Ginnifer Cié Gee and Darrell Balderrama pose on the orange carpet after the UTSA University Excellence Awards on Tuesday. Balderrama won the Richard S. Howe Service to Undergraduate Students Award.
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:
PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Teaching Excellence Award
Core Curriculum Award
University Service Award
Community Engagement Award
Research Achievement Award
Performance, Creative, Production Award
Advancing Globalization Award
Innovation & Impact Award (I2)
Mentoring Award
Richard S. Howe Excellence in Teaching Award
Richard S. Howe Faculty Service Award
PRESIDENT'S DISTINGUISHED DIVERSITY AWARDS
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
Leadership Award
Rising Star Award
Extra Mile Award
Team Spirit Award
Order of the Roadrunner
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:
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.
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This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
