University Awards of Excellence
Join your campus community as we celebrate our recipients!
University Awards of Excellence and Years of Service Recognition
Friday, April 18
10:30 a.m.
Performing Arts Center on the Statesboro Campus
with lunch immediately following in the Nessmith-Lane Center Ballroom
About the University Awards of Excellence
The University’s Awards of Excellence for Faculty and Staff are aligned with the University’s Strategic Pillars and Values and are designed to identify and celebrate individuals that make outstanding contributions to the success of Georgia Southern University.
Under each recipient’s name and title, you will see an excerpt from their letters of recommendation that encapsulates their exemplary achievements and impact on our students, colleagues, and community.
A total of 26 awards are available annually. This year the review committees awarded 17 awards. Recipients will receive a University Medallion and $1000 to be used for professional development.
2024 – 2025 University Awards of Excellence Recipients
Student Success
The Student Success award is designed to promote and reward those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to increase student success.
Gregg Rich, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sport Management, Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Waters College of Health Professions
Faculty Student Success Award
Dr. Gregg Rich serves as the coordinator and internship supervisor for the undergraduate sport management program. He is passionate about preparing students for success upon graduation. Through his various roles, he has adopted a comprehensive approach to student development, academic achievement, and career preparation. Of note, he has led the curriculum restructuring of the BS in Sport Management degree to eliminate existing bottlenecks and facilitate student progression, transitioning to an embedded certificate model. Also, as an advocate of experiential learning, he has consistently implemented activities that simulate work projects, often collaborating with regional sport organizations to promote student visibility and facilitate internship attainment. Waters College of Health Professions has recognized Dr. Rich for this teaching and service in recent years. He received the college’s Jr. Faculty and Sr. Faculty Teaching Awards for the 2019-2020 and 2022-2023 academic years respectively, and the college’s Sr. Faculty Service Award in 2023-2024.
Allison Rainey
Administrative Assistant II, Military Science, College of Science and Mathematics
Staff Student Success Award
Allison Rainey is an Administrative Assistant II in the Military Science Department, where she has served since 2010. In addition to overseeing the administrative functions of the department, Allison also handles course registration, credit evaluations, ROTC housing, and all photography and social media for the department. She is the university’s student organization advisor for the ROTC Cadet Association, and for the last 11 years, she has served as the race coordinator for the Eagle Battalion’s annual Freedom Run 5K/10K, one of the area’s largest races. A graduate of Georgia Southern, Allison takes great pride in our university and the success of its students. She has twice been presented the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service and received the 2016-2017 Staff Merit Award and the 2022-2023 University Award of Excellence for Community Engagement.
Teaching
The Teaching award acknowledges those that improve student learning and prepare students to compete in the global marketplace.
Montana Smithey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Elementary Mathematics Education, Elementary & Special Education, College of Education
Teaching Award
Dr. Montana Smithey is a dedicated educator at Georgia Southern University, committed to teaching excellence and student success for the past five years. A former elementary teacher, she brings firsthand classroom experience to her work in teacher preparation. She earned her Ph.D. in teacher education and development, specializing in mathematics education, from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Dr. Smithey focuses on embedded mediated field experiences, a practice-based model that bridges theory and practice in undergraduate courses. She supports future teachers in designing culturally relevant mathematics instruction while leveraging classroom discussion. She emphasizes high-impact teaching practices, including the “Tutoring at Langston” program, which engages students with children before entering their teacher education program. Additionally, she has mentored undergraduates in research, writing, and presenting at state and national levels. Committed to continuous improvement, Dr. Smithey actively seeks professional development and refines her courses to provide meaningful, engaging learning experiences for students.
Research
The faculty award for Research recognizes a faculty member for excellence in research and/ or creative scholarly activity.
Marian Tabi, Ph.D.
Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Waters College of Health Professions
Faculty Research Award
Dr. Marian Tabi is a professor in the School of Nursing at the Waters College of Health Professions. Throughout her tenure, she has made significant contributions to both the undergraduate and graduate programs, focusing on advancing nursing education and preparing nurses to work in critical shortage areas. Her research, aimed at improving health outcomes in medically underserved communities across Georgia, has had a lasting impact. Dr. Tabi has actively contributed to the academic community through key publications, collaborations, and projects. Her accomplishments include publishing in peer-reviewed journals, securing external funding in competitive research funding, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students as well as junior faculty, and fostering a collaborative research environment. These achievements not only reflect her commitment to excellence in research but also align with the broader goals of our institution to advance knowledge and cultivate a culture of research.
Discovery & Innovation
The Discovery & Innovation award recognizes those individuals that promote creative scholarly activities, technologies and/ or environments that encourage innovative and problem-solving research collaboratives.
Samuel Rhodes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Elementary Mathematics Education, Elementary and Special Education, College of Education
Faculty Discovery & Innovation Award
Sam Rhodes, Ph.D., is an accomplished researcher in mathematics education, specializing in enhancing students’ problem-solving skills in online learning environments. His work examines the cognitive, metacognitive, and affective factors that influence mathematical success, leading to the development of targeted interventions that support student learning. Dr. Rhodes has served as PI and Co-PI on multiple projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the Advanced Educational Research and Development Fund, with project awards totaling over $6 million. These projects have fostered strong collaborations with top universities and industry partners, resulting in the creation of AI-powered learning tools that have been implemented in classrooms nationwide, benefiting over 25,000 students. In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Rhodes further influences mathematics education through his role as an Associate Editor for the Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12 journal.
Audra Taylor
Associate Director for Student Success Technology & Analytics, Academic Success Center, Enrollment, Marketing & Student Success
Staff Discovery & Innovation Award
Audra Taylor, Associate Director for Student Success Technology and Analytics, is dedicated to improving both the student and staff experience through enhanced technology and support. Audra has been a Georgia Southern Eagle since 2016, earning her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration and working in advising until her shift to technology and analytics last year. In this new role, she has the opportunity to explore how technology and artificial intelligence can improve the student experience and create efficiencies in staff workloads. She most recently completed the search process for a new student lifecycle CRM and will now work with campus partners across all divisions to implement our new CRM, Slate Student Success. Audra is energized by discovering new ways to perform old tasks and embodies the idea of ‘growing ourselves to grow others.’
Inclusive Excellence Award
The Inclusive Excellence award recognizes those individuals who generated valuable ideas that have helped to develop new or improved processes, methods, systems, programs or services for their team, their department, our University or the external community.
Akiv Dawson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
Faculty Inclusive Excellence Award
Dr. Akiv J. Dawson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, where she teaches and conducts research focused on social inequalities, crime, and justice. Her work critically examines how race, class, and immigration status intersect in shaping individuals’ experiences with the criminal justice system. Dr. Dawson also serves as the Interim Co-Director of the Center for Africana Studies and chairs the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences Inclusion Committee, demonstrating her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in academia. A proud double eagle, she earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Georgia Southern University before completing her Ph.D. in Sociology at Howard University. Her scholarship and leadership are dedicated to advancing social justice and contributing to the academic community’s understanding of systemic inequalities. Dr. Dawson continues to be a passionate advocate for creating more equitable spaces in higher education.
Operational Efficiency, Effectiveness and Sustainability
The Operational Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Sustainability Award was designed to recognize those with a commitment increase operational efficiency and effectiveness while maximizing financial capital and human resources to ensure the University’s long-term sustainability–investing in our people and processes to grow others.
