Ivan Allen College Recognizes Outstanding Service and Scholarship During Faculty and Staff Virtual Awards

Posted April 29, 2021

The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts recognized excellence in scholarship and service in its Spring Faculty and Staff Virtual Awards Celebration, held Wednesday, April 28.

The event featured leaders from across the College presenting awards to faculty and staff who have exhibited excellence in teaching, research, and supporting the College’s students and services. The ceremony was not held in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have a lot to be proud of this year,” Dean Kaye Husbands Fealing said during the ceremony. “Despite the hurdles of the past year, and despite the changes in place, we have successfully served more students and raised a record amount in sponsored research funding in 2020. This is a true testament to your hard work and dedication.”

Watch the recap video

Here is the full list of award recipients:

Buzz Awards recognize distinguished service from staff members.

The honorees were:

  • Administrative service: Lindsey McKenzie, School of Public Policy
  • Administrative service: Brad Rittenhouse, School of Literature, Media, and Communication/DILAC Lab
  • Administrative service: Matt Soffell, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
  • Administrative service: Will Jimerson, Office of the Dean
  • Student service: Amanda Blocker, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
  • Student service: LaDonna Bowen-Chavers, School of History and Sociology
  • Student service: Mirla Gonzalez, School of Modern Languages
  • Student service: Stephanie Jackson, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs

Distinguished Teaching Awards recognize one non-tenure-track and one tenure-track faculty member for measurable strengths and contributions in teaching excellence, innovative teaching techniques, implementing effective and efficient learning, and exceptional Course Instructor Option Survey scores.

This year’s recipients were:

  • Dylan Brewer, assistant professor, School of Economics
  • Jonathan Shelley, Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Literature, Media, and Communication

Faculty Research Awards signify the work of faculty members to secure funding to support their research and other academic undertakings.

Award recipients were:

  • Silver Star Awards, honoring first-time grants of more than $50,000, “distinguished grants,” or “prestigious fellowships”:
    • Paul Baker, senior director, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
    • Michael Best, professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
    • Megan Denham, research associate II
    • Allen Hyde, assistant professor, School of History and Sociology
    • Natalie Khazaal, assistant professor, School of Modern Languages
    • Naha Kumar, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
    • Nassim Parvin, associate professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
    • Anne Sullivan, assistant professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
    • Rachel Whitlark, assistant professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
  • Gold Star Awards, recognizing “cumulative grants of $250,000 within five years of the first grant.”
    • Omar Asensio, assistant professor, School of Public Policy
    • Jason Borenstein, principal academic professional, School of Public Policy
    • Mariel Borowitz, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
    • Kaye Husbands Fealing, dean, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
    • Salimah LaForce, policy analyst, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
    • Haizheng Li, professor, School of Economics
    • Aaron Levine, associate professor, School of Public Policy
    • Amit Prasad, associate professor, School of History and Sociology
    • Larry Rubin, associate professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
  • Million Dollar Club, which recognizes faculty who secure “at least one million dollars in external research and have external funding in the current year”)
    • Ian Bogost, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
    • Marilyn Brown, Regents Professor and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems, School of Public Policy
    • Brad Fain, executive director, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
    • Sarah Farmer, research scientist I, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
    • Ute Fischer, research scientist II, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
    • Vicki Galloway, professor emerita, School of Modern Languages
    • Sy Goodman, Regents Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
    • Danny Hughes, professor, School of Economics
    • Gordon Kingsley, associate professor, School of Public Policy
    • Brian Magerko, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
    • Julia Melkers, associate professor, School of Public Policy
    • Helena Mitchell, Regents Researcher Emeritus and principal investigator, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
    • Nathan Moon, associate director for research, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
    • Janet Murray, professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
    • Philip Shapira, Professor, School of Public Policy
    • Anna Stenport, chair, School of Modern Languages
    • Adam Stulberg, chair, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs

Faculty Excellence Awards were presented for the first time this year. Recipients of this award show evidence of consistently high research productivity and quality and have achieved a particularly notable milestone demonstrating the impact of their work over the past year.

Award recipients were:

  • 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

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Denise Ward
Director of Communications