Tag: faculty awards

For the first time, the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities held its end-of-year meeting in a virtual format on May 13.

CAAH faculty and staff might have missed the chance to catch up with colleagues after the meeting adjourned over the customary sweet tea and cookies, but otherwise the Zoom meeting covered much familiar territory.

College committee reports were delivered by the following faculty members: Andrew Levin (Curriculum Committee), Mickey Lauria (Research Committee), Daval Gajjar (Faculty Awards Committee) and Anthony Bernarducci (Honors and Awards Committee). Peter Laurence contributed the Faculty Senate report.

If there had been a theme to the meeting, it would have been “Transitions.” In his introductory remarks, Interim Dean Timothy R. Boosinger mentioned the challenges  and changes COVID-19 brought to campus in March. He also looked ahead to strategies for a “return to work” and fall classes.

Kate Schwennsen was recognized for her exceptional leadership of the School of Architecture for a decade, while Jim Stevens was welcomed as the School’s next director beginning June 1.

Faculty members Thomas Kuehn (Department of History and Geography), Mark Hosler (Department of Performing Arts) and Robert Silance (School of Architecture) were acknowledged upon their retirement.

Nicholas Vazsonyi, who begins his tenure as dean on July 1, addressed the faculty and staff both warmly and briefly.

Announcements about faculty and staff award winners were split between Interim Dean Boosinger, Associate Dean Jim Spencer and Interim Associate Dean James Burns:

Student-selected honors

The afternoon’s recognitions began with two faculty awards normally announced at the annual Honors and Awards ceremony. Students from the CAAH Ambassadors selected these two winners from a field nominated by fellow students:

• Advisor of the Year: Deborah Anthony (Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management)
• Faculty Member of the Year: Matthew Leckenbusch (Department of Performing Arts)

Lightsey Fellows

• Maria Bose (Department of English)
• Mashal Saif (Department of Philosophy and Religion)

John B. & Thelma A. Gentry Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities

• Ben White (Department of Philosophy and Religion)

Creativity Professorships

• Design and Building: Hala Nassar (School of Architecture)
• Humanities: Rhondda Robinson Thomas (Department of English) and
  Christa Smith (Department of History and Geography)

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

• Elizabeth Jemison (Department of Philosophy and Religion)

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research

• Mashal Saif (Department of Philosophy and Religion)

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service

• Charles Starkey (Department of Philosophy and Religion)

Dean’s Team Player Award

• Keri Crist-Wagner (Department of English)

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Customer Service

• Julia Harvey (all from CAAH Student Services)
• Ashley Crisp
• Regina Foster and
• Carolyn Crist

Clemson University Awards

In addition to the College’s award winners, one faculty member and one student from the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities were recognized with Algernon Sydney Sullivan awards.

• Rhonda Robinson Thomas (Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature, Department of English)
• Carly Malcolm (Class of 2020, language and international health major (Spanish) with a minor in gender, sexuality and women’s studies

Congratulations to all of the College’s award winners!

Dear students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of CAAH:

Fall semester is always an interesting blend of the excitement that surrounds the beginning of the academic year and the arrival of new students as they begin their academic journey.

For most of us, this term is hectic and at times a little crazy given all the activities that are swirling around the College. I particularly enjoyed observing several classes filled with talented young students being taught by enthusiastic and talented faculty. I have always been impressed that both students and faculty can maintain a healthy balance between our primary mission of instruction and the numerous distractions, while enjoyable, that accompany the fall semester.

The semester is always fast-paced, but it seems more like a sprint from Thanksgiving to graduation. The good work that gets done during the final weeks of the semester is remarkable.

The culmination of all this good work is, of course, graduation.

Commencement is a very special day in the life of the College and the University. It is a time of celebration for the graduates and their families and a time for faculty to take great pride in all that their students have accomplished. All of us in the College wish our December graduates the very best in the new year and for many years to come.

The new year creates exciting opportunities for the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities as we go through a transition in leadership. The search for a new, permanent dean is on schedule, with plans for on-campus interviews in January for the finalists. The search for a new director of the School of Architecture is also on target, with those finalists interviewing in late January. Both searches reportedly have large applicant pools. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to serve the College as interim dean as we move through this transition.

