The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences met May 15 to celebrate the academic year and reward achievement at the 24th annual College Awards Luncheon. A faculty/lecturer awards committee reviewed more than 40 nominations and made six awards, including four to faculty and lecturers and two to graduate students.
The graduate student awards for excellence in teaching and research went to Renee Bordeaux, Department of Communication, and Massimo Verzella, Department of English.
The faculty award for outstanding teaching went to Stephenson Beck, associate professor of communication. Beck was described by a student as, “inspiring; he makes me think about the importance of the material (with regards to) all aspects of my relational and professional goals."
Kelly Sassi, associate professor of English; Carrie Anne Platt, assistant professor of communication; and Paul Homan, associate professor of modern languages, received honorable mentions.
Amy Rupiper Taggart, professor of English, received the faculty award for outstanding scholarship. This year, she published two books, an article and a review. Honorable mentions went to Bruce Maylath, professor of English; Nan Yu, assistant professor of communication; Verena Theile, assistant professor of English; and Andrew Mara, associate professor of English.
The faculty award for outstanding creative activity went to Kent Kapplinger, professor of visual arts. His recent work, dealing with the oil boom in North Dakota, is receiving international acclaim.
Sassi also was recognized with the college’s outstanding service award. Her service includes work as co-director of the Red River Valley Writing Project, teacher of teachers across the state and co-coordinator of community humanities projects, such as this year’s community reading of “Moby Dick.”
Honorable mentions go to Emily Wicktor, assistant professor of English; Charlette Moe, assistant professor of music; Michael Weber, associate professor of music; Amy O’Connor, associate professor of communication; and Nick Bauroth, associate professor of criminal justice and political science.
In addition, Kent Sandstrom, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, presented two special awards. The first thanked former dean Tom Riley, professor of sociology and anthropology, for his service to the college during his 15 years as dean.
Sandstrom also recognized Cathy Heiraas, assistant to the dean, with thanks and appreciation for her 40 years of outstanding service to our college.
The faculty/lecturer awards committee was composed of Anthony Flood, assistant professor of history, philosophy and religious studies; Carol Cwiak, assistant professor of emergency management; Dale Sullivan, professor of English; and Hardy Koenig, assistant professor of theatre arts. The committee was chaired by Robert Littlefield, professor of communication, who served as the event’s master of ceremonies, as he has for 18 of the past 24 years. Littlefield, who was interim dean of the college 24 years ago, inaugurated the awards celebration for the college and has served as chair of the awards committee for nearly all of the past 24 years.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.