Eastern Michigan University honors faculty, staff for distinguished contributions

Awards note excellence in areas such as teaching, research, student success, creativity and community engagement

Eastern Michigan University honors faculty, staff for distinguished contributions
Awards ranged from leadership to innovation to excellence in teaching at the first annual Distinguished Contributions event.

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University honored a wide variety of its faculty and staff members March 29 for distinguished efforts in areas such as teaching, research, student engagement and success and community engagement.

The first annual Distinguished Contributions event, held in the Student Center Ballroom before a crowd of about 250, combined a variety of new awards for EMU staff members with the long-established Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Awards, the highest honor Eastern bestows on its faculty. Part-time lecturers were also honored.

The new Distinguished Achievement Recognition Awards honored people at EMU who foster student engagement and learning outside of the classroom. Nominations and online balloting involved the campus community.

For part-time lecturers, nominations packets were submitted and reviewed by the EMU PT Lecturers Union and the Provost’s Office. Previous Ronald W. Collins award winners selected this year’s faculty honorees.

“As we know, the success of EMU has always been in its ability to work across divisions and departments, to coalesce teams, to create programs, and to solve institutional challenges,” said Rhonda Longworth, provost and executive vice president of academic and student affairs. “What we have not always remembered to do is to pause and honor all of those who contribute to the dynamism of EMU. This event seeks to change that.”

The categories and awards included:

Student Engagement & Success Award

Melissa Rosenblum, Counseling and Psychological Services, PT.

Christine Deacons, Academic Support Programs, AP.

Leadership Award

• Tracey Cade, Campus Life Clerical, CS.

• Amy Barnhart, New Student & Transition Programs, PT.

• Ellen Gold, Assistant Vice President for Student Well-being, AP.

Innovation Award

• Julia Heck, Associate Director, Office of the Ombuds, AP.

Community Engagement & Service Awards

• Bonnie Taylor, World Languages, CS.

Jack Bidlack, Engage@EMU.

Part-time Lecturer Awards

• Roberta Justice, Music & Dance.

• Malgorzata Mroz, World Languages.

• Jane Stephenson, Management.

• Joy Versluis, Nursing.

• Susan Santone, Teacher Education.

• Russell Rhoton, Engineering Technology.

Excellent Teachers Engaging Alumni Award

Susan Badger Booth, Communication, Media and Theatre Arts.

Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty Awards                

• Research I: Kennedy Saldhana, Social Work.

• Teaching I: Zuzana Tomas, World Languages.

• Research II: Kristine Ajrouch, Sociology.

• Teaching II: John Staunton, English, Language & Literature.

• Service: Jill Dieterle, Philosophy.

• Creative activity: Michael Reedy, Art.

The Distinguished Contributions Awards Ceremony was presented by the Krumm Agency – Meemic Agents.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.

April 01, 2017

Written by:
Geoff Larcom

Media Contact:
Geoff Larcom
glarcom@emich.edu
734-487-4400