In addition, there have been other leadership changes in the College.

We have just announced that James M. Burns, who has served the College as chair of history since 2015, is the new interim associate dean for academic affairs.

Since spring, we have welcomed other new leaders around the College. Each one brings unique talents and perspectives to their new role, and it’s rewarding to see them acclimate and grow.

Cynthia Haynes is director of our interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design. Jon Marcoux directs of our Charleston-based Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, which is shared with College of Charleston. Ryan Dietz is director of the Master of Real Estate Development program, which is based in downtown Greenville. In our undergraduate programs, Kelly Smith is interim chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, while William McCoy is interim director of Pan African Studies and John Robert Smith is interim director of World Cinema.

Evolution has continued elsewhere in the College as well:

• Two of our College’s majors have new names: Language and International Business, and also Performing Arts.
•  A new digital history concentration is available for those pursuing a B.A. in history. The College also is paving the way for the country’s first Ph.D. in digital history, which has been approved by the Clemson Board of Trustees and is now before the South Carolina Commission of Higher Education.
• The nation’s only undergraduate major in Women’s Leadership recently marked its fifth anniversary and now has 50 students in the major.

The College is building on its strengths and making sure we continue to offer quality educational programs and great value to our students:

• Construction Science and Management received its re-accreditation by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) in March of 2019. In Landscape Architecture, the BLA and MLA programs were awarded re-accreditation for six years in April 2019.

I am proud that at the University and beyond, the excellence of our faculty and their research is being recognized. Here are just a few examples of the many honors our faculty have received this year:

• Kelly Smith received the 2019 Alumni Master Teacher award at Clemson University. The single, annual award is selected by students and decided through a rigorous evaluation process.
• Robert Hewitt was named a fellow in the Council of Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
• David Allison was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Healthcare Architects and the Changemaker Award from the Center for Health Design.
• Kate Schwennsen (professor and director of the School of Architecture), David Allison (director of Architecture + Health) and Dan Harding (director of graduate programs in architecture) were named Most Admired Educators by DesignIntelligence.
• Shannon Robert was invited to participate in the PQ 2019 Exhibition in Prague, an international recognition for her groundbreaking work in theatrical set design.

Gameday cheer in Charlotte

With Clemson again demonstrating athletic excellence, it was a wonderful break to be able to cheer on the Tigers in the ACC Championship football game in Charlotte and to meet up with alumni who were doing the same.

Thanks to the generous support of alumni and friends, the College was able to host a wonderful event the afternoon before the ACC Championship game. The Little headquarters in downtown Charlotte near the stadium was a spectacular venue for our pregame event. (Little is the largest architecture and design firm in Charlotte).

Our sponsors included: Phil Kuttner, Partner & Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Roark, Partner & Corporate Retail Studio Principal, and Ron Boozer, Design Principal.

Thanks to their support, we had an amazing time celebrating the life of the College and of course getting ready for the game.

Thank you for all you have done this year to advance the mission of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities,

Tim Boosinger

Warm congratulations to all winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards!

Lightsey Fellows Program: Tiffany Dawn Creegan Miller, assistant professor of Spanish, for her work on (Re)negotiating the Politics of Orality and Ethnography in Performances of Kaqchikel Children’s Songs and Poetry

Established by Dr. and Mrs. Harry M. Lightsey with an original pledge of $100,000, the endowment provides support for junior faculty members in the humanities for summer research projects that will advance their scholarship. A peer-review committee of faculty has judged these proposals, and a summer stipend is attached to the award.

John B. and Thelma A. Gentry Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities: Yanming An, professor of Chinese and philosophy

Established by Frank and Sarah Gentry to honor Mr. Gentry’s parents, John and Thelma Gentry, this peer-reviewed award recognizes an outstanding humanities faculty member and provides an annual competitive fund to support projects, materials and activities that will improve and enrich teaching in the humanities. A peer-review committee of faculty has judged these proposals and a summer stipend is attached to the award.

Dean’s Awards for Faculty and Staff
The annual dean’s awards are peer-reviewed by the college awards committees. Each award comes with a plaque of recognition, placement on the list of awardees in the dean’s office and a cash award.

