Staff and Faculty Award Ceremony
The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences celebrated their faculty and staff two weeks ago at a ceremony to bestow awards on those who have gone above and beyond for our college and its departments. Four distinguished persons from our department received awards for their dedication and excellence to our students, faculty, and staff in CHDFS.
Here were the awards and their recipients:
Frances Speight Clark Faculty Enrichment Award
Recipient: Heidi Stolz
Used for faculty enrichment and development in the health or human sciences areas of Child and Family Studies; Nutrition; Public Health; or Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management.
Heidi Stolz has led 11 study abroad programs in Denmark, Sweden, and from Rome to Barcelona. For each of these, she conceptualized the program, designed the itinerary, coordinated marketing, admission, orientation, and led each program. She has to date taken 227 students abroad.
Irma Fitch Giffels Faculty Enrichment Award
Recipient: Melinda Gibbons
Awarded to a faculty member in the health or human sciences areas of Child and Family Studies; Nutrition; Public Health; or Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management. This award is based on superlative research, teaching, or service.
Dr. Gibbons approaches mentorship with a unique combination of grace, humility, and structured guidance that has been transformative. What makes Dr. Gibbons’ mentorship particularly remarkable is her selfless dedication to her mentees’ success. She consistently goes above and beyond the expected duties of a faculty mentor and offers support that is both practical and inspirational.
Dean’s Award for Non-Tenure Track
Faculty Focus on Student Success
Recipient: Sally Hunter
Awarded to a non-tenure-track faculty member at any stage who has gone above and beyond teaching expectations to ensure student success.
Dr. Hunter demonstrates an extraordinary ability to create supportive, organized, and engaging learning environments. She is deeply skilled at structuring courses in ways that balance academic rigor with accessibility. Students describe Dr. Hunter’s teaching style as compassionate and inclusive, fostering an atmosphere where students feel welcome and motivated to engage deeply.
Dean’s Award for Exceptional Exempt Staff Service
Recipient: Whitney Denton (Pictured with her daughter and presenter of the award, Rachel Heston of TPTE)
Awarded to an exempt staff member who has performed their job duties exceptionally well and who has contributed to the CEHHS community in ways that are beyond their position description; this person exemplifies the Volunteer spirit.
The year 2024 presented unparalleled challenges for EPC, including the loss of a team member in January. During this period of grief and transition, Whitney became the glue that held the staff together. She provided stability and support, enabling her colleagues to navigate their emotions while simultaneously stepping up to learn new skills to fill critical gaps.
Many congratulations on all your accomplishments; your Volunteer Spirit is known and cherished here. Well done!