AMERICUS Georgia Southwestern State University(GSW) held its Spring 2016 Honors and Recognition Ceremony on April 26. Held in Jackson Performance Hall, this event, in a more comprehensive way, recognized faculty and staff for excellence in teaching, scholarship, advising and service, as well as student excellence in each academic discipline.
“The format of the Honors and Awards Recognition Ceremony may continue to evolve in future years, but it was important to consolidate a few duplicated awards and elevate the visibility of the awards we’re providing that recognize excellence in instruction service and scholarship,” said Interim President Charles Patterson when giving his opening remarks. “Moreover, it is important that we celebrate, together, the achievements of our students. We take pride in our identity as a close-knit university where there are high levels of faculty-student interaction, and this event is just a small example of this commitment.”
New to this honors ceremony was the presentation of six new “Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards. The award names and recipients were as follow.
• Faculty Excellence in Service Award: Elizabeth A. Kuipers, Ph.D., associate professor of English.
• Staff Excellence in Service Award: Janie Mooney, administrative assistant from the School of Business Administration.
• Faculty Excellence in Scholarship Award: Keaton Wynn, associate professor of Visual Arts.
• Faculty Excellence and Commitment to Teaching Award: Lauren DiPaula, Ph.D., associate professor of English.
• Faculty Excellence in Advising Award: Shannon Perry, senior lecturer and director of External Programs within the School of Business Administration.
• Staff Excellence in Advising Award: David Jenkins, assistant director of Admissions.

The award for Professor of the Year, sponsored by the GSW Alumni Association, was given to Judy Orton Grissett, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology. The recipient is chosen by graduating seniors from the previous class (2015) and is awarded at the conclusion of the spring semester.
The Student Government Association also recognized one faculty and one staff member who consistently promote student engagement, school spirit and serves as an exceptional mentor to all students. The award names and recipients were as follow.
• SGA Faculty Member of the Year: Robert Bennett, Ph.D., associate professor of management from the School of Business Administration.
• Oris Bryant Staff Member of the Year: Sam Miller, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs.

Additionally, faculty were recognized for promotion and tenure; faculty and staff were recognized for years of service to GSW; and faculty retirees that were granted emeritus status were recognized.
The 2016 GSW Outstanding Scholar, Carleen Wise of Plains, was recognized and given a framed resolution from the both the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate.