College of Liberal Arts Dean's Awards
The College of Liberal Arts coordinates several awards, many of which are presented at our Annual Spring Awards Ceremony, an annual event to recognize the outstanding achievements of faculty, staff and students.
Faculty and staff awards
Learn more about faculty and staff awards, their eligibility requirements and selection criteria.
Submit a memo outlining the nominee’s contributions and impact to the College of Liberal Arts, describing outstanding achievements, accomplishments or activities.
Eligibility: Any College of Liberal Arts administrative faculty.
Please provide supporting information that includes the following:
- Explain how this employee's attitude toward staff, faculty, students and the general public is outstanding.
- Illustrate the employee's quality of work (e.g., creativity, excellence, productivity and timeliness)
- Please give examples of other outstanding achievements that make you appreciate the nominee, which can include professional development, academic involvement, contribution to or involvement in the College of Liberal Arts' mission.
Eligibility: All classified staff within the College of Liberal Arts.
This annual award recognizes an exceptional Academic Undergraduate Mentor or Graduate Advising in the College of Liberal Arts who has had a positive impact on students by demonstrating a commitment to student success and retention. Mentors/advisors must have a minimum of one year of advising service within the college by the time of nomination, be a current UNR employee within the College of Liberal Arts and have completed college level advisor training. Regular Academic and Administrative faculty and Contingent Faculty may be eligible for this award and must consist of a portion of their regular duties.
Eligibilty: All faculty of the College of Liberal Arts.
Selection criteria
- Engages with and builds strong relationships with advisees
- Exhibits a regular commitment to recruitment and retention efforts
- Participates in professional development related to academic advising
- Effectively utilizes student portals, including, but not limited to Navigate, MyNevada, and the Student Success Collaborative platform to advise students by scheduling appointments, logging advising reports and running appointment campaigns.
- Demonstrates exceptional mentorship of students or colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds; leadership in creating an inclusive enviroment through advising, teaching or service; a record of participation in or leadership of diversity-related initiatives.
Submit a memo outlining excellence in one or more of the following areas:
- Significance and impact of research/creative activity (e.g., contribution to advancing knowledge within a field of study; demonstrated influence on academic discourse, policy, or public understanding; originality, innovation, high artistic or creative merit)
- Research excellence and innovation (e.g., originality and creativity in approach, methodology, or findings; evidence of groundbreaking or transofrmative scholarship)
- Productivity and scholarly output (e.g., number of publications,; record of securing research grants, fellowships; record of exhibitions, performances, or productions in respected venues; awards, residencies, or other professional distinctions)
- Interdisciplinary contributions (e.g., research/creative work that bridges multiple disciplines within the liberal arts and/or beyond; collaborative projects that enhance cross-disciplinary dialogue; collaboration with artists, scholars, or communities to create meaningful projects)
- Engagement and public scholarship (e.g., efforts to make research/creatige work accessible to broader audiences, including policymakers, educators and the public; contributions to community engagement, cultural enrichment, or knowledge dissemination beyond academia)
- Research that advances understanding of issues related to race, gender, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic status, or other aspects of identity; publica scholarship or community engagement in diversity-related topics.
Eligibilty: Open to all faculty within the College of Liberal Arts.
This award recognizies outstanding contributions to teaching excellence, innovation and student engagement.
Submit a memo outlining excellence in one or more of the following areas:
- Excellence in teaching and instruction (e.g., Demonstrated effectiveness in classroom instruction, including engaging pedagogy and dynamic course design; consistent record of positive student feedback and evaluations)
- Innovation in pedagogy (e.g., Use of creative or evidence-based teaching methods that enhance student learning; integration of technology, experiential learning, or interdisciplinary approahces; development and implementation curricula that promote diversity and inclusion)
- Impact on curriculum and program development (e.g., Contributions to new course development, curriculum revision, or programmatic enhancements; leadership in designing courses that reflect contemporary disciplinary trends and student needs)
- Influence beyond the classroom (e.g., Engagement in teaching-related scholarship, workshops, or leadership in pedagogical development; collaboration with colleagues on instructional best practices or faculty development)
Eligibility: Open to all faculty (tenure-track, tenured and non-tenure-track) within the College of Liberal Arts.