Ed Mondor, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biology, College of Science & Mathematics
Faculty Operational Efficiency, Effectiveness and Sustainability Award
Ed Mondor attended Brandon University, receiving a BSc in Psychology with a minor in Botany (1993). Ed then attended the University of Alberta receiving his MSc in Zoology (1996), working on tachinid parasitoids of the forest tent caterpillar. He received his Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University (2001), studying alarm signaling behavior in aphids. He completed postdocs at the University of Calgary and the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was employed as a Junior Entomologist at the University of Hawaii, prior to arriving at Georgia Southern University (2006). He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, an Institute for Health Logistics and Analytics (IHLA) Faculty Fellow, a Dean of Students (DOS) Faculty Fellow, the University System of Georgia (USG) Faculty Council Chair, and author of almost 40 peer-reviewed publications (including in the Editor’s Choice section of Science Magazine). In addition, he is the only practicing forensic entomologist in Georgia.
Natasha Sanders
Administrative Assistant III
Academic Affairs, Dean’s Office, Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing
Staff Operational Efficiency, Effectiveness and Sustainability Award
Natasha Sanders is an accomplished professional who has made a significant impact in both the public and academic sectors. A native New Yorker dedicated to her family; she moved to Georgia in 2015. Natasha began her career in the private sector, where she gained over 20 years of experience before joining Georgia Southern University in 2018 in the Information Technology Department. Natasha’s career trajectory continued to evolve and in 2024, she was promoted to the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing Dean’s office as the Administrative Assistant III, Budget Coordinator. She has been instrumental in fostering collaboration, leadership, and inclusivity within the university. One notable achievement was overseeing a critical budget allocation project for the college’s transition to R1 status. Her ability to navigate complex financial issues and secure vital funding allowed the college to continue its research initiatives and support the success of its faculty and students alike.
Community Engagement
The Community Engagement award was designed to give recognition to those who display outstanding community engagement in support of the University.
Priya Goeser, Ph.D.
Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing
Faculty Community Engagement Award
Dr. Priya Goeser is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus. She holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware and a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai. Dr. Goeser serves as the Program Director for the Eagle Engineering Ambassador Program, where she mentors students in STEM outreach and leadership initiatives. She has recently secured funding from Gulfstream and the Georgia Space Grant Consortium to support the growth and development of this program. As a leader in the American Society for Engineering Education’s Southeastern Section (ASEE SE), she has held various offices, including President and Chair of the Pre-College Engineering Education Division. Dr. Goeser is the Project Director for MATLAB Marina, demonstrating her commitment to enhancing engineering education. Her dedication has earned her numerous accolades, including the 2023 Tilmans-Dion Section Service Award at the ASEE SE.
Luke Roberson
Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator, Institute for Water & Health
Staff Community Engagement Award
Born and raised in Elizabethtown, KY, Luke has over 15 years of experience in environmental science and has worked with a diverse group of federal and state agencies, non-profits, and educational centers in his career. He specializes in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), working with volunteers, educators, and businesses in collecting and interpreting water quality data. He lives in Savannah with his wife Kim and two kids. Luke has undergraduate degrees in graphic design and biology from the University of Kentucky and a Masters of Science in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. He is a current DPH student at Georgia Southern University with a Community Health Behavior and Education concentration.
Collaboration
The Collaboration Award recognizes and promotes those who are dedicated to service to their departments, students, faculty, other departments on campus, and/ or the surrounding community through communication, innovation, integrity and inclusion.
Kristina Patterson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
Faculty Collaboration Award
Dr. Kristina Patterson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies. Her research and practice in community engagement informs her commitment to use her skills and expertise to facilitate everyone’s ability to live the life that they choose for themselves. Collaboration is at the heart of her work at Georgia Southern and in the community. She worked alongside Statesboro Mayor McCollar to develop and launch the Statesboro Village Builders Initiative, a comprehensive approach to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, which is dependent on collaborations among local organizations to support youth and their families. Dr. Patterson works with the United Way of Southeast Georgia to build capacity and facilitate collaboration among local nonprofit organizations to better serve the community. She serves as Co-Chair of the Statesboro Youth Commission and works to facilitate collaboration among youth serving organizations and advocates to better serve the youth of Statesboro.
