The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno recently held its annual awards ceremony and this year’s theme was about celebrating humanity. A number of students and faculty were recognized for unrivaled accomplishments, many while facing significant challenges. The event held inside the theatre of the Joe Crowley Student Union, was a perfect way to honor and recognize the community that makes the College of Liberal Arts great.

"Our annual awards ceremony is always an inspiring event because we celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of a number of our students, faculty and staff," Debra Moddelmog, dean of the College of Liberal Arts said. "This year was extra special since we were able to deliver a hybrid event where many of us gathered together in person for the first time in two years."

"I am so proud of this year’s award recipients, all of whom have 'elevated humanity' — our college tagline — in their own special ways whether through scholarly or creative achievement, excellent teaching or advising, extraordinary service to others and/or advancement of a diverse and inclusive community. The ceremony reinforced that we have an incredible college full of incredible students and colleagues," Moddelmog said.

The full list of honorees is as follows:

CLA student awards

• Outstanding Graduate Social Sciences: Alexandra Zoellner (Anthropology & English)
• Outstanding Graduate School of Social Research & Justice Studies: Savannah Munoz (Criminal Justice & Sociology)
• Outstanding Graduate School of the Arts: Kimberly Li (Music)
• Outstanding Graduate Humanities: Courtney Hendrix (Anthropology & History)
• Exemplar (Student Achievement): Melissa Estep Gillespie (History & Secondary Education)
• Excellence in Research: Lauren Baker (History)
• Excellence in Interdisciplinary Studies: Natassia Zander (Sociology, Philosophy, Psychology)
• Excellence in the Applied Liberal Arts: Madison Shirley (History)
• Excellence in Service: Darwin Snyder (Communication Studies & Political Science)
• Excellence in Artistry/Performance: Halli Dalebout (Art)
• Senior Scholar (4.0 Graduate): Madison Shirley (History)
• Liberal Arts Scholars (4.0 Graduates): Nicole Shepherd (Music), Madison Yeager (English), Courtney Hendrix (Anthropology & History), Eleanor Mustard (Political Science)

Russell J. and Dorothy S. Bilinski Scholarship Fellows for academic year 2022-2023

• Kristen Broehl (Anthropology)
• Elaine Chu (Anthropology)
• Laresa (Reecie) Dern (Anthropology)
• Keely Eshenbaugh (Political Science)
• Callie Greenhaw (Basque Studies)
• Shannon C. Hartmann (Political Science)
• Margie Judd (English)
• Sarah Anne Kruger (Social Psychology)
• Gus Paoli (History)
• Diane Teeman (Anthropology)
• Christopher Wolfe (Anthropology)

CLA faculty awards

• Alan Bible Excellence in Teaching Award (Runner-up): Jacqueline Snow (Psychology)
• Alan Bible Excellence in Teaching Award (Winner): Simone Gubler (Philosophy)
• College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Academic Advising Award: Jason Fisette (Philosophy)
• Outstanding Classified Staff of the Year: Cami Allen (English)
• Mousel-Feltner Award for Research/Creative Activity: David Rondel (Philosophy)
• Dean's Award for Outstanding Research/Creative Activity: Jennifer Lanterman (Criminal Justice)
• Dean’s Award for Outstanding Teaching (Tenure-Track Faculty): Kyra Stull (Anthropology)
• Dean's Award for Outstanding Teaching (Non-Tenure-Track Faculty): CPT Alex Stackhouse (Military Science)
• Dean's Award for Outstanding Service: Dennis Dworkin (History) & Debra Harry (Gender, Race, and Identity)
• Dean’s Award for Accomplishments in the Area of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Vivian Zavataro (The Lilley Museum of Art) & Meredith Oda (History)
• School of Social Research & Justice Studies Interdisciplinary Activity Award: Lydia Huerta (Communication Studies & Gender, Race, and Identity)

NSHE & University faculty awards

• Regents’ Rising Researcher Award: Elizabeth Koebele (Political Science)
• Regents’ Teaching Award: Matthew Leone (Criminal Justice)
• Regents’ Creative Activities Award: Michael Branch (English)
• Regents’ Academic Advising Award: Fred de Ràfols (World Languages and Literatures)
• University Foundation Outstanding LOA Instructor Award: Zelalem Bogale (Gender, Race, and Identity)
• University Foundation Outstanding LOA Instructor Award: Ralph Burns (World Languages & Literatures)
• University Foundation Outstanding LOA Instructor Award: Roger Gray (World Languages & Literatures)
• University Foundation Outstanding LOA Instructor Award: Lara Hansen (Core Humanities)
• University Foundation Professor: Deborah Boehm (Anthropology & Gender, Race, and Identity)
• Paul and Judy Bible University Teaching Excellence Award: Geoff Smith (Anthropology)

