“I’m grateful to be part of a research university where teaching is honored and prized,” said Calla Thompson, associate professor of visual arts, as she received UMBC’s 2016-2019 Presidential Teaching Professor award before hundreds of cheering colleagues and friends.
Thompson’s heartfelt speech was the first of many at UMBC’s 2016 Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony focused on both UMBC’s commitment to excellence and the collaborative, caring community that makes excellence possible.
The celebration was held on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, to honor the accomplishments of this year’s campus- and system-wide award recipients. The annual awards ceremony recognizes faculty and staff for their contributions to advancing the mission of UMBC and the State, and for their dedication to teaching, learning and excellence in research and scholarship.
Over the years, the ceremony has grown to include generous endowed awards that recognize faculty and staff who demonstrate a strong commitment to student academic success, professionalism and problem-solving, and faculty career advancement.
The ceremony also formally acknowledges UMBC’s University System of Maryland (USM) award winners. Each year, USM awards faculty and staff across the system in the areas such as teaching, research, public service, mentorship, and effectiveness.
In moving personal remarks throughout the event, awardees shared their appreciation for UMBC’s culture of support and collaboration. “Today is a great day,” said Barbara Ann Smith, administrative assistant II in the Office of Undergraduate Education and receipient of the Wensch Award. Smith reflected that receiving her award provided her an opportunity to thank those who have inspired her to meet new challenges and continue learning throughout her career.
Michele Kimery, executive administrative assistant in human resources and USM Exceptional Contributions to the Mission of UMBC awardee, emphasized the mutual support UMBC community members provide. She thanked the colleagues who have kept her “internal light shining” through the years.
That culture of collaboration extends to research. Kevin Omland, professor of biology and winner of the 2016-2019 Presidential Research Faculty Award, thanked his undergraduate and graduate students, fellow faculty, staff, and research collaborators worldwide for their essential contributions to his work. Upal Ghosh, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering and USM Excellence in Research winner, echoed that sentiment, recognizing his colleagues for their vision and hard work to build UMBC’s environmental engineering program.
Others focused the university as advocate: for students and for the growth of knowledge. Rebecca Adelman, associate professor of media and communication studies and USM Excellence in Research awardee, thanked UMBC and USM for honoring interdisciplinary humanities research. Anne Spence, professor of the practice in mechanical engineering and USM Excellence in Public Service awardee, spoke of her team’s work, through Project Lead the Way, to make sure “every kid knows engineers don’t just drive trains.” Sue Plitt, an associate director at the Career Center and Jakubik awardee, focused on the tremendous growth of UMBC’s career services as an essential resource for students.
Visit the Faculty and Staff Awards website to see a complete list of this year’s twelve award winners, including full award titles and biographies chronicling their achievements.
The awards ceremony is also an opportunity to update the campus community on faculty, staff, student, and alumni achievements across the university. President Hrabowski shared major university-wide projects and milestones; facilities and infrastructure planning and improvements; and a brief recap of budgetary decisions from the most recent Maryland General Assembly legislative session. To see a more extensive list of these accomplishments and updates, please view the 2016 Achievements and Mid-Year State of the University Update Report.
In closing the celebration, President Hrabowski pointed to the importance of community recognition for a job well done. “At this campus we care for each other,” he said, “and nothing could be better than that.”
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