Winners announced for 2023 UTSA University Excellence Awards

APRIL 26, 2023 — UTSA proudly announced this year’s University Excellence Awards winners during a live event on Tuesday attended by nominees and their peers.

This annual program celebrates the achievements of Roadrunner faculty and staff, ranging from exceptional teaching and innovative research to exemplary team spirit and impactful advocacy.

This year’s winners were selected from a large group of outstanding individual and team nominees, all of whom are advancing the university and making UTSA a great place to learn, work and grow.

The ceremony featured remarks and award presentations by senior leaders and representatives from Staff and Faculty Senate.

The 2023 winners are:

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PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Teaching Excellence Award

• Luca Pozzi (College of Liberal and Fine Arts) – Tenured category
• Rocky Slavin (College of Sciences) – Tenure Track category
• Erica Wallace (College for Health, Community and Policy) – Fixed-Term Track category

Core Curriculum Award

• Patrick Gallagher (College of Liberal and Fine Arts) – Tenured/Tenure Track category
• Gina Amatangelo (College for Health, Community and Policy) – Fixed-Term Track category

University Service Award

• Felicia Castro-Villarreal (College of Education and Human Development) – Tenured/Tenure Track category
• Terri Matiella (College of Sciences) – Fixed-Term Track category

Community Engagement Award

• Roger Enriquez (College for Health, Community and Policy) – Tenured/Tenure Track category
• Claudia Treviño Garcia (College of Education and Human Development) – Fixed-Term Track category

Research Achievement Award

• Vikram Kapoor (Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design) – Tenured, STEM category
• Olesya Kisselev (College of Education and Human Development) – Tenure Track category
• Şerife Tekin (College of Liberal and Fine Arts) – Tenured category
• Wei Wang (College of Sciences) – Tenure Track, STEM category

Performance, Creative, Production Award

• Marco Cervantes (College of Education and Human Development)

Advancing Globalization Award

• Michael Cepek (College of Liberal and Fine Arts)

Innovation & Impact Award (I²)

• Meizi He (College for Health, Community and Policy)
• Summer Wilmoth (College for Health, Community and Policy)
• Bradley Wilhite (College for Health, Community and Policy)
• Jesus Castillo (Program Coordinator, Rio Grande Valley)
• Thomas Turk (Community Partner, Rio Grande Valley)

Mentoring Award

• Marie Tillyer (College for Health, Community and Policy)

Richard S. Howe Excellence in Teaching Award

• Mark Leung (Alvarez College of Business)
• Robert Hard (College of Liberal and Fine Arts)

Richard S. Howe Faculty Service Award

• Deborah Moon-Wagner (College of Liberal and Fine Arts)

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PRESIDENT'S DISTINGUISHED DIVERSITY AWARDS

• Kat Carrillo (Research Integrity)
  
  
• Quyen Do (PRIDE Family Studies Lab)
  
  
• UTSA 1882 Dual Language Community Lab Schools Partnership Team: Juanita Santos; Sarah De La Garza; Tiffany Farias-Sokoloski; Michael Vriesenga; Youmna Dbouk; Claudia Garcia; Lucinda “Nicki” Sohn; Lorena Claeys; Kimberly Perez; Belinda Bustos Flores
  
  
• PRISM (Student Organization)

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Leadership Award winner Chera Finkbiner (center) poses on the orange carpet with Mary Hernandez (left) and Veronica Salazar (right) after the University Excellence Awards on Tuesday.

UNIVERSITY EXCELLENCE STAFF AWARDS

Richard S. Howe Service to Undergraduate Students Award

• Darrell Balderrama (Undergraduate Research)

Leadership Award

•  Chera Finkbiner (Administration and Operations)

Rising Star Award

• Don Carrington (College of Education and Human Development)

Extra Mile Award

• William Lansdon (Veteran and Military Affairs)

Team Spirit Award

• The Najim Center Team: Erica Clark; Rachael Miller

Order of the Roadrunner

• Martha Luna (College of Liberal and Fine Arts)

The awards program is overseen and managed by the University Excellence Awards Steering Committee. The awards nomination and selection process is coordinated by the following:

• President’s Distinguished Faculty Achievement Awards – Academic Affairs Faculty Success Team
• President’s Distinguished Diversity Awards – Office of Inclusive Excellence
• University Excellence Staff Awards – Staff Senate

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YEARS OF SERVICE HONOREES

In addition to celebrating the award winners, the university also recognized years of service milestones for faculty and staff. The full list of employees celebrating milestones can be viewed in the event program.

Among this group is a faculty member who has dedicated a remarkable 45 years to Roadrunner Nation, Jack Himelblau, professor of modern languages in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

Additionally, three colleagues are celebrating 40 years of service: German (Albert) Arroyo, professor of civil and environmental engineering and construction management in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design; David Garcia, library services assistant III in the UTSA Libraries; and Amir Karimi, professor of mechanical engineering in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

— Drew Vincent

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