Jill Johns
Project Manager, Institute for Health Logistics & Analytics (IHLA), Office of Research
Staff Collaboration Award
As the Project Manager for the Institute for Health Logistics & Analytics (IHLA) at Georgia Southern, Jill Johns leverages a One Health approach to influence health and well-being across different sectors. Recently, Jill spearheaded a federally funded multi-year program that trained over 1,300 high school and college students across the state and region, preparing them to respond to future infectious disease outbreaks. In addition to preparedness planning, Jill focuses on Total Worker Health: designing and implementing evidence-based interventions to develop a healthy workforce, solidifying GS’s reputation as a leader in workforce preparedness and health innovation. Currently in the dissertation phase of her doctorate degree in Public Health from the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Jill received her Master of Technology in Industrial Management and Safety from GS and holds a BA in French from the University of Notre Dame.
Academic Excellence
This award recognizes those individuals who provide or promote educational opportunities or resources that stimulate students academic progression and graduation.
Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing
Academic Excellence Award
Dr. Cesmeci considers himself both an educator and a scholar. Since joining Georgia Southern in 2019, Dr. Cesmeci has consistently demonstrated excellence in both teaching and research. He has served as the sole Principal Investigator for several U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Air Force grants as well as an innovative grant from a global Breakthrough T1D with funding of more than $1.7 million. Dr. Cesmeci’s research and educational contributions have been widely recognized with honors, including 2023-2024 Georgia Southern University Award of Excellence for Faculty Discovery and Innovation, 2022-2023 Georgia Southern University Award of Excellence for Student Success, 2023-2024 College of Engineering and Computing Faculty Award for Teaching, 2022-2023 College of Engineering and Computing Faculty Award for Scholarship, Department of Energy EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Explorers Award, Fellow for 2025-2026 Governor’s Teaching Fellows Academic Year Program, and 2024 Outstanding Recent Graduate Award from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Sustainability
The Sustainability Award was designed to recognize those with a commitment to sustainability that is exceptional and best exemplifies dedication to the sustainability value of the University.
Alan Harvey, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biology, College of Science and Mathematics
Sustainability Award
Alan Harvey has taught more than 20 courses, covering a broad range of lectures, labs, studio courses, and seminars in his 27 years at Georgia Southern University. His interests in environmental sustainability focus primarily on increasing awareness of the earth’s biodiversity and on protecting the environment against one particular anthropogenic stressor: invasive species. In addition to his 43 scientific publications, Dr. Harvey explores the interface between science and art. He produced and installed multiple large murals highlighting different aspects of our local biodiversity and has produced over 50 short biology-themed films, several of which have won awards and been shown in film festivals statewide. His Invasive Species classes developed and implemented an Invasive Species Management Plan for the area around BSCI and conducted class projects that led to formal research projects with both graduate and undergraduate students. In 2019 he received the Center for Sustainability Green Eagle Award.
Leadership Award
This award recognizes administrator-level employees (e.g. Program Directors, Assistant/Associate Department Chairs, Department Chair, Directors, Executive Directors, Managers) who, through their extraordinary leadership over the last year, demonstrated exemplary responsive leadership to students, colleagues and other customers of Georgia Southern University. The award recognizes leaders who, in addition to fulfilling their administrative and managerial roles with dedication and creativity, demonstrate vision and an outstanding commitment to excellence. Nominations should describe specific actions taken by this leader and how these actions benefited faculty, staff, students and/or the surrounding community. The actions by the nominee must reflect the following six values of Georgia Southern: Collaboration, Academic Excellence, Discovery and Innovation, Integrity, Openness and Inclusion and Sustainability.
