NMSU faculty receives national accolades at 2013 Spring Convocation
NMSU Interim President Manuel T. Pacheco said it's a privilege to participate in these types of events to honor faculty and staff for their accomplishments.
"I was pleased to welcome the faculty and staff back to campus at the Spring Convocation," Pacheco said. "Along with the awards, the occasion was an opportunity for me to discuss some of the critical issues facing the NMSU community in the coming months."
Two NMSU Regents Professors - in the College of Business and College of Arts and Sciences - received national accolades. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education named Kenneth Martin as New Mexico's Professor of the Year. He is a professor of finance at NMSU. His university colleague, Elba Serrano, professor of biology, was selected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The university also recognized a group of faculty members for their outstanding work. Twelve individuals were awarded the Donald C. Roush Award for 2012.
"It is always rewarding to take time to recognize the outstanding work of our faculty," said Jay B. Jordan, interim executive vice president and provost. "The Roush Award winners are exemplary reminders of the positive impact professors make in the lives of our students."
The annual Roush award recognizes NMSU faculty for teaching excellence. It is named for a former university executive vice president in recognition of his 35 years of teaching improvement in New Mexico.
The university recognized Charles S. Bundy, an associate professor from the Entomology, Plant Pathology & Weed Science Department, for his outstanding achievements in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
Two professors from the College of Arts and Sciences were equally recognized: Associate Professor Eric L. Morgan from the Department of Communication Studies and Assistant Professor Stephanie L. Taylor from the Department of Art.
Dale Spencer, assistant professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, was the award recipient for the College of Business. The College of Education was also represented with an award to Youkyung Bae, assistant professor in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders.
Edgar Conley, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was this semester's beneficiary of the Roush Award for the College of Engineering. Susan Harrell, associate professor in the School of Nursing in the College of Health and Social Services, was honored as well.
Professors from the university's community colleges were recognized for their teaching excellence. NMSU Alamogordo Associate Professor Wanda Wakkinen, in the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education; Claudia Estrada, nursing program professor at NMSU Carlsbad; Shakir Manshad, professor of mathematics and physical sciences at Dona Ana Community College; and Betty J. Habiger, business professor at NMSU Grants, were all praised for their dedication and hard work with the 2012 Donald C. Roush Award.
