UNCW Honors Excellence at Inaugural Faculty Celebration

Recipients of several annual awards were announced at the inaugural Faculty Awards Celebration on May 2. Previously presented at the fall faculty meeting, the new awards event is hosted by the Office of Faculty Affairs. Chancellor Aswani K. Volety, Provost James J. Winebrake, the deans and several other academic leaders joined in formally recognizing the honorees. 

“Today is a day of celebration as we recognize the outstanding achievements of our faculty,” said Interim Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Faculty Affairs Michelle Scatton-Tessier in the opening remarks. “This event is a significant highlight of our academic calendar, a moment where we pause to acknowledge the commitment, innovation and excellence that define our faculty and, by extension, our institution.” 
 
Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching 
Presented at UNCW’s Commencement by the Board of Governors 
 - Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock, professor, Department of Communication Studies 

Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award 
Presented by Provost Winebrake 
 - Michaela Howells, associate professor, Department of Anthropology 

Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award 
Presented by the academic college deans 
 - Cameron School of Business | Gaurav Gupta, associate professor, Department of Accountancy and Business Law 
 - College of Health and Human Services | Cara Gray, associate professor, School of Health and Applied Human Sciences 
 - College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts | Jennifer Le Zotte, associate professor, Department of History 
 - College of Science and Engineering | Zachary Long, associate professor, Department of Biology and Marine Biology 
 - Watson College of Education | Jeremy Hilburn, professor, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy, and Special Education 

Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award 
Presented by Faculty Senate President Colleen Reilly 
 - Susanna Lopez-Legentil, professor, Department of Biology and Marine Biology 

Distinguished Scholarly Engagement and Public Service Award 
Presented by Provost Winebrake 
 - Rising recipient: Sarah Gaby, assistant professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology 
 - Senior recipient: Michaela Howells, associate professor, Department of Anthropology 

Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award 
Presented by Provost Winebrake 
 - Michaela Howells, associate professor, Department of Anthropology 
 - Beverley McGuire, professor, Department of Philosophy and Religion 

Excellence in Online Education Award 
Presented by the Office of Distance Education and eLearning 
 - Christine Liao, associate professor, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy, and Special Education 

Graduate Faculty Mentor Award 
Presented by the Graduate School 
 - Julia Waity, professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology 

J. Marshall Crews Distinguished Faculty Award 
Presented by the Alumni Association 
 - Martin Posey, professor, Department of Biology and Marine Biology 

Lecturer of the Year Award 
Presented by the Center for Teaching Excellence 
 - Kimberly Faxon Hemingway, senior lecturer, Department of English 
 - Annemarie Petroff, lecturer, School of Nursing 

Part-time Lecturer of the Year Award 
Presented by the Center for Teaching Excellence 
 - Jamie Pond, lecturer, Department of Psychology 

More information on many of the awards may be found on the Faculty Excellence Awards webpage.