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August 10, 2009 |
VSU Presents Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards
At convocation Monday, Aug. 10, five members of the Valdosta State University community were recognized for their outstanding professional contributions.
A faculty committee representative of all VSU colleges and divisions named three excellence award winners from a host of colleagues who have received top honors in professional activity, service, and teaching. Awards for Excellence in Service for Classified Staff were also selected by a cross-sectional committee and presented to individuals who demonstrate exemplary professionalism and service.
Excellence in Professional Activity Award · Dr. Barry Hojjatie
Dr. Barry Hojjatie, coordinator of the VSU Engineering Studies Program, garnered the 2009 Excellence in Professional Activity Award. The associate professor in the Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Geosciences has had an extraordinary record of success in grant production, working with colleagues to write grants totaling nearly $700,000. Several of the grants have directly impacted VSU, including a grant from Hewlett-Packard to purchase more than 60 HP tablet PCs for university use. Dr. Hojjatie has been a tireless mentor in encouraging undergraduate research, serving as chair of the College of Arts and Sciences Council on Undergraduate Research, the technical chair of the Georgia Academy of Science, and an active member of the Center for Applied Research.
Excellence in Service Award · Michael Schmidt
Michael Schmidt, an associate professor in the Department of Art, was awarded the 2009 Excellence in Service Award, for his dedication to VSU and his innovative community service initiatives. Each year, Schmidt organizes the VSU Christmas and Mother’s Day ceramics sales to showcase the work of his students and raise funds to host visiting national artists. He works extensively with local organizations, including The Haven and Second Harvest Food Bank of Valdosta. A founding supporter of Second Harvest’s annual Empty Bowls fundraiser, Schmidt and his students have raised about $12,000 by making bowls for the silent auction. Schmidt is equally dedicated to VSU. He volunteered to redesign the departmental Web site and departmental forms and has eagerly chaired and served on major departmental, college and university committees. Colleagues consider Schmidt a natural leader, charismatic advocate and an efficient, intelligent instructor.
Excellence in Teaching Award · Dr. Sanjay Gupta
The 2009 Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance. Gupta, known for his relaxed approach and clear explanations, has taught a wide range of courses, from the introductory level to graduate courses, through a variety of delivery methods, from face-to-face to completely online. His accolades testify to his exceptional teaching abilities. Students voted him the Steele Outstanding Teacher Award for the Langdale College of Business four times, and he as twice received the Georgia WebMBA Outstanding Faculty of the Year Award. Beyond his exemplary performance in the classroom, Dr. Gupta has published at least five articles about accounting pedagogy peer-reviewed journals.
Excellence in Service · Classified Staff
Jeff Grant, director of Publication and Design Services, was one of two winners of the Excellence in Service for Classified Staff awards. Grant’s creativity and technical skills have shaped VSU’s image and publication materials for the past 16 years. Grant keeps up-to-date with the latest technologies to ensure VSU’s photography, magazine layouts, newsletters and Web services are professional and informative. Colleagues consider Grant a reliable and committed member of the VSU team. In addition to managing publication deadlines, Grant has served as a Council on Staff Affairs representative for more than one term and on the Department of Human Resources and Employee Development Grievance Committee. Grant also sits on the advisory board at Valdosta Technical College for their graphic print technology program.
Debbie Reagan, a nurse practitioner at the Student Health Center, received the Excellence Award in Service for Classified Staff because of her caring attitude, cooperative spirit, superior nursing skills. Reagan is considered a champion of health care at VSU and instrumental in bridging the effective partnership between the health center and the VSU Counseling Center. She has remained after hours many days to attend to the health and mental health needs of VSU students. The employee of seven years is committed to professional development. She has pursued additional credentials in psychiatric nursing and is a qualified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, which makes her an asset to VSU. Reagan’s commitment to preventative health has led her to participate in a number of health initiatives on campus, including the Campus Wellness Committee and Office of Health Promotions’ outreach programming.
Each of these award winners symbolizes the excellence expected from all members of the VSU community, and the university commends these award recipients on their leadership and impressive accomplishments.
