Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts recognized its 2020 outstanding faculty and staff at the college’s annual awards presentation, held this year via Zoom.
The faculty and staff recognized for their outstanding contributions to Appalachian State’s students and community are:
Gordon Hensley, Department of Theatre and Dance -- Outstanding Advisor Award
Melissa Daniel, Department of Communication – Outstanding Staff Award
Dr. Andrew Davis, Department of Communication and Dr. Kin-Yan Szeto, Department of Theatre and Dance -- Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Endeavor Award
Dr. Jacqueline Ignatova, Sustainable Development -- Outstanding Service Award
Dr. Rebecca Witter, Sustainable Development – Outstanding Teaching Award
Winners are chosen by a multi-disciplinary award committee chaired by College of Fine and Applied Arts Associate Dean D. Jason Miller.
"This year's outstanding award recipients epitomize the engaging, innovative and thoughtful work happening every day by our faculty and staff on behalf of our students and our college," said Miller.
Each recipient receives a commemorative medallion in recognition of their achievement.
Here are some excerpts from the award nominations:
Gordon Hensley, Department of Theatre and Dance -- Outstanding Advisor Award
From his nomination, Hensley received words of praise from several of the students that he advises:
“Gordon has gone above and beyond with advising especially with the circumstances due to Covid-19. He not only cares for all of us academically but also encourages us to be the best we can be.”
“Gordon has pushed me to become a better student by giving me the realities of the real world of teaching theatre and always encouraging me to strive for a better version of myself. Gordon also knows every single one of his advising students and reaches out to us and answers any questions we have.”
Melissa Daniel, Department of Communication – Outstanding Staff Award
A student nominator wrote: “Melissa is always super helpful and reaching out when it’s needed (and offering support)!”
One of her colleagues shared: “Melissa is organized, consistent and dedicated. She cares about our students, cares about our faculty, and cares about the work of our department. She handles all the work expected in her role and takes on new roles and responsibilities of her own initiative if she sees an opportunity to help the department.”
Dr. Andrew Davis, Department of Communication and Dr. Kin-Yan Szeto, Department of Theatre and Dance -- Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Endeavor Award
In Davis’ nomination, a colleague wrote: “In the past year, Andrew's work has appeared (or will soon appear) in top scholarly journals and an edited volume. His article, "Failure Is Always an Option: The Necessity, Promise & Peril of Radical Contextualism" was published in Cultural Studies, the top journal in the field. His essay "Teaching Conjuncturally: Cultural Studies as the Practice of Conjunctural Analysis" appeared in Cultural Studies in the Classroom & Beyond, the first ever book dedicated to cultural studies pedagogy.
“Based on his research into the corporate and military development of artificial intelligence, Andrew was recently invited to contribute an article to the journal Culture Machine's forthcoming special issue titled "Machine Intelligences in Context: Beyond the Technological Sublime." His contribution "Whose Singularity? Artificial Intelligence as a Mechanism of Corporate Sovereignty," critically interrogates our understanding of the development of AI systems in order to analyze the political and economic agendas that drive such progress.”
In Szeto’s nomination, a colleague wrote: “Dr. Szeto’s teaching and research interests include theatre, dance, film and visual studies; comparative literature; Chinese film and culture; non-Western theatre; post-colonial and global studies; and gender and ethnicity in transnational perspectives. Recently she completed a short-term fellowship at the New York Public Library in New York City and presented her work at the international conference of the Dance Studies Association (formerly the Congress on Research in Dance) in Malta. She is a prolific scholar, dedicated to advancing research that contributes to ongoing dialogue in the fields of dance and theatre.
“Dr. Szeto’s current research goals include timely investigations in the fields of both dance and theatre. She is currently analyzing how the internationally acclaimed Taiwanese theatre director, Stan Sheng-Chuan Lai, and dance choreographer, Lin Hwai-min, employ both Eastern and Western approaches to performance practices in order to reinvigorate modern Taiwanese theatre and dance. She is interested in discussing the ways his works reflect various social, cultural, and geopolitical forces by transforming performers’ bodies into a locus of intercultural knowledge and technique. As part of this, she is nurturing lasting professional and institutional relationships with Taiwanese scholars.”
Dr. Jacqueline Ignatova, Sustainable Development -- Outstanding Service Award
A colleague wrote:
“Jacqui has done incredible amounts of service to the department and the broader community. She has led departmental searches, the scholarship committee, and served on countless other committees. While her service to the department is incredible, it’s her commitment to serving the community that stands out even more. She has served on the board of directors for two community organizations. As a part of that, she’s also helped build strategic relationships with these organizations, creating unique learning opportunities for our students.
“She does it out of a deep commitment to addressing food insecurity, food justice, and building a sustainable food system. Her work serves as an example to all of us.”
Dr. Rebecca Witter, Sustainable Development – Outstanding Teaching Award
A student wrote:
“Dr. Witter is passionate about the classes that she teaches and her enthusiasm for the course material drives the curiosity of the students. She encourages students to be brave, and speak in class even when they are unsure. Her classes are challenging, and forced me outside of my intellectual comfort zone, however, they were also engaging and helped me grow. It is evident that all she wants is for her students to learn and grow.”
A colleague wrote:
“Rebecca has an incredible ability to engage students in complex issues in class. She uses multiple strategies to get students to engage with readings and how theoretical concepts play out in different contexts. These strategies carefully build on one another, increasing students’ confidence and abilities.
Her concern for students in the classroom and outside makes her an amazing advocate for student well-being. She constantly encourages us to think about our students and their well-being. She has become famous among our students for her careful feedback on papers, helping students build complex ideas and communicate them clearly.
She has played a pivotal role in starting our department’s Honors Program. She has worked with other committed faculty to create a culture of rigor and creativity.”