Dr. Neal Guentzel is honored for 55 years of service with UTSA.
MAY 2, 2025 — UTSA announced this year’s University Excellence Awards winners during a live event on Wednesday attended by staff semifinalists, faculty 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 community engagement.
Judges selected this year’s winners 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 2025 winners are:
Teaching Excellence Award
Core Curriculum Award
University Service Award
Community Engagement Award
Research Achievement Award
Thomas Yee from the School of Music poses onstage with President Eighmy during his recognition for Research Achievement.
Performance, Creative, Production Award
Advancing Globalization Award
Innovation & Impact Award (I2)
Faculty Mentoring Award
Richard S. Howe Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award
Richard S. Howe Faculty Excellence in Service to Undergraduate Students Award
Collaboration Champion Award
Excellence in Customer Care Award
Excellence in Customer Care Award winner Elizabeth Estrada celebrates two achievements: her win and birthday.
Richard S. Howe Service to Undergraduate Students Award
Daniel Ramirez-Escobedo, winner of the Richard S. Howe Staff Excellence in Service to Undergraduate Students Award, poses with Chris Lockard and Years of Service honorees Vero Salazar, Tracy Lopez and Lauren Hoffmann.
Innovation Trailblazer Award
Leadership Award
Rising Star Award
Extra Mile Award
Team Spirit Award
University Technology Solutions, winners of the Team Spirit Award, pose for a photo after the ceremony.
Order of the Roadrunner
In addition to celebrating the award winners, UTSA also recognized UT System 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, College of Sciences Professor Melvin (Neal) Guentzel received a standing ovation for an incredible 55 years of service to the UTSA community.
Additionally, James Calder, a professor in the College of Liberal Fine Arts, celebrated 45 years of service, while Nikos Salingaros, a professor in the College of Sciences, and Mehdi Shadaram, UTSA’s Janey and Dolph Briscoe Distinguished Professor in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, celebrated four decades with the university.
The University Excellence Awards Steering Committee oversees and manages the annual University Excellence Awards program. The Academic Affairs Faculty Success Team coordinates the awards nomination and selection process for faculty members, while divisional review committees and final review committees comprised of Staff Senators and division representatives advance the nomination and selection process for staff awards.
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Join the doctoral candidates for the Doctoral Conferreal Ceremony and celebrate their accomplishments.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusCelebrate the graduates from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, College of Education and Human Development, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and University College.
AlamodomeCelebrate the graduates from the College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and College of Sciences.
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