Trent Davis, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Public & Nonprofit Studies, College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
Faculty Leadership Award
Dr. Trent Davis is a Professor of Public Administration and Chair of the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies, while also serving as Interim Chair of the School of Human Ecology. His teaching and research center on public management, human resource management, and organizational behavior. Since coming to Georgia Southern in 2007, Dr. Davis has transformed public service education by establishing the Institute for Public and Nonprofit Studies (2012) and elevating it to departmental status (2018). At the university, he serves as co-chair of the University Chairs Council, faculty affiliate with the Institute for Innovative and Integrated Studies, and Dean of Students Faculty Fellow. His national leadership includes roles with the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), where he serves as a site reviewer and commissioner for the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation.
Brenda Richardson
Director, First & Second Year Experience, Provost Office/Academic Affairs
Staff Leadership Award
Brenda Richardson is a proud Double Eagle and dedicated higher education leader with over 16 years of service at Georgia Southern University. As the Director for First Year and Second Year Experience, she has been instrumental in enhancing student engagement, retention, and career readiness through innovative curriculum design, institutional collaboration, and strategic planning. Her leadership has driven key initiatives, including the transformational redesign of the First-Year Experience curriculum, the integration of career readiness and financial literacy into academic programs, and the expansion of global engagement opportunities. A core leader of the nationally recognized Eagle Experience initiative, Richardson continues to champion student-centered initiatives that bridge learning with real-world application. Beyond student success, Richardson is a passionate advocate for staff development and support. She has served as Chair of Georgia Southern’s Staff Council and played an active leadership role in the University System of Georgia’s State Staff Council. Her commitment to student and staff development, institutional excellence, and cross-departmental collaboration exemplifies the values of Georgia Southern University.
Team Award
The Team Award recognizes a group of individuals comprised of three or more employees (staff and/or faculty) that contribute to one of the five strategic imperatives while demonstrating one of the six core values to help the University be the best place to work, learn, and succeed.
Members will receive a certificate, team photo with the President and a crystal plaque to be displayed in the office of the team leader.
EAGLE Academy
EAGLE Academy Members
- Yasar Bodur, Ph.D (COE Associate Dean)
- Stephanie Devine, Ph.D. (Executive Director)
- Dan Cain (Program Director)
- Angela Gordon (Graduate Assistant)
- Alexandria “Alex” Jensen (COE Graduate Assistant)
Since 2017, the Equal Access to Gainful Employment Academy (or EAGLE Academy) has aided young adults with intellectual disability in developing independence, career skills, community engagement, lifelong learning, and self-determination. Our self-sustaining program has grown from 2 to 13 students (650%); as we continued to grow, the EAGLE Academy team needed to become more efficient and collaborative. The team consists of Dr. Yasar Bodur (COE Associate Dean), Dr. Stephanie Devine (Executive Director), Daniel Cain (Program Director), Alexandria Jensen (Graduate Assistant), Angela Gordon (Graduate Assistant), and a wide variety of student peer mentors. We also cannot forget the incredible COE staff support we receive from Lori Wiggins, “Mama” Kelly Kennedy, and Chris Thompson. Our efforts have created a repeatable model that is grounded in Career Adaptability (Savickas, 2013), Bloom’s Taxonomy (Gershon, 2015), and Meta-cognition (Hartman, 2013) to promote independence and the individual goals of our amazing EAGLE Academy students.
Years of Service
*As of December 31, 2024
Years of Service recipients will receive a service year certificate and a service year lapel pin.
50 Years
- Olavi Arens
40 Years
- Jessica Hines
- Owen Sandt
35 Years
- Caroline M. Hopkinson
- Timothy David Whelan
- Timothy D. Giles
- Yassaman Saadatmand
- Julian Mooney
- Stephen Frawley
- Stephen Watkins
- Gregory Vaughan
30 Years
- Calvain E. Culberson, Jr.
