KNOXVILLE — Several faculty and staff have been recognized in advance of the University of Tennessee’s 2007 Chancellor’s Honors Banquet, scheduled to take place Wednesday, April 11, on campus.
The awards banquet, set for 6 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom, is the largest campus awards ceremony honoring students, faculty, staff and friends of the university for their accomplishments throughout the year.
Award categories and winners announced today:
Ready for the World
The Ready for the World Award is awarded to faculty members who have worked in exceptional ways to enhance intercultural and international awareness among undergraduates.
-Dr. Karen Levy, professor of modern foreign languages and literature, has dedicated her 30-year career at UT to instilling in her students a genuine and profound fascination with France and other French-speaking countries. Her success is perhaps best measured by where her students are today: teaching in Japan and China, working in Poland, engaging in education and travel around South America, working in the agricultural industry in France, studying international conflict mediation, and continuing study abroad in Mozambique.
-Dr. Matthew B. Myers has been a leader for the past two years in the global outreach efforts of the College of Business Administration and as director of the Global Business Institute. Through his leadership, the college has developed a new international business curriculum, created a Global Scholars program, and is internationalizing the MBA and executive programs. Dr. Myers is working to develop six study-abroad opportunities expected to involve more than 80 undergraduates this summer and has developed partnerships with four international universities.
Extraordinary Service to the University
-Mary Holtman-Reed, director of Alumni Programs and advisor for the Student Alumni Associates, has guided the organization for the past 13 years. Her leadership has led to increased membership and new programming, such as “Shadow Day” for future UT students and networking opportunities for current members. The alumni of SAA have given nearly $2 million in annual giving donations to the university. She is the advisor for Omicron Delta Kappa and the Senior Gift Committee.
-Steven Milewski, library supervisor of the Media Services Unit, operates a collection of media that includes more than 11,000 titles in VHS, laserdisc, and DVD, which are viewed by more than 107,000 students and faculty over the course of a year. He joined the Media Services Unit in 1986 as a student library assistant and returned to school in 1988, taking undergraduate courses one at a time, while working full-time until he earned a B.A. in history in 2001. He recently earned an M.S. in information sciences last August. His commitment leads to the smooth functioning of his unit, which is central to the existence of the cinema studies program and vital to the faculty members who make use of audio-visual materials in their teaching.
-Jocelyn Milton is involved in a wide variety of organizations and groups at the University of Tennessee — and that is in addition to her position as associate director of Minority Student Affairs. She is advisor of the Diva Opals and the Love United Gospel Choir, and a member of the Commission for Women and the Advisory Board for the National Association for Collegiate Gospel Choirs. As associate director of Minority Student Affairs, she has set higher standards for the office and never lets her title get in the way of rolling up her sleeves to do the work that needs to be done. Despite a battle with breast cancer, she has never failed to give of her time, talents, and passion to further the university and every student who is lucky enough to cross her path.
UT National Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards
-Dr. Joseph W. Bartges is professor of medicine and nutrition in the College of Veterinary Medicine. He holds a degree from the University of Georgia and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He has chosen to spend the past 10 years at UT. His teaching philosophy is to stimulate students to be inquisitive and to develop a passion for veterinary medicine. One student wrote of Dr. Bartges, “It’s obvious he knows his stuff, and he knows how to convey it to us at a level we can understand and grasp.” Another wrote, “He is one of the best professors I’ve had at UT. I appreciate his cutting to the chase, and humor in teaching the class, and got way more out of it because of his teaching style.”
-Dr. Edwin G. Burdette, professor of structural engineering, holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee, as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He has taught at UT since 1969. He was named a Teaching Fellow in the Engineering College and has been honored with multiple awards for his extraordinary achievements, including the Civil Engineering Student Chapter’s Faculty Person of the Year nine times and the Departmental Outstanding Teacher seven times. He also has received the Chancellor’s Research Scholar Award and the L.R. Hesler Award.
-Dr. June Gorski, professor of health education and public health, has taught at UT since 1975. She has served on numerous doctoral committees and coordinated health courses for area elementary schools. She also serves as a graduate advisor for the community health education concentration and for undergraduates earning a minor in adolescent health. Some of the many honors she has received include the Meritorious Service and Life Membership by the Tennessee Public Health Association, the Woman of Achievement Award, and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
-Dr. John Robert Mount, associate professor of food science and technology, has taught at UT since 1978. His impact is especially profound when one realizes there are no students within the food science program that he has not taught in at least one course, and often as many as four. He has worked closely with the Food Science Club student organization for the past 27 years and regularly serves as an advisor to undergraduates and on many graduate student committees.
The full list of awards will be available online following the event at http://chancellor.utk.edu/honorsbanquet/2007/.
Archived video of the event will be available here.
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Contact: Beth Gladden, beth.gladden@tennessee.edu, 865-974-9008 or 865-771-1284