Paige Bold
Contributing Writer
Murray, Ky. — Murray State University celebrated faculty this year with a digital iteration of the annual Faculty Recognition Banquet.
The virtual banquet recognized faculty for their roles in the classroom and as mentors and researchers. The awards presented at the annual faculty banquet are chosen from a variety of methods including student nominations, formal applications and the votes of fellow faculty members. The banquet also recognizes faculty who have served for decades as well as those retiring.
Though this year’s banquet was canceled in light of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the award winners are:
Presidential Research Award
- Dr. Christopher Craig, Department of Management, Marketing and Business Administration
Distinguished Mentor
- Dr. Iin Handayani, Department of Agricultural Science
Omicron Delta Kappa Advisor of the Year
- Dr. Miguel Gomez, Department of Adolescent, Career and Special Education
Board of Regents Teaching Excellence Awards
- Dr. Amanda Grossman, Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business
- Dr. Christina Grant, College of Education and Human Services
- Dr. Carrie Jerrell, College of Humanities and Fine Arts
- Dr. Marc Polizzi, College of Humanities and Fine Arts
- Dr. Marcie Venter, Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology
- Dr. David Wilbanks, Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology
- Barbie Papajeski, Hutson School of Agriculture
- Dr. Tonia Mailow, School of Nursing and Health Professions
Distinguished Professor
- Dr. David Ferguson, Hutson School of Agriculture
Distinguished Researcher
- Dr. Joshua Adair, Department of English and Philosophy
Emerging Scholar (STEM)
- Dr. Marcie Venter, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Emerging Scholar (non-STEM)
- Dr. Michelle Panchuk, Department of English and Philosophy
Sandra Flynn Professor of the Year
- Dr. Sara Cooper, Department of English and Philosophy
Outstanding Collegiate Researchers
- Dr. Kemaly Parr, College of Education and Human Services
- Dr. Abdul Yarali, Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology
- Dr. Jeffrey Young, Hutson School of Agriculture
- Dr. Nancy Armstrong, School of Nursing and Health Professions
- AJ Boston, University Libraries
Additionally, last fall, a cross-campus committee awarded Dr. Kate He in the Department of Biology the second annual Lana Porter Open Access Initiatives Award, which recognizes Murray State faculty, staff, or students who have made significant contributions to scholarship through open access formats.
“The key, critical process of any institution of higher education is the teaching and learning process,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Tim Todd. “In that area, the faculty lead the way. Murray State University has truly outstanding faculty who change the lives of their students. We are honored to honor this year’s award winners while thanking all faculty for who they are and what they do.”
Faculty recognized for their years of service include:
10 years
- Ihsan Alkhatib (Political Science and Sociology)
- Katherine Farmer (University Libraries)
- Daniel Hepworth (Community Leadership and Human Services)
- Karen Kane (Music)
- Stefan Linnhoff (Management, Marketing and Business Administration)
- Kevin Miller (Chemistry)
- John Muenzberg (English and Philosophy)
- Mi-Hwa Park (Early Childhood and Elementary Education)
- Samir Patel (Educational Studies, Leadership and Counseling)
- Alyx Shultz (Hutson School of Agriculture)
- Elizabeth Thomas (Journalism and Mass Communications)
- Justin Walsh (Global Languages and Theatre Arts)
- Keith Wright (Hutson School of Agriculture)
15 years
- Solomon Antony (Computer Science and Information Systems)
- William Dewees (Veterinary Technology and Pre-Veterinary Medicine)
- Bertus Ferreira (Community Leadership and Human Services)
- Marcia Ford (Telecommunications Systems Management)
20 years
- Traci Byrd (Occupational Safety and Health)
- Lori Crouch (Applied Health Sciences)
- Warren Edminster (English and Philosophy)
- Terence Holmes (Management, Marketing and Business Administration)
- Bommanna Loganathan (Chemistry)
- Paul Lucko (Community Leadership and Human Services)
- Robert Lyons (Educational Studies, Leadership and Counseling)
- Pat McCutchen (Political Science and Sociology)
- Christopher Mecklin (Mathematics and Statistics)
- Brent Menchinger (Global Languages and Theatre Arts)
- Shauna Mullins (Academic Success)
- Kelly Pearson (Mathematics and Statistics)
- Stephanie Rea (Music)
- David Roach (Mathematics and Statistics)
- Therese Saint Paul (Global Languages and Theatre Arts)
- Raymond Sims (Adolescent, Career and Special Education)
- Latricia Trites (English and Philosophy)
- Eric Umstead (Adolescent, Career and Special Education)
- Johna Veatch (Breathitt Veterinary Center)
- Tan Zhang (Mathematics and Statistics)
25 years
- Ralph Bokeno (Organizational Communication)
- Haluk Cetin (Earth and Environmental Sciences)
- Crystal Coel (Organizational Communication)
- John Fannin (Music)
- Michael Kemp (Institute of Engineering)
- Barbie Papajeski (Veterinary Technology and Pre-Veterinary Medicine)
- Timothy Todd (Organizational Communication)
30 years
- Robert Pilgrim (Computer Science and Information Systems)
- Victor Raj (Computer Science and Information Systems)
35 years
- Scott Erickson (Music)
- Hamid Kobraei (Institute of Engineering)
- Robert Pervine (Mathematics and Statistics)