- Christopher Neil McBride
- Delores Liston
- James Akins
- Kendall Turner
- Carol Waller
- William English
- Catherine Johnson
- Kent Rittschof
- Christine Whitlock
25 Years
- Angela A. Cook
- Sheila M. Porter
- Laura B. Regassa
- Cheryl Rogers
- Janice Stanford
- Sybil Kirkland
- Sharon Gilliard-Smith
- John Kraft
- Donna Mullenax
- Tyndall Jackson
- Lisa Denmark
- Kathleen Comerford
- Alice Hall
- Starla McCollum
- Edie Olliff
- Karen Nunnally
- Patricia Brannen
- Sara Grimes
- Brian Koehler
- Tabitha Anderson
- Andrew Hansen
- Rodney Hennon
- Matthew Williamson
- Gregory Brock
- Marian Tabi
- Anthony Barilla
- Steven Engel
- Amy Rowell
- Michael Pemberton
- Desiree West
20 Years
- Linda G. Mullen
- Pamela Sears
- Jack Simmons
- Myka Campbell
- Rochelle Lee
- Gregory Knofczynski
- Tony Morris
- Rebecca Rhinehart
- Mary Poe
- Kendria Lee
- Benjamin Bentley
- Melissa Brown
- Lorenza Beati Ziegler
- Howard Keeley
- Francois Ziegler
- Wei Tu
- Terry Diamanduros
- Andrew Diamanduros
- Lisa K Muller
- Thomas Buckhoff
- Barbara King
- Diana Botnaru
- Reinhard Piltner
- Ruth Whitworth
- Karen Heller
- Willie Mikell
- Tonya Owens
- Jessica Keeley
15 Years
- Laurie Adams
- Krista Briel
- Lisa Akers
- Avia Brown
- Darius Butts
- Cynthia Jones
- Sharon Chavers
- Stephen Collins
- Nicholas Herrington
- Joshua Wallace
- James Walker
- John Hodges
- David Bringman
- Robert Noah
- Melanie Yarley
- Jesse Hopkins
- Deandra Raymond
- Chasen Smith
- Charles Hodges
- Alexander Stokolos
- Justin Janney
- Thomas Markovcic
- David Wiggins
- Sally Brown
- Eric Landers
- Seonghoon Kim
- John DiCesare
- Lynne Reed
- Sabrina Ross
- Angela Harn
- Lisa Bridges
- Lydia Cross
- Joshua Lambert
- Megan Heins
- Lina Soares
- Jennifer Berghoff
- Shaowen Xu
- Elsie Howington
- Jay Hodgson
- Jason Beck
- Tricia Brown
- Lace Svec
- Ria Ramoutar
- Ginny McPhail
- Sara Gremillion
- Mohammad Ahad
- Jeffery Secrest
- Gwendolyn Carroll
- Nikiya Lewis
- Masahiko Uchida
- Cynthia Costa
- Thomas Mikell
- Francis Desiderio
- Janee Cardell
10 Years
- Naomi Jean Woods
- Denise E. Jones
- Brandon Beale Hunt
- Carol Yarley
- Gloria Stuart
- Janina Howard
- Lisa Lockhart
- Heather Valentine
- Meredith Quattlebaum
- Maliece Whatley
- Hudarphus Hardnett
- David Langley
- Jessica Spearman
- Brenda Blackwell
- Renee Berry
- Kylie Moore
- Ashley Brooks
- Brittany Nichols
- Mao Lin
- Smith Holloway
- Houston Kirkland
- Timothy Holton
- LaShai Campbell
- Chelsea Lanier
- Jordan Ivey
- Caitlyn Cofer
- Elizabeth Hunt
- Andrew Mosley
- Natalie Ingalsbe
- Charles Futch
- David Cutler
- Alphonso Smoot
- Chelsey Connor
- Zwisel Gandia Torres
- Anthony Hunter
- Jenice Jones
- Christopher Smith
- Barbara Weiss
- Eileen Swan
- Aaron Cohen
- Jennifer Dippolito
- Joshua Murray
- Patrick Holloway
- Joshua Berry
- Barbara O’Neal
- Shalah Bowden
- Daniel Adams
- Monique Aller
- Robert Farber
- James Durden
- Haley Worst
- Stephanie Del Forn
- Christina Gipson
- Stephanie Hairston
- Joshua Kennedy
- Steven Charlier
- William Mase
- Mete Akcaoglu