College of Liberal Arts Fellows for academic year 2022-2023

• Katherine Fusco (English)
• Justin Gifford (English)
• Peter Goin (Art)
• Ann Keniston (English)
• Meredith Oda (History)
• David Rondel (Philosophy)
• Hugh Shapiro (History)

Other non-University faculty awards (partial list)

• Michael Aguirre (History): Doyce B, Nunis, Jr. Award, for the best scholarship in the Southern California Quarterly by a rising historian
• Laura Blume (Political Science): Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Award
• Jim Cherney (Communication Studies): Waterhouse Family Institute grant
• Valerie Fridland (English): NEH Fellowship
• Katherine Fusco (English): Franklin Grant from the American Philosophical Society; American Literature Association's prize for Best Essay in American Literature
• Prisca Gayles (Sociology): ACLS Sustaining Public Engagement Grant
• Lin Li Hall (World Languages and Literatures): Startalk Grant
• Lydia Huerta (Communication Studies & Gender, Race, and Identity): ACLS Sustaining Public Engagement Grant
• Casilde Isabelli (World Languages & Literatures): Startalk Grant
• Jennifer Lanterman (Criminal Justice): American Society of Criminology Division of Corrections and Sentencing Differential Intervention Award
• Ruthie Meadows (Music): Society for Ethnomusicology’s Jaap Kunst Prize, for the most significant article written in ethnomusicology by a scholar in the first 10 years of their scholarly career
• Lynda Olman (English): Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award; American Literature Association's prize for Best Essay in American Literature
• Gailmarie Pahmeier (English): Nevada Poet Laureate
• Jafeth Salido-Sanchez (Latino Research Center): RTYPN Twenty Under 40 winner
• Vivian Zavataro (The Lilley Museum): 2021 Influential Women of the Sierra Nevada Award

Retiring faculty

• Berch Berberoglu (Sociology) 45 years
• Dennis Cronan (English) 35 years
• Joe Cutter (World Languages & Literatures) 4 years
• Mariah Evans (Sociology) 16 years
• Michael Fernbach (Theatre and Dance) 34 years
• Elizabeth Francis (English) 44 years
• Jodie Helman (Art) 25 years
• Debra Moddelmog (College of Liberal Arts & English) 6 years
• Rich Norris (Music) 13 years
• Tamara Scronce (Art) 25 years
• Kevin Stevens (History) 32 years
• Paul Torkelson (Music) 11 years

Tenure and promotion

• Eve Allen Garza (Theatre and Dance), Promotion to Associate Teaching Professor
• Adi Cabral (Theatre and Dance), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Christopher Coake (English), Promotion to Professor
• Pedro Gomez-Ramirez (World Languages & Literatures), Promotion to Senior Lecturer
• Jeremy Gelman (Political Science), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Robert Gutierrez-Perez (Communication Studies), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Miya Hannan (Art), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Christopher Jazwa (Anthropology), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Saralinda Kiser (Communication Studies), Promotion to Senior Lecturer
• Elizabeth Koebele (Political Science), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Tania Leal (World Languages & Literatures), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Carlos Mariscal (Philosophy), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Shawn Marsh (Judicial Studies), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Weston Morrow (Criminal Justice), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Louis Niebur (Music), Promotion to Professor
• Bretton Rodriguez (Core Humanities), Promotion to Teaching Associate Professor
• Geoffrey Smith (Anthropology), Promotion to Professor
• Kyra Stull (Anthropology), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
• Alissa Surges (English), Promotion to Teaching Associate Professor
• Erica Westhoff (World Languages and Literatures & Core Humanities), Promotion to Teaching Associate Professor
• Benjamin Young (Philosophy), Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Leadership changes

• Ann Archbold, Interim Chair of Art (2021-22)
• Dmitri Atapine, Chair of Music (2019-22)
• Linda Curcio-Nagy, Associate Dean of Curriculum, Assessment, and Student Engagement (2020-22)
• Dennis Dworkin, Chair of History (2016-22)
• Darrell Lockhart, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Resource Management (2015-21)
• Ashley Marshall, Chair of English (2019-22)
• Debra Moddelmog, Dean, College of Liberal Arts (2016-22)
• Monica Miller, Interim Chair of Criminal Justice (2021-22)
• David Rondel, Interim Chair of Core Humanities (2021-22)
• Tamara Scronce, Director, School of the Arts (2017-22)