ArtSci College Faculty, Staff & Student Awards 2026

ArtSci Week

We in the Dean’s Office celebrate all those nominated and are honored to recognize all nominees as the best of the best! Award winners are chosen by committees with representatives from departments across the college. A faculty committee chooses winners for awards. A staff committee chooses winners for professional awards. Recommendations are then compiled to determine winners. It is never easy to make decisions involving so many talented and hardworking colleagues! This year, ArtSci is allowed to nominate two winners from many categories that move on to the university level. The names that appear below are listed in alphabetical order of last name.

Faculty, Staff & Student Awards

Ross Peterson Distinguished Lifetime Service Award

  • David Peak
    Physics

Lawrence O Cannon Teaching Excellence Award

  • Scott Ensign
    Chemistry & Biochemistry

Teacher of the Year

  • Andreas Malmendier
    Mathematics & Statistics
  • Sydney O’Shay
    Communication & Media

Researcher of the Year

  • Peter Crooks
    Mathematics & Statistics
  • Felipe Valencia
    World Languages & Cultures

Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year

  • Amanda Katz
    History, Cultures & Ideas 
  • Elsa Pérez
    World Languages & Cultures

Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year 

  • Holly Murdock
    Art + Design
  • Dorothy Wallis
    Social Work

Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year

  • Sarah O’Neill
    World Languages & Cultures 
  • Moria Robinson
    Biology

Faculty Service Award

  • Jennifer Sinor
    English
  • Cathy Rushworth
    Biology

Faculty Community-Engaged Award

  • Jayne Gold
    Theatre Arts
  • Stacia Ryder
    School of Social Sciences

Cazier Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Andy Anderson
    Biology
  • Jim Powell
    Mathematics & Statistics

Distinction in Creativity

  • Sasha Kasman Laude
    Music

Lecturer of the Year

  • Dustin Crawford
    English
  • Nicholas Pardikes
    Biology

Professional Practice/Clinical Faculty of the Year

  • Angela Montague
    School of Social Sciences
  • Lydia Semler
    Theatre Arts

Professional Advisor of the Year

  • Cyrita Green
    Social Work

Staff Excellence Award

  • Carmell Burns
    Social Work
  • James Coburn
    Physics
  • Carol Hatch
    English
  • Cindy Weatbrook
    Chemistry & Biochemistry

Doctoral Student Researcher of the Year

  • Jesse Brown
    Chemistry
  • Mufti Ahmed
    School of Social Sciences

Master’s Student Researcher of the Year

  • Haley Fisher
    Chemistry
  • Tori Strausser
    Biology

Undergraduate Researcher of the Year

  • Ella Stott
    English
  • Trace Taylor
    Physics

Graduate Student Instructor of the Year

  • Cara Haderlie
    Technical Communication & Rhetoric
  • Gavin Munson
    Biology

Legacy Award

  • Henry Greene
    Communication & Media
  • Carlie Prinster
    Mathematics & Statistics

ArtSci Valedictorian

  • Alexis Lupus
    Public Health

Scholar of the Year

  • Kaitlyn Line
    Social Work
  • Connor Waite
    Physics

Kiwanis Award

  • Jacey Hopkin
    Biology

Undergraduate Teaching Fellow Award 

  • Jacob Zollinger 
    Classics 

Students of the Year

  • Lexi Green 
    Aerospace Studies 
  • Sam Richards 
    Art + Design 
  • William Christenson 
    Biology 
  • Autumn Jensen 
    Chemistry & Biochemistry 
  • Brooklyn Hibshman  
    Communication & Media
  • Eden Marroquin 
    English 
  • Mia Sharpe 
    History, Cultures & Ideas 
  • Whitney Kate Obray 
    Interdisciplinary Studies 
  • Emily Wessman 
    Mathematics & Statistics 
  • Gavin W. Patterson 
    Military Science 
  • Elizabeth Johnson 
    Music 
  • Connor Waite 
    Physics 
  • Sascha Baldauf 
    School of Social Sciences 
  • Rachel Didericksen 
    Social Work 
  • Jonah Newton 
    Theatre Arts 
  • Ashton Earl 
    World Languages & Cultures
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