Faculty and Staff cited for achievements

The UMKC community came together in Pierson Auditorium April 26 to honor those among their ranks who embody the university’s commitment to teaching, research and service.

The occasion was the “Celebrating Excellence” event, UMKC’s Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony, now in its eighth year. Chancellor Leo E. Morton, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara A. Bichelmeyer and other campus leaders presented 24 awards in recognition of the exceptional achievements of the celebrants. Family, friends and other well-wishers were on hand to cheer the award winners.

The Chancellor’s Award for Career Contributions to the University, one of UMKC’s highest honors, was presented to Bruce Bubacz, Ph.D., Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Bubacz has served the university since 1973 in a variety of roles, including faculty member, dean and provost, in addition to a multitude of university, campus and community service committee contributions.

“Over many decades, Dr. Bubacz has been UMKC’s go-to person in times of need, and in times of turmoil. He has provided calm and restored trust,” Bichelmeyer said. “He has put others above self, and the needs of the university above his own, at more times and in more ways than anyone else ever has.”

Award presenters included Mel Tyler, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management; Raymond Cattaneo, President of the UMKC Alumni Association; Lawrence Dreyfus, Vice Chancellor for Research & Economic Development; and Ellen Darling, representing the UMKC Trustees.

Morton presented the Chancellor’s True Unsung Hero Award to Linda Lawrence, Student Support Specialist in the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. The award recognizes and celebrates behind-the-scenes staff members who go above and beyond the call of duty to improve the UMKC experience for students, co-workers, faculty or constituents.

Lawrence, the liaison between Financial Aid and the Athletics Department, manages the complex financial record-keeping for UMKC’s student athletes.

“She excels at being proactive in studying NCAA rules and regulations, providing student-athletes and the department proper information on the ever-changing NCAA rules,” Bichelmeyer said.

The Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, recognizing teaching excellence among non-tenured faculty, was presented to Doranne M. Hudson, M.B.A., Associate Teaching Professor and Executive-in-Residence at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management.

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching is UMKC’s highest honor for teaching. The 2016 honor went to Allen Rostron, J.D., Associate Dean and Professor, School of Law. Rostron was cited for his “masterful use” of the Socratic dialogue method in his classes, his meticulous lesson plans and the organization and clarity of his presentations.

As the 2016 winner of this award, Rostron is automatically in line to become the 2017 winner of the Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Last year’s winner of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching was recognized as the 2016 recipient of the Governor’s Award at the ceremony: Dr. John Rapley, Chair of Periodontics, School of Dentistry.

The Trustees Faculty Fellowship Award, the university’s most prestigious research award, recognizes outstanding faculty who have distinguished themselves through scholarship and creativity, and whose research is known nationally and internationally. The 2016 honoree is Barbara Glesner-Fines, Executive Associate Dean for Academics and Faculty and Rubey M. Hulen Professor of Law, School of Law.

“Dean Glesner-Fines is nationally and internationally renowned for her work in family law and ethics, and in law school pedagogy. An extraordinarily creative scholar, Dean Glesner-Fines pioneered the teaching of professional responsibility within individual subject matter areas,” Bichelmeyer said. “In addition, she has translated her scholarship into direct impact on the profession and the community by serving on the Kansas City Municipal Ethics Commission, including serving on the task force that re-wrote the city’s Ethics Code; and by authoring an important amicus brief before the Missouri Supreme court in a recent disciplinary case.”

The full list of 2016 awards:

2016 SERVICE & ENGAGEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS

Chancellor’s Award for Career Contributions to the University ($5,000) – Bruce Bubacz, Ph.D., Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor, College of Arts and Sciences

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Community Engagement ($1,500) – Carol Schmer and Jo Klassen, School of Nursing and Health Studies RN-BSN Practicum Program

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Diversity ($1,500) – Jennifer Santee, Pharm.D., Clinical Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy

2016 TEACHING AWARD RECIPIENTS

Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching – John W. Rapley, D.D.S., Professor and Chair of Periodontics, School of Dentistry

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching ($1,500) – Allen Rostron, J.D., Associate Dean and Professor, School of Law

Chancellor’s Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching ($1,500) – Jeffrey S. Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marketing, Henry W. Bloch School of Management

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring ($1,500) – Cory Beard, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, School of Computing and Engineering

Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching ($1,500) – Doranne M. Hudson, M.B.A., Associate Teaching Professor and Executive-in-Residence, Henry W. Bloch School of Management

Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award in Business ($500) – Jeffrey S. Johnson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marketing, Henry W. Bloch School of Management

Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award in Dentistry ($500) – Dr. Robert Blundell, D.D.S., Clinical Assistant Professor and Chair, Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry

Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award in Law ($500) – Ann Marie Marciarille, J.D., Associate Professor, School of Law

Elmer F. Pierson Good Teaching Award in Medicine ($500) – Jill A. Moormeier, M.P.H., M.D., Hashinger Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine.

2016 STAFF AWARD RECIPIENTS

Chancellor’s Education First Staff Award ($1,500) – Lauren Petrillo, Executive Assistant for the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, School of Biological Sciences

Chancellor’s True Unsung Hero Staff Award ($1,500) – Linda Lawrence, Student Support Specialist, Financial Aid and Scholarships Office

Staff Council Dedication Award ($1,500) – Breann Branch, Office Support Assistant IV, School of Education

Student Affairs Student Mentor Staff Award ($1,500) – Kelly Rifenbark, Manager, Student Support Services, Department of Residential Life

2016 RESEARCH AWARD RECIPIENTS

N.T. Veatch Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity ($1,000) – Joan Dean, Ph.D., Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of English, College of Arts and Sciences

Trustees Faculty Fellowship Award ($15,000) – Barbara Glesner-Fines, LL.M., Executive Associate Dean for Academics and Faculty and Rubey M. Hulen Professor of Law, School of Law

Trustees Faculty Scholar Awards ($5,000 each)
Xiaolan Yao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Biological Sciences
Lark Lim, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences

Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers, Scholars, and Artists ($1,000 each)
Tina Niemi, Ph.D., Professor of Geosciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Praveen Rao, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer Science & Electrical Engineering, School of Computing and Engineering
David Thurmaier, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Music Theory, Conservatory of Music and Dance