Faculty and academic staff from across campus were celebrated for their contributions to the university, academic community and professional development at the annual Academic Recognition Ceremony April 24. 

View photos from the event here.  

"Our incredible faculty and staff are the heartbeat of our university. Their dedication is critical to fulfill the shared promise in our Prosperity Agenda to better the lives of our students, push the boundaries of knowledge, and strengthen our community,” said Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, Wayne State University president. “Their transformational efforts are an inspiration to us all.”   

“It is an honor to recognize the achievements of our outstanding faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants. Wayne State University's core mission is to prepare our diverse student body to thrive, and the individuals receiving awards today have helped us fulfill that responsibility through their service, scholarship, teaching and mentoring,” said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie M. Lauzon Clabo, Ph.D.  

2025 Academic Recognition Awardees  

Faculty awards  

The President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognize faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to teaching. This year’s recipients are:  

• Wen Chen – James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering
• Diane Cress – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Kathryn Day – Law School 
• Lawrence Lash – School of Medicine 
• Norma Love-Schropshire – School of Social Work 
• Patricia Morton – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Karen Myhr – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Mary Beth O’Connell – Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 
• Brad Roth – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Dajena Tomco – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

The Charles H. Gershenson and Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowships recognize faculty members whose continuing achievements and current activities in scholarship, research, or the fine and performing arts are nationally distinguished. The Charles H. Gershenson Distinguished Faculty Fellowships are part of the benefaction to Wayne State by the late Charles H. Gershenson, who served on the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowships are derived from revenues especially available to the board. The term of each fellowship is two years.  

This year’s Charles H. Gershenson Distinguished Faculty Fellowship recipients are:  

• Kristin Taylor – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Kidada Williams – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

This year’s Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowship recipients are:  

• Anne Duggan – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Maik Hüttemann – School of Medicine 

The Board of Governors Faculty Recognition Awards are given each year to members of the regular full-time faculty in recognition of a work of merit brought to fruition in the 12-month period immediately preceding the year of the award. The work of merit is a single act or event that constituted an outstanding contribution to scholarship and learning. This year’s recipients are: 

• Jack Blaszkiewicz – College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts 
• Anne Duggan – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Arash Javanbakht – School of Medicine 
• Boris Mordukhovich – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Chun Shen – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

The president is authorized to create a new faculty classification of Distinguished Service Professor. This classification is to be used in rare instances to designate senior members of the university faculty who have made extraordinary contributions to the university outside their own disciplines or who, by unusual service outside of the university, have brought great honor and recognition to this institution. This year’s recipients are:  

• Charles Brower – Law School 
• Edward Cackett – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Linda Beale – Law School 
• Lawrence Lash – School of Medicine 
• Wei-Zen Wei – School of Medicine 

The Murray E. Jackson University Creative Scholar in the Arts Award supports a faculty-artist-in-residence program. This presidential initiative showcases exceptional faculty talent in the traditional performing, creative and visual arts, as well as more nontraditional arts, in pursuit of the university’s mission. This annual award was created to honor the memory of Murray E. Jackson, a valued member of the WSU community who was a poet, professor, and community and civil rights activist who served on the Board of Governors from 1981 to 2001. This year’s recipient is:  

• Allana Clarke – College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts 

Career Development Chairs are awarded to as many as 10 recently tenured faculty as part of the university’s program to support the teaching and research endeavors of faculty members in the developmental stages of their scholarly careers. This year’s recipients are:  

• Nancy Chi Cantalupo – Law School 
• Nicole Coleman – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Michelle Jacobs – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Rosie Jahng – College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts 
• Zhenfei Liu – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Jessica Robbins-Panko – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Division of Research 
• Mark Satta – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Law School 

Academic staff awards  

The Professional Achievement Award is conferred upon the recipient for demonstrated leadership, significant accomplishment(s) in professional organizations, and presentations and/or publications. It is awarded to academic staff with more than five years of university service. This year’s recipient is:  

• Jeffrey Lisiecki – College of Education 

The Distinguished Service Award I is conferred upon the recipient for significant service to students, the university, department and/or community organizations, committees, and/or other service beyond job responsibilities. It is awarded to academic staff with five or more years of university service. This year’s recipients are:  

• Stephanie Chastain – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Robert Hellar – Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 

The Distinguished Service Award II is conferred upon the recipient for significant service to students, the university, department and/or community organizations, committees, and/or other service beyond job responsibilities. It is awarded to academic staff with less than five years of university service. This year’s recipient is:  

• James Jackson – School of Medicine 

The General Education Teaching Award recognizes instructors who have demonstrated commitment and excellence in supporting the general education program through teaching inside and outside the classroom. The award is presented to outstanding instructors who demonstrate a commitment to the academic mission of the university through collaboration, innovation, excellence and inclusion in general education teaching. This year’s recipients are:  

• Navid Farnia – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Shirin Montazer – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Tareq Ramadan – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

The Community Engagement Award celebrates work that strengthens the bond between university and community. Established by the Division of Academic Affairs, the award is given annually to full-time or part-time faculty member(s), academic staff member(s), or faculty-staff team(s) in recognition of community-based research, creative activities, teaching and service collaborations that positively impact both the community and scholarship. This year’s recipients are:  

• Donna Kashian – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Hilary Marusak – School of Medicine 
• Elizabeth Towner – School of Medicine 
• Jennell White – School of Medicine 
• Regina Zibuck – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

Academy of Teachers 2024-25 Inductees  

The Academy of Teachers (AoT) is committed to promoting the shared value and culture of teaching excellence and student achievement at Wayne State University. The AoT strives to engage faculty, students and staff in conversations about learning and to move from conversations to concrete actions that improve the educational experience for all students. It also works to encourage policies at the university, local, state and national levels that support teachers and promote and reward effective teaching. The academy selects up to five new members each year from nominees who have had a significant impact on the WSU undergraduate learning experience, practice innovative pedagogy and demonstrate instructional excellence. This year’s inductees are:  

• Wen Chen, James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering  
• Linda Jiménez, College of Education 
• Daniel Kashian, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Michele Najor, College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts 
• Amanuel Tekleab, Mike Ilitch School of Business 

The Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award recognizes outstanding scholarly activities that have contributed significantly to WSU’s graduate programs. This year’s recipient is:  

• Moh Malek, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences  

The Outstanding Graduate Mentor honors graduate faculty who are recognized by their departments and their graduate students as excellent mentors. This year’s recipients are:  

• Richard Marback, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  
• John Woodard, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  

The Outstanding Graduate Director Service Awards are co-sponsored by the Division of Academic Affairs and the Graduate School to highlight the important service by graduate directors in advancing graduate education in their programs. This year’s recipients are:  

• Athar Ansari, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences   
• Derek Daniels, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 
• Harini Sundararaghavan, James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering  

The Garrett T. Heberlein Endowed Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognize graduate students who demonstrate instructional excellence. The awards are designed to elevate the attention given to teaching as part of graduate education while preparing graduate students to serve as college and university teachers. This year’s recipients are:  

• Bernadette Kelly, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  
• Tia Turner, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  

Learn more about the Division of Academic Affairs’ awards and recognition.