- Atin Adhikari
- Jeffery Jones
- James Roberts
- Kelly Sullivan
- Pamela Wells
- Charles Wilson
- Tracy Ham
- Keri Mans
- Robert Mans
- Antonio Gutierrez De Blume
- Francisco Cubas Suazo
- Zhan Chen
- Noriko Mori Kolbe
- Samuel Opoku
- Kerrin Allen
- Richard Cleveland
- Nedra Cossa
- Michele Guidone
- Mary Thaler
- Barbara Serianni
- Christina Ndaluka
- Mariana Saenz-Ayala
- Christopher Brown
- Diane Kessel
- Dragos Amarie
- Saeed Nasseh
- Bishal Silwal
- Christopher Cartright
- Delinda Gaskins
- Heather Carroll
- Pamela Goodman
- Celine Pfund
- Blaine Bennett
- Christel Monk
- Debbie Griner
- Kimberly Vedder
- Oscar Wiggins
- Elizabeth Mundhenke
- Jerry Ann Weaver
- Brian Sowell
- Sarah Singleton
- Ronald Holton
- Linda Covino
- Angelina Ward
- Sara Ridgway-Jones
- Donna Gambrell
- Daniel Roberts
- William Henry
- Ryan Richardson
- Christy Byczkoski
5 Years
- Earl Cashon
- Machelle Moore
- Jose Rubio
- Elijah Boesche
- Annalee Ashley
- Ellen Williams
- Sheronda Higgins
- Lauren Porter
- Kyle Marrero
- Stefan Olsson
- Germain Williams
- John Hendrix
- Kelly Patton
- Timothy Alderman
- Wilma Matti
- Luvashia Collins
- Moses Malloy
- Artemis Allen
- Joann Wakefield
- Tajae Francis
- Elijah Jewell
- Vonde’Sha Lewis
- Eboney Hall
- David McFerrin
- Laurence Croy
- Alison Darby
- Serena Murphy
- Carson Beauman
- Melanie Miller
- Jonathan Reid
- Jessica Hollingsworth
- Naundie Eason
- Hannah Beriault
- Kathryn Stewart
- Ryan Schroeder
- Lisandra Carmichael
- Courtney Meihoff
- James Carter
- Cynthia Massey
- Melvin Lamboy Ruiz
- Cuiping Schiman
- Matthew Mogle
- Yuan Li
- Kevin Reed
- Kelli Gecawich
- Andrea Scheetz
- Elizabeth Rahilly
- Eric Hogan
- Deepak Iyengar
- Ho Jui Tung
- Paul Tookes
- Selcuk Dogan
- Jayce Sudweeks
- Kendra Parker
- Meaghan Ryan
- Timothy Jacox
- Kristina Thompson
- Ashtyn Hutchins
- Jamie Natal
- Steven Cushner
- Susan Hutchins
- Kelvin Pierce
- Matthew Rudd
- Emily Tippins
- Kelly Morgan
- Marvette Wilkerson
- Zachary Hagan
- Elrico Tremble
- Cecily Willerton
- Johnny Fowler
- Mitchell Mock
- Patrick Lancaster
- Jillanna Browning
- Colleta Coleman
- Laura Wheaton
- Bailey Dyches
- Sarah Grey
- Elise Cain
- Tory Candea
- Carol Herringer
- Leslie Chala
- Abraham Flanigan
- Morgan Rempel
- Katherine Perry
- Spencer Riner
- Derek Burns
- Daniel Cain
- Jennifer Lockaby
- Caitlin Borges
- Marshay Williams
- Jennifer Golden
- Latoya Alston
- Efrain Negron Ortiz
- Taylor Sherwin
- Chad Willis
- Janet Goodman
- Patrick Daniel
- Xiaodi Sun
Committee Review
A total of 10 committees will review the Faculty, Staff and Team awards. Six of the committees will provide a peer-review process for the applicants and four committees will be joint. The joint committees will consist of members from both the faculty and staff with equal representation. The charge to the following committees is to review application packets and decide on the Awards of Excellence winners. Each committee will evaluate the applicants based upon a set criterion and rubric. Rubrics are designed per award.