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching: Raquel Anido, assistant professor of Spanish

Her nominators write glowingly of her excellence in the classroom.  One wrote, “[she] imparted a wealth of knowledge on her other students and me about Spanish language and culture, but she also imparted the necessity for passion in whatever one is doing. She encourages her students to pursue their passions, to never settle and to challenge beliefs.”

Another said, “Anything less than the best is not enough for [her].  I truly admire this desire in her. She challenges all of her students to be the very best they can be. In return, she brings her best, every day, to the classroom. Her standards are high but not impossible, and I truly appreciate that she cares enough about her students to educate them to the best of her ability, push them beyond their comfort zone and help them to discover their strengths and passions in the process.”

And, from her own teaching statement, Professor Anido reminds us all of this very important message – “Teaching is a passion for communicating knowledge, for sharing and giving back what you have learned from the most inspiring readings, travels, life experiences and teachers you have had.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research: Michael LeMahieu, associate professor of English

As one nominator stated, “His considerable portfolio of published journal articles and book chapters testifies to a range of interests – particularly in the effect of the Civil War on 20th century culture – that will surely define a career of continuing productivity at the highest level. Few beginning scholars merit the recognition he has already received simply by having his first two books published by first the Oxford University Press and second, the University of Chicago Press.”

Another wrote, “[He] is an outstanding scholar whose achievements in the past three years have been stunning.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service: Eric Touya, associate professor of French

One nominator wrote, “He has served as the Language and International Trade advisor for French majors since 2008 and L&IT interim director for the past three years. Since he began teaching at Clemson in 2008, he directed the work of 35 B.A. final projects in the area of French and international trade, and 24 independent studies and honors projects. Over the years, [he] worked for the continued success of the L&IT program which attracted many talented students to Clemson University. Under his leadership, there has been a growing number of majors and the program achieved a high retention rate.”

Another wrote, “[He] played a large role in my decision to come to Clemson: torn between two different universities, my meeting with [him] during my senior year of high school demonstrated both his passion for the language and international trade program and his genuine desire to get to know each of his students on a personal level.”

Dean’s Team Player Award: Jeannette Carter, administrative specialist in the Department of History

In one letter of nomination, the author wrote, “I’ve never seen [her] have a bad day or even a bad moment. Her smile and cheerfulness are relentless. Whatever you bring her, she’s on it as soon as she can, whether she tackles the matter directly or gives it to the work study student, whose supervision is also part of her duties. No one has ever been as efficient at getting travel reimbursements and other financial matters moving.”

And finally, “She is not just a team player, but the kind of person sometimes called a “glue person” – the team member who pulls everyone else together.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Customer Service: Karen Parker, IT consultant for AAH support in CCIT

One nominator wrote, “In the past eleven years, I have worked at three universities in five positions and I can say, without hesitation, that [she] is the most consistent and reliable co-worker I have worked with.”

The nominator summed it up by saying, “What is most impressive about her, and what truly qualifies her for this award, is her demeanor. She is busy, as clearly seen by her swift pace when she walks across campus, but when she is in your office, working on the issue, she is focused completely on the task at hand, and with a smile.”

CAAH Student Choice Awards:

Each year, the CAAH Student Ambassadors coordinate two awards for faculty in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. The Ambassadors call for nominations and, as a committee, they recognize two members of the faculty for outstanding teaching and advising.

Advisor of the Year: Christopher Grau, associate professor of philosophy

Teacher of the Year: Walt Hunter, assistant professor of English

Warm congratulations to all winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards!

Lightsey Fellows Program: Lee Wilson, Department of History, and Elizabeth Jemison, Department of Philosophy and Religion

Established by Dr. and Mrs. Harry M. Lightsey with an original pledge of $100,000, the endowment provides support for junior faculty members in the humanities for summer research projects that will advance their scholarship. A peer review committee of faculty has judged these proposals.

