instruction excellence that is named for the MSU accounting alumnus and internationally-recognized best-selling author who provided funds to endow the award.
Mohsen Razzaghi and Merrill Warkentin, MSU鈥檚 newest William L. Giles Distinguished Professors, also were recognized during the ceremony. Based on distinguished scholarship demonstrated by a record of outstanding performance in research, teaching and service, the Giles honor is conferred on faculty members who have attained national or international status as verified by external reviewers in the candidates鈥 specific fields. Razzaghi serves as professor and head of the College of Arts and Sciences鈥 Department of Mathematics and Statistics; Warkentin, the James J. Rouse Endowed Professor of Information Systems in the College of Business.
Other honorees include:
鈥擭icholas Fitzkee, associate professor of chemistry, recipient of the MSU Alumni Association鈥檚 Graduate Teaching Excellence Award.
鈥擲andra Powe, University Academic Advising Center academic coordinator, staff recipient of the Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award.
鈥擯eter Summerlin, assistant professor of landscape architecture, recipient of the MSU Alumni Association鈥檚 Early Career Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award.
鈥擜mie Russell, instructor and undergraduate coordinator of Spanish, faculty recipient of the Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award.
鈥擩ermaine Jackson, University Academic Advising Center academic coordinator, staff recipient of the Wesley A. Ammon Outstanding New Academic Advisor Award.
鈥擪asia Gallo, instructor, lead undergraduate advisor and educational psychology minor coordinator, faculty recipient of the Wesley A. Ammon Outstanding New Academic Advisor Award.
鈥擲tacy Haynes, associate professor of sociology, recipient of the MSU Alumni Association鈥檚 Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award.
University leaders also recognized other faculty contributions throughout the Division of Academic Affairs, University Libraries and individual colleges.
MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .