Celebrating outstanding faculty and staff achievements, the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts presents annual awards to our community. The Buzz Awards recognize exceptional contributions by staff or academic professionals; the Distinguished Teaching Awards honor tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty for their excellence in education; and the Faculty Excellence in Teaching Awards highlight remarkable teaching practices across the College.
Buzz Awards for Staff and Academic Professionals
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Buzz Award for Administrative Service
- Kimberly Bass Seaton, Administrative Manager II, School of Modern Languages
- Yvette Mitchell, Administrative Professional III, School of Public Policy
- Eve Pike, Assistant to the Chair I, School of History and Sociology
- Allyson Tant, Financial Manager I, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Buzz Award for Impact to our Community
- Cassidy Chreene Whittle, Communications Officer II, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
- Meenu Mukherji, Program and Operations Manager, School of Public Policy
Buzz Award for Student Support
- Sonya Boadu, Academic Advisor II, School of History and Sociology
- Davis Palubeski, Academic Program Manager I, School of Economics
Buzz Award for Spirit of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
- Tracy Kincaid, Administrative Professional Senior, Navy ROTC
- Fariah Majmundar, Faculty Affairs Administrative Manager, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
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Previous Buzz Awards
2023
- Brittany Skanes, Administrative Professional III, School of History and Sociology
- Debra White, Administrative Professional III, School of Economics
- Priti Bhatia, Director of Facilities and Capital Planning, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
- Jillann Hertel, Academic Professional, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Frances Baumgartner, Satellite Counselor, Counseling Center
- Camille Liverpool, Career Educator, Career Center
2022
- Greg Abrams, Financial Analyst III, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
- Neta Kanny, Academic Program Manager, School of Modern Languages
- Melanie Richard, Academic and Research Support Engineer Senior, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
- John Thornton, Senior Academic Professional and Director of Film and Media, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Alice Favero, Academic Professional and Interim Director of Graduate Studies, School of Public Policy
- Renee Jamieson, Academic Program Manager, School of Literature, Media and Communication
- Kyle Poe, Career Educator, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
- Aselia Urmanbetova, Academic Professional and Undergraduate Teaching Coordinator, School of Economics
2021
- Lindsey McKenzie
- Brad Rittenhouse
- Matt Soffel
- Amanda Blocker
- LaDonna Bowen-Chavers
- Mirla Gonzalez
- Stephanie Jackson
2020
- Ken Bernard, IT Support Professional, IAC Dean's Office supporting the Schools of Economics and History and Sociology
- Dante Christmas, Assistant to the Chair, School of Economics
- Lamar Handy, Financial Administrator, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Linda Hudson, Financial Administrator, School of Modern Languages
- Chris McDermott, Research Associate, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Janet McKinney, Administrative Professional, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
- Şebnem Özkan, Associate Director, Atlanta Global Studies Center
- Jessica Palacios, Marketing and Event Coordinator, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Nicholas Platt, IT Support Professional, IAC Dean's Office supporting the School of Modern Languages
- Leslie Ross, Undergraduate Academic Advisor, School of Public Policy
- Denice Shorter, Senior Administrative Professional, Naval ROTC
2019
- Mayumi Cole
- David Selman
- Jenny Strakovsky
- Michael Terrell
- Jocelyn Thomas
- Jade Charnigo
- Carolyn Crump
- Robert Hampson
2018
- Kenya Devalia
- Erin Green
- Will Jimerson
- JC Reilly
- Melanie Richard
- Janice Russell
- Yolanda Turner
- Joe Zima
2017
- Liz Hyman
- Jillann Hertel
- Fariah Majmundar
- Joanna Jeskova
2016
- Jade Hill
- Kevin Pittman
- Ed Able
- Elizabeth Miller
2015
- Tony Gallego
- Grace Garrett
- Steve Hodges
Distinguished Teaching Awards
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Tenured/Tenure-Track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Zak Taylor, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy
- Amanda Weiss, Associate Professor, School of Modern Languages
Non-tenure-track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Travis Denton, Academic Professional, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Eliza Markley, Lecturer, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
- Brian An, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
- Allen Hyde, Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology
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Previous Distinguished Teaching Awards
2023
Tenured/Tenure-Track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Richard Barke, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy
- Narin Hassan, Associate Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Non-tenure-track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Danielle Geary, Senior Lecturer, School of Modern Languages
- Aselia Urmanbetova, Academic Professional, School of Economics
Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
- Rachel Whitlark, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Ida Yoshinaga, Assistant Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2022
Tenured/Tenure-Track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Annika Orich, Assistant Professor, School of Modern Languages
- Katja Weber, Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Non-tenure-track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Molly Slavin, Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Chad Slieper, Academic Professional and Director of the Law, Science, and Technology program, School of Public Policy
2021
Tenured/Tenure-Track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Dylan Brewer, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
Non-tenure-track Academic Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Jonathan Shelley, Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
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- Robert Gonzalez, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
- Todd Michney, Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology
- Mariel Borowitz, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Carol Colatrella, Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Hongchen Wu, Assistant Professor, School of Modern Languages
- Robert Rosenberger, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy
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Previous Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
2023
- Casey Wichman, assistant professor, School of Economics
- Sherie Randolph, associate professor, School of History and Sociology
- Fei-Ling Wang, professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Brian Magerko, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Stéphanie Boulard, associate professor, School of Modern Languages
- Omar Asenio, assistant professor, School of Public Policy
2022
- Brian An, assistant professor, School of Public Policy
- Katie Farris, associate professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Lelia Glass, assistant professor, School of Modern Languages
- Danny Hughes, professor, School of Economics
- Rachel Whitlark, assistant professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Germán Vergara, assistant professor, School of History and Sociology
2021
- André Brock, associate professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
- Lindsey Bullinger, assistant professor, School of Public Policy
- Kelley Fong, assistant professor, School of History and Sociology
- Natalie Khazaal, assistant professor, School of Modern Languages
- Anjali Thomas, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Karen Yan, assistant professor, School of Economics
Distinguished Faculty Research Award Winners
The Faculty Excellence in Research Award replaced the Distinguished Faculty Research Award beginning in 2020. Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Researchers were senior faculty who had an eminent record of publications in academic and industry journals and/or influential books, and who had current projects with noteworthy potential.
2019
- Lisa Yaszek, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2018
- Brian Magerko, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2017
- Mary Frank Fox, professor, School of Public Policy
2016
- Jay P. Telotte, professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2015
- Alasdair Young, professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Hanchao Lu, professor, School of History and Sociology
Faculty Research Awards
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Silver Star Awards
- Brian An, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
- Mayra Pineda Torres, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
- Rachel Whitlark, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Gold Star Awards
- Mariel Borowitz, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
- Lindsey Bullinger, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
- Salimah LaForce, Research Scientist, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
Platinum Star Awards
- Margaret Kosal, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn of International Affairs
Million Dollar Club
- Omar Asensio
- Michael Best
- Marilyn Brown
- Jason Borenstein
- Sarah Farmer
- Brad Fain
- Ute Fischer
- Seymour Goodman
- Allen Hyde
- Natalie Khazaal
- Gordon Kingsley
- Aaron Levine
- Brian Magerko
- Janet Murray
- Nathan Moon
- Juan Carlos Rodriguez
- Philip Shapira
- Adam Stulberg