John B. and Thelma A. Gentry Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities: Lucian Ghita, Department of English

Established by Frank and Sarah Gentry to honor Mr. Gentry’s parents, John and Thelma Gentry, this peer-reviewed award recognizes an outstanding humanities faculty member and provides an annual competitive fund to support projects, materials and activities that will improve and enrich teaching in the humanities.

Dean’s Awards for Faculty
The annual dean’s awards are peer-reviewed by the college faculty awards committee. Each award comes with a plaque of recognition, placement on the list of awardees in the dean’s office and a cash award.

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching: Gabriela Stoicea, assistant professor of German in the Department of Languages

As one nominator commented, “[Her] classes rank among the very best that the university has to offer.  … I found them to be incredibly intellectually stimulating, and other students and I often mulled over ideas from class discussions long after class had ended.”

Another wrote, “She always upheld a certain atmosphere in her classroom that encouraged productive and thought-provoking conversation. She led us as we powerfully worked through seemingly difficult topics, such as societal oppression on the individual or the complexities of moral standards.”

And, from her own teaching statement, Professor Stoicea reminds us all of this very important message: “Contributing to my students’ intellectual formation is a privilege I never take for granted, but one that I work hard to earn every single day.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research: Vernon Burton, professor of history in the Department of History

As one nominator stated, “His influence stems directly from his research activity in multiple areas: from the traditional (books, journal essays, reviews) to the cutting edge (digital history and computing) to the civic (as a popular speaker, a public intellectual, and even as an expert witness in legal matters, including especially civil rights cases.)

Another nominator commented that, “Vernon Burton is the most prominent scholar alive today specializing in the history of the American South and one of the most productive researchers on our campus. … When national and state politicians and the national and international media want historical context and insight into the South’s unique and often troubled past, as well as other issues in American history, they turn to Vernon Burton.”

Dean’s Awards for Staff
The Dean’s Awards for Staff are peer-reviewed, with an outside representative serving on the selection committee. Each award comes with a plaque of recognition, placement on the list of awardees in the dean’s office and a cash award.

Dean’s Team Player Award: Sarah Edison, administrative assistant in the Department of Performing Arts

In one letter of nomination, the author wrote, “Sarah is a highly productive collaborative member of our team, is collegial, professional and always ensures that our department and our university look good.  … Because our department deals with live performances and events, there are often a variety of crises that must be managed so that audience members and patrons remain unaware. Sarah is a calm and confident “behind-the-scenes” player in these situations. When the Brooks Center is in need of additional labor, she often stays late, comes in early and works over weekends to ensure that things are done to her high standards.”

Another wrote, “Within the Department of Performing Arts, Sarah works with each ensemble director to craft programs and posters for their concerts. She carefully tailors each piece to the request of faculty members from across the theatre and music disciplines and is incredibly accurate and efficient at doing so.”

And finally, “Sarah’s contributions extend far beyond the Brooks Center.  … This year, as a member of the STEAM Task Force, she took minutes, coordinated meeting times, and helped organize the job responsibilities of the members.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Customer Service: Emily Clarke, administrative assistant in the Department of English

The ASAP/7 Organizing Committee nominated Emily Clarke for her “extraordinary work as a co-organizer of the ASAP/7 conference hosted by Clemson University on September 24-25, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency in Greenville. … The conference took over two years of planning and brought over 300 leading scholars, artists and writers to Greenville.  … The conference required an enormous amount of skill and initiative: we had to coordinate and assist the international association as well as the hundreds of organizations, businesses and individual participants involved. Emily voluntarily went above and beyond…continuing all her regular staff duties with good cheer, even as she helped us on weeknights and weekends, especially in the months leading up to the event. She designed the ASAP/7 logo and website and adapted that design for some of the most handsome conference t-shirts and tote bags we have ever seen. She was the lead contact for our plenary speakers and for tech support at the Hyatt.”

CAAH Student Choice Awards:

Each year, the CAAH Student Ambassadors coordinate two awards for faculty in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. The Ambassadors call for nominations and, as a committee, they recognize two members of the faculty for outstanding teaching and advising. This year’s winners were announced at the annual Honors and Awards Day for students in April.

Advisor of the Year: Matt Powers of the Department of Landscape Architecture

Teacher of the Year: Garry Bertholf of the Department of English