Inaugural One University Awards Honor Campus Community Members

Syracuse University held the inaugural One University Awards Ceremony on Tuesday in Hendricks Chapel, honoring dozens of members of the University community for their scholarship, teaching, academic achievement, leadership and service.

Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele Wheatly presided at the ceremony, which included remarks by Chancellor Kent Syverud and a performance by the University Singers under the direction of John Warren, associate professor and director of choral activities in the Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Two major University awards, the Chancellor’s Medal and the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence, were given. The ceremony also included the presentation of the Chancellor’s Award for Public Engagement and Scholarship; the Meredith Professorship for Teaching Excellence; the Teaching Recognition Award; the United Methodist Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award; the 50-Year Service Award; and the William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Lifelong Learning.

The Chancellor’s Medal, the University’s highest honor, was first presented in 1967 as the Centennial Medal on the occasion of Chancellor William Pearson Tolley’s 25th anniversary as chancellor. The medal is awarded to individuals in honor of their trailblazing and extraordinary contributions to the University, to an academic body of knowledge, or to society. On the 50th anniversary of the medal’s establishment, the medal was awarded to Sam Clemence, professor emeritus in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and interim dean of Hendricks Chapel, and his wife, Carolyn Clemence.

Recognition of 50-Year Employees

Jack Graver, professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences: Graver has held numerous departmental leadership positions and has regularly conducted in-service and summer workshops for public school teachers in Syracuse and elsewhere.

Donald Morton, professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences: Morton pursues scholarship on Marxism, critical theory, critical cultural studies, gender and sexuality. He also has introduced several innovative courses into the curriculum.

Sarah Short, professor of nutrition science and dietetics in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. She has taught 14 courses in nutrition, sports nutrition, food science, minerals, biochemistry and education—connecting with about 1,100 students each year.

Class of 2016 Emeriti

Syracuse University faculty who have been honored upon retirement for their past and expected future contributions to the University and to their fields of study: Bruce Abbey (dean emeritus of the School of Architecture), Kristi Andersen, Karen Bakke, Benita Blachman, Philip Borer, Stuart Bretschneider, Ann Clarke (dean emeritus of the College of Visual and Performing Arts), James Dabrowiak, Helen Doerr, Linda Galloway, Martha Hanson, Jerry Kelly, Edward Lipson, Carla Lloyd, Arthur McDonald, Pamela Shoemaker, Clint Tankersley, Stuart Thorson.

Meredith Professors for Teaching Excellence

A substantial bequest from the estate of L. Douglas Meredith, a 1926 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, allowed Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw to create the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorships in 1995 to recognize and reward outstanding teaching at Syracuse University.

Sanjay Chhablani is a professor in the College of Law. For his Meredith project, he plans to develop a course using the television series “The Wire” as the basis for exploring the criminal justice system.

Jackie Orr is associate professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School. For her Meredith project, she plans to develop a course focusing on the emergent field of “arts-based research practice.”

Teaching Recognition Awards

The Teaching Recognition Award is sponsored by the Meredith Professors to benefit non-tenured faculty members. It recognizes excellence in teaching and fosters a culture of collegial mentoring among faculty members.

Todd Berger is associate professor in the College of Law and director of the college’s Criminal Defense Clinic, where students work with real clients and learn interviewing, counseling and other professional skills.

Jeffrey Gonda is assistant professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School. He focuses his research and teaching on U.S. history through the lenses of race and law.

Shikha Nangia is assistant professor in biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Her research focuses on advancing the development of therapies to treat neuro-degenerative diseases.

Paul Prescott is an instructor of philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences. He focuses on ensuring students develop analytical skills to better understand their own views as well as the divergent views of others—and to intellectually engage with the world.

Jonnell Robinson is an assistant professor of geography in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences. She created and built the field of community geography, which has garnered international recognition and engaged students in community problem-solving.

C. Cora True-Frost is associate professor in the College of Law. She is recognized both as an important scholar and as a valuable mentor and teacher, helping students learn to analyze and question, and to understand the impact of the law on people.

United Methodist Scholar and Teacher of the Year

The Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church has sponsored the United Methodist Scholar and Teacher of the Year Award at Syracuse University each year since 1982 to recognize the teaching and scholarship of an outstanding professor. This award gives explicit emphasis to the dual nature of a faculty member’s responsibilities as a scholar or creative artist and as a teacher.

Thomas Perreault, professor of geography in the Maxwell School and the College of Arts and Sciences, is a dedicated teacher and mentor, consistently going above and beyond to support student success and graduate scholarship. He exemplifies the highest levels of integrity and justice—and a deep commitment to the wider community.

Chancellor’s Citation Awards

These awards were first presented to members of the University community in 1979 in recognition of outstanding achievement in teaching, scholarship and creative work. Over time, the focus of the awards changed to reflect new priorities and institutional directions. This year, Chancellor’s Citations were presented in four categories: Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction; Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives; Excellence in Student Research; and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives

Gerald Edmonds is an assistant provost in the Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Programs. He has been a leading force for University-wide assessment and accreditation activities, including the Middle States accreditation self-study.

As director of the Disability Cultural Center, Diane Wiener coordinates campus-wide social, educational and cultural activities on disability issues for students, faculty, staff and community members. Her passion for recognizing the value and potential residing in each one of us has helped foster a stronger and more inclusive campus community.

Chancellor’s Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction

Jennifer Karas-Montez is assistant professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She has earned national and international notice for her scholarship on the growing inequalities in life expectancy across gender, education level or geographical region.

Christopher Scholz is professor of Earth sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. He has distinguished himself as a leader in several overlapping fields of research, with major impacts on the geosciences.

Chancellor’s Citation Lifetime Achievement Award

Charles V. Willie is one of the nation’s most prominent black sociologists, with a powerful legacy of advancing access and opportunity for all. Educator and social activist, he has served as a court-appointed master, expert witness and consultant in many school desegregation cases. Throughout his career, he has leveraged the power of social research to advance the cause of justice. Willie received his Ph.D. from Syracuse in 1957 and went on to serve as chair of the Department of Sociology and vice president of the University. Today, he is a faculty emeritus of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.