Recognizes outstanding service contributions that enhance the college, university or broader community.
Submit a memo outlining excellence in one or more of the following areas:
- Significant service to the college and/or university (e.g., Leadership in committees, task forces, or administrative roles that strengthen the college's mission; measurable improvements in diversity, inclusion and belonging within the college; contributions that have influenced institutional policies or structures)
- Commitment to student support and development (e.g., Contributions to student organizations, career development initiatives or academic support programs)
- Community engagement and outreach (e.g., Service that extends beyond the university to benefit local, national, or global communities; partnerships with organizations, schools or cultural institutions that advance public knowledge and engagement)
- Interdisciplinary and cross-campus collaboration (e.g., Efforts to connect departments, programs, or institutions through service-oriented projects; promotion of interdisciplinary research, teaching, or outreach that benefits the broader academic community)
Eligibility: All faculty or staff.
Preference will be given to those:
- who have not received any of the awards they are being nominated for in the past 10 years
- who have been at the institution or at least two years.
For any questions regarding faculty and staff nominations, please email Associate Dean Chris Williams at ctw@unr.edu.
Student awards
Learn more about student awards and their selection criteria.
Available awards
- Dean's Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Humanities Award
- Dean's Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Social Sciences Award
- Dean's Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Visual & Performing Arts Award
Selection criteria
- Academic exellence (consistent record of high academic achievement)
- Intellectual curiosity demonstrated through advanced coursework, research, creative scholarship, or capstone work
- Recognition such as honors, awards, or competitive scholarships
- Presenting at conferences, participating in exhibitions or performances, engaging undergraduate research, completing a thesis or creative portfolio
- Service activities that align with the college's mission to "Elevate Humanity"
- Demonstrated strengths in global awareness, linguistic proficiency or cross-cultural engagement
- Successful navigation of obstacles that highlights exceptional dedication to graduate study
- Among others...
Available awards
- Dean's Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Humanities Award
- Dean's Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Social Sciences Award
- Dean's Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Visual Performing Arts Award
Selection criteria
- Exceptional academic performance in graduate coursework
- Evidence of advanced scholarly or creative accomplishment
- Recognition such as competitive fellowships, awards, grants, honors and conference presentations
- Peer-reviewed publications, juried exhibitions or performances
- Demonstrated strengths in global awareness, linguistic proficiency or cross-cultural engagement
- Successful navigation of obstacles that highlights exceptional deducation to graduate study
- Service activities that align with the college's mission to "Elevate Humanity"
- Alomg others...
For any questions regarding nominations, please email Associate Dean Erin Edgington at eedgington@unr.edu.
Past awardees
2026
- Shelayne Hammack, Outreach Director
2025
- LJ Johnson, Advising Team
2024
- Stefanie Givens, Dean's Office
2023
- Cydney Giroux, Advising/Student Center
2026
- Morgan Gilmour, Department of Philosophy, Department of Art, Art History and Design, and the John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art
2025
- Kelly Keefe, John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art
2024
- Brenda Barte, Department of Criminal Justice
2023
- Joshua Martinmaas, Department of World Languages and Literatures
2022
- Cami Allen, Department of English
2021
- Karen Braun, Department of Political Science
2020
- Christ Stancil, Core Humanities Program
2018
- Nora Lum, School of the Arts
2017
- Kathie Stanfield, Department of Sociology
2015
- Kate Camino, Center for Basque Studies
2025
- Melissa Jarrell, Department of Criminal Justice
2019
- Daniel Enrique Perez, Department of World Languages and Literatures
2018
- Sharon Brush, Dean's Office
2026
- Austin Pratt, Department of Art, Art History, and Design
2025
- Chris Jazwa, Department of Anthropology
2024
- Kelly Chorpening, Department of Art, Art History and Design
- Carolyn Warner, Department of Political Science
- Meredith Oda, Department of History
2023
- Brett Van Hoesen, Department of Art, Art History and Design
- Jim Cherney, Department of Communication Studies
- Erin Edgington, Department of World Languages and Literatures
2022
- Dennis Dworkin, Department of History (retired)
- Debra Harry, Department of Gender, Race, and Identity
2021
- Clayton Peoples, Department of Sociology, School of Social Research, Judicial Studies Graduate Degree Program
2020
- Ignacio Montoya, Department of English
2019
- Amy Pason, Department of Communication Studies
2018
- Eric Herzik, Department of Political Science (retired)
- Sandra Ott, Center for Basque Studies
2017
- Greta de Jong, Department of History
2016
- Jen Hill, Department of Gender, Race, and Identity
2015
- Tamara Scronce, Department of Art, Art History and Design (retired)
2014
- Emmanuel Barthe, Department of Criminal Justice
2026
- Robert Ortiz NTT, Department of World Languages and Literatures, Spanish
- Chris Jazwa TT, Department of Anthropology
2025
- Lauren Anderson, Department of Criminal Justice
2024
- Anna Kalminaskaia, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- Shawn Marsh, Department of Commuication Studies, Interdisciplinary Social Psychology Ph.D. Program, and Judicial Studies Graduate Degree Program
2023
- Jennifer Ng, Department of History
- Sarah Cowie, Department of Anthropology
2022
- Jason Fisette, Department of Philosophy
2021
- Anna Lincoln, Advising Center
2020
- Lauren Anderson, Department of Criminal Justice
2026
- Laura Blume, Department of Political Science
2025
- Katherine Fusco, Department of English and Department of Gender, Race, and Identity
2024
- Ravi Thakral, Department of Philosophy
- Britney Adams, Department of Criminal Justice
2023
- Amy Arias, Department of Commuication Studies
- Christopher Church, Department of History
2022
- Kyra Stull, Department of Anthropology
- Alex Stackhouse, Department of Military Science
2021
- Jun Takahashi, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- Emily Hobson, Department of History and Department of Gender, Race, and Identity
- Jared Bok, Department of Sociology
2020
- Lin Li Hall, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- Ian Hartshorn, Department of Political Science
2019
- Darren Griswold, Department of World Languages and Literatures (retired)
2018
- Nao Okumura, Department of World Languages and Literatures
2017
- Jason Fisette, Department of Philosophy
- Ashley Marshall, Department of English
2016
- Lynni Webezahl, Department of World Languages and Literatures (retired)
2015
- Saralinda Kiser, Department of Communications Studies (resigned)
2014
- Maureen McBride, Department of English
2013
- Geoffrey Smith, Department of Anthropology
2012
- Clayton Peoples, Department of Sociology
2011
- Matt Leone, Department of Criminal Justice
- Markus Kemmelmeier, Department of Sociology
2008
- Chris Williams, Department of Philosophy
2026
- Lynda Olman, Department of English
2025
- Joshua Reed, School of Music
- Allison Evans, Department of Political Science
2024
- Rosie Trump, Department of Theatre and Dance
- Erin Stiles, Department of Anthropology
- David Rondel, Department of Philosophy
2023
- Adam Dunbar, Department of Criminal Justice
- Elizabeth Villalobos, Department of World Languages and Literatures
2022
- Jennifer Lanterman, Department of Criminal Justice
2021
- Carolyn White, Department of Anthropology
2020
- Inge Bruggeman, Department of Art, Art History and Design
2019
- Marin Pilloud, Department of Anthropology
2015
- Marta Elliott, Department of Sociology
2014
- Hyeyeon Park, School of Music
2012
- Dmitri Atapine, School of Music
2009
- Markus Kemmelmeier, Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Psychology Ph.D. Program
2008
- Michael Sarich, Department of Art, Art History and Design
- Monica Miller, Department of Criminal Justice