By Larry B. Dendy
ldendy@uga.edu
The university’s top student scholars, and some of its best teachers, graduate teaching assistants and faculty mentors and advisers, will be in the spotlight April 11 when UGA holds its annual Honors Day.
The program will be at 2 p.m. in the Franklin Quadrangle on the north side of Old College, between the administration building and New College. Ronald Simpson, professor of higher education and science education and acting director of the Institute of Higher Education, will be the Honors Day speaker.
In case of inclement weather, the program will be held in the Ramsey Student Center. A decision to move to the Ramsey Center will be made by 10 a.m. and announced on Athens radio stations.
Undergraduate classes will be canceled for sixth, seventh and eighth periods (1:25-4:24 p.m.) so students and faculty can attend Honors Day.
Forty-eight First Honor Graduates--students who have maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average during their academic careers at UGA--will be recognized. In addition, several hundred students who are in the top 5 percent of their class or who have been elected to scholastic and leadership honor societies will also be recognized.
Winners of the 2001 Josiah Meigs and Richard B. Russell teaching awards will be recognized, along with faculty chosen as outstanding teachers in schools and colleges and in the Honors Program. In addition, graduate students will be cited for their work as teachers and teaching assistants.
The Meigs Award is the highest honor given to a UGA faculty member for teaching excellence. This year’s recipients are Edward A. Azoff, mathematics; Michael A. Dirr, horticulture; Jere W. Morehead, insurance, legal studies and real estate; and P. Thomas Purinton, anatomy and radiology.
The Russell Award is given to junior faculty for outstanding teaching. Winners this year are Benjamin C. Ayers, Tull School of Accounting; David H. Downs, insurance, legal studies and real estate; and Reuben A. Buford May, sociology.
As part of the university’s increased emphasis on undergraduate research, awards will be presented for the first time to faculty members and academic units that have made special efforts to encourage undergraduate students to conduct research activities. Faculty recipients of the first Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award are Marcus Fechheimer, cellular biology; David MacIntosh, environmental health science; and Dean Rojek, sociology. Awards will also be given to the genetics department and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.
Also for the first time, an award will be presented this year for excellence in academic advising. The award recognizes faculty whose advising goes beyond the minimal task of helping students choose courses and builds relationships that help enhance overall student success. Recipients of the first awards are Mary Alice Smith, environmental health sciences, and Diane Hodson, child and family development.
Music for Honors Day will be provided by the UGA Symphonic Band under the direction of F. David Ramines and Scott Tobias. A reception for all student and faculty honorees and their guests will follow the program.
Simpson will speak on the topic “From Adequacy to Excellence: Honoring the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching.” This year Simpson received the Regents Teaching Excellence Award for his efforts over more than 20 years to improve classroom instruction at UGA and other Georgia colleges and universities.
While serving for 15 years as director of the Office of Instructional Support and Development, he was instrumental in starting such programs as the Lilly Teaching Fellows, Senior Teaching Fellows and Governor’s Teaching Fellows.
UGA began recognizing First Honor Graduates in 1978 instead of designating a graduating senior as valedictorian. Those being recognized at Honors Day include five students who completed degree requirements at the end of last summer and fall semesters, and 43 who will complete requirements at the end of the current spring semester.
Students who qualify as First Honor Graduates, their hometown and major are: Leslie K. Alexander, Cumming, ecology; Brian M. Basinger, Mission Viejo, Calif., public relations; Kati J. Baugh, Greensboro, Latin; Caitlin I. Berberich, Atlanta, political science; Mairgareth A. Caird, Alpharetta, botany; Laura E. Collins, Marietta, economics; Shira L. DeVane, Fairburn, English; Jason Dowling, Conyers, cellular biology; Michael W. Dunn, Powder Springs, telecommunication arts; Julie M. Edwards, Valdosta, international business;
Bridget E. Elam, Franklin, Tenn., drama; Devin H. Gordon, Dallas, music education; Amanda L. Griffin, Lula, business education; Mary E. Harrison, Hull, magazines; Meghan M. Hill, Columbus, communication sciences and disorders; Katie A. Hingerty, Lawrenceville, public relations, political science; Hercules J. Horne, Lawrenceville, Romance languages; Pamela A. Johnson, Waynesboro, anthropology; Kathryn N. Jones, Marietta, public relations; Cory R. Kampfer, Toledo, Ohio, international business; Brian D. Kulbersh, Atlanta, microbiology;
Laurie S. Langston, Alpharetta, special education; Heather D. Long, Marietta, finance; Jessica L. Annest Middlebrooks, Doraville, health promotion and education; Mary E. Miles, Hiawassee, mathematics; Amy S. Mulkey, Gainesville, management information systems; Mark H. Neely, Martinez, chemistry, psychology; Cathleen M. Nowlen, Statham, speech communication; Emily L. Pagorski, Elgin, Ill., political science; Misty R. Pearce, Swainsboro, risk management and insurance;
Joseph A. Perry, Atlanta, music composition, English; John E. Price Jr., Gainesville, English; Mark H. Reeves, Augusta, political science; Jason R. Rozier, Lilburn, criminal justice, sociology; Wade A. Schueneman, Smyrna, mathematics; Debra F. Scoggins, Atlanta, religion; Mark A. Simpson, Marietta, management information systems; Christina N. Snyder, Macon, anthropology; Sharon M. Sonnenfeldt, Lilburn, anthropology; James T. Studdard, Brunswick, finance; Benjamin F. Tanner II, Axson, genetics, cellular biology; David R. Taylor, Brooklet, pharmacy;
Andrew C. Thompson, Temple Terrace, Fla., mathematics; David L. Townsend, Evans, biology, psychology; Bobana Ugarkovic, Alpharetta, political science; Jennifer C. Wakefield, Asheville, N.C., English; David M. Waldroup, Roswell, finance; and Catherine A. White, Dunwoody, international business.
Honors Day was started in 1930 by Chancellor S.V. Sanford to give recognition to UGA students for scholastic achievement. |
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