UTSA community members honored April 19 at University Excellence Awards

(April 16, 2018) – UTSA faculty and staff members are invited to the 2018 University Excellence Awards Ceremony at 2 p.m., Thursday, April 19 in the H-E-B Student Union Ballroom (HUC 1.104) on the Main Campus. Additionally, the ceremony will be broadcast live to the Meeting/Assembly Room (BVB 1.338) in the Buena Vista Street Building at the Downtown Campus.

The ceremony will include a presentation of the University Excellence Awards, President’s Distinguished Achievement Awards, President's Distinguished Diversity Awards, Richard S. Howe Excellence Awards, and the inaugural Regents' Outstanding Employee Awards. In addition, 2017 service milestones and retirees will be recognized.

President Taylor Eighmy will open the program followed by Jude Valdez, vice president for community services, who will recognize retirees and those with five or more years of service.

Sam Gonzales, vice president for student affairs and Bernard Arulanandam, interim vice president for research will present the awards.

Refreshments will be available immediately following the ceremony.

UTSA President's Distinguished Achievement Awards 2018
coordinated by the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic & Faculty Support

President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching Excellence

• Jamon Halvaksz, associate professor of anthropology, College of Liberal and Fine Arts
• Candace Christensen, assistant professor of social work, College of Public Policy
• Keegan Gold, lecturer II in chemistry, College of Sciences

President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Core Curriculum Teaching

• Thad Bartlett, associate professor of anthropology, College of Liberal and Fine Arts
• Terri Matiella, senior lecturer in environmental science and ecology, College of Sciences

President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for University Service

• Michael Baumann, professor of psychology, College of Liberal and Fine Arts
• Patricia Jaramillo, senior lecturer in public administration, College of Public Policy

President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Community Engagement

• Gary L. Mabry, professor of music, College of Liberal and Fine Arts
• Derek Plantenga, senior lecturer in social work, College of Public Policy

President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Research Achievement

• Yufei Huang, professor of electrical and computer engineering, College of Engineering
• Yongcan Cao, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, College of Engineering
• Zenong Yin, professor of kinesiology, health and nutrition, College of Education and Human Development
• Dylan Jackson, assistant professor of criminal justice, College of Public Policy

President’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Performance, Creative Production, or Other Scholarly Achievement

• Taeg Nishimoto, professor of architecture, College of Architecture, Construction and Planning

President's Distinguished Achievement Award for Advancing Globalization

• Angela Lombardi, assistant professor of architecture, College of Architecture, Construction and Planning

UTSA President's Distinguished Diversity Awards 2018
coordinated by the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic & Faculty Support

Faculty/Staff category

• Individual: Kelly Nash, associate professor of physics and astronomy, College of Sciences
• Group: Institute of Texan Cultures

Student category

• Individual: Sanah Jivani
• Group: Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO)
  • Leslie Hernández
  • Marina López
  • Melba Ochoa
  • Marisol Reyes
  • Natalia Salto
  • Vanessa Torres
  • Julissa Vera

Richard S. Howe Excellence Awards 2018
coordinated by the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic & Faculty Support and the Office of the President

Howe Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award

• Teja Guda, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, College of Engineering
• Matthias Hofferberth, associate professor of political science and geography, College of Liberal and Fine Arts

Howe Excellence in Service to Undergraduate Students Award

• Ann Eisenberg, professor of psychology, College of Liberal and Fine Arts, and director of the Office of Scholar Development, University College

UTSA University Excellence Awards 2018
coordinated by the Office of Human Resources

Rising Star Award

• Carlos Aguirre, senior grant development coordinator, Office of the Vice President for Research

Leadership Award

• Matthew Jackson, director, Small Business Development Center National Information Clearinghouse (SBDCNet)

Team Spirit Award

• Facilities & P-20 Initiatives
  • Lara Crouch, senior program coordinator, Institute for P-20 Initiatives
  • Erbey Garza, outreach specialist II, Institute for P-20 Initiatives
  • Belinda Harmon, director of community outreach, Institute for P-20 Initiatives
  • Dave Holster, maintenance worker III, Facilities
  • Paul Lozano, fire and life safety systems tech III, Facilities

Extra Mile Award

• Thomas Shelton, senior curator, UTSA Libraries

Order of the Roadrunner Award

• Luis M. Zorrilla, assistant director, Laboratory Animal Resource Center

UT Regents' Outstanding Employee Awards 2018

• John Shaffer, associate director of graduate student success and professional development, The Graduate School
• Brent Tyroff, senior electrician III, Operations and Maintenance

— KC Gonzalez

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