University Awards Committee
- Bill Dawers: Co-chair, Principal Lecturer, Department of Communication Arts and Department of English
- Jessica Hersey: Co-chair, PCard Administrator, Procurement & Logistical Services
- John Banter, Director of the Office of Organizational Effectiveness
- Caitlin Borges, Donor Relations Coordinator, Advancement Services
- Charles Bowen, Police Support Services Captain, Office of Public Safety
- Katie Brkich, Professor, Department of Elementary & Special Education
- Melissa Brown, Enrollment Services Coordinator
- Bo Dai, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing
- Anoop Desai, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Francis Desiderio, Associate Dean & NTT Assistant Professor, Honors College
- William Eaton, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
- Cynthia Groover, Assistant Provost, Academic Affairs, Provost & Vice President
- Catherine Macgowan, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry & Physics
- Mallory McLendon, Graphic Designer, University Communications and Marketing
- Ed Mondor, Associate Professor, Department of Biology
- Kylie Moore, Associate Director of Institutional Research, Institutional Research
- Dominique Quarles, Associate Vice President for Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership Development, and Inclusive Excellence
- Leigh Price, Executive Associate for President, Office of the President
- Stephen Rossi, Associate Dean, Waters College of Health Professions
- Hani Samawi, Professor & Interim Department Chair, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences
- April Schueths, Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Contact: gsawards@georgiasouthern.edu
Separate Committees
- Teaching (Pillar) and Academic Excellence (Value)
Faculty: Faculty Senate Development Committee
Staff: Staff Committee for Teaching/Academic Excellence Awards - Research (Pillar) and Discovery and Innovation (Value)
Faculty: Faculty Senate Research Committee
Staff: Staff Committee for Research/Discovery and Innovation Awards - Community Engagement (also known as Service) (Pillar) and Collaboration (Value)
Faculty: Faculty Senate Service Committee
Staff: Staff Committee for Community Engagement/Collaboration Awards
Joint Committees of Faculty/Staff
- Inclusive Excellence (Pillar) and Openness and Inclusiveness (Value)
Committee Review will be conducted by the President’s Diversity Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Office of Multicultural Affairs. - Operational EE&S (Pillar) and Sustainability (Value)
Committee Review will be conducted under the direction of the AVP for Planning and Analysis in conjunction with and the Director of the Center for Sustainability. These leaders will identify individuals that have expertise in operational efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability that can ascertain the contributions of the applicants. The committee structure should be a cross-section of faculty, staff, administrators, and students. - Student Success (Pillar)
Committee Review will be conducted by the Student Success Institutional Committee with representation from the Faculty Senate Student Success Committee. - Integrity (Value) & Team Award
The committee will be representative of faculty and staff, across Divisions and Academics.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive an Award of Excellence, an employee must be employed by the Georgia Southern University or the former Armstrong University for a minimum of three years at (the nomination period of August 1st) and must have received a rating of meets expectations or higher on the previous 2 performance evaluations.
All personnel up to, but not including, Directors and Chairs are eligible for nominations for Awards of Excellence. Directors in this instance does not infer to Academic Program directors, rather Directors within Divisional units.
An employee who has won a particular award in the past 3 years is not eligible to compete for that exact same award.
Certain Award Review Committees may have eligibility criteria that supersede these criteria, these are set as a minimum.