Hixson-Lied Faculty and Staff Awards announced

The Hixson-Lied Faculty and Staff Awards recognize outstanding performance and accomplishments in the areas of teaching; research and creative activity; faculty service, outreach and engagement; outstanding lecturer; and staff service.
The Hixson-Lied Faculty and Staff Awards recognize outstanding performance and accomplishments in the areas of teaching; research and creative activity; faculty service, outreach and engagement; outstanding lecturer; and staff service.

Hixson-Lied Faculty and Staff Awards announced

calendar icon23 Apr 2021    

Lincoln, Neb.--The Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts has announced the 2021 recipients of the Hixson-Lied Faculty and Staff awards. 

This ongoing awards program for faculty and staff recognizes outstanding performance and accomplishments in the areas of teaching; research and creative activity; faculty service, outreach and engagement; outstanding lecturer; and staff service.

The following awards are presented:

• Senior Faculty Research and Creative Activity Award:
Wendy Katz, School of Art, Art History & Design

This award recognizes a senior faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in research or creative activity.

Her nominator, Professor of Art History Michael Hoff wrote: “I have been a member of this Department for 31 years, and I have never encountered such a strong outpouring of research over the course of one year as we see in Wendy Katz’ record for 2020. During the course of the calendar year, Prof. Katz completed not one, but two book projects! To be clear, these are not edited books, which are collected and collated essays by many scholars over a common theme, but these are monographic projects. To be placed into context: some scholars have never produced monographs, other have produced only edited volumes. The better scholars do publish monographs but those they produce are usually few and with an interval of many years in between efforts. Wendy Katz has done two in one year. Extraordinary.”

• Junior Faculty Research and Creative Activity Award:
Ash Eliza Smith, School of Art, Art History & Design and Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts

This award recognizes a junior faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in research or creative activity.

Her nominator, Associate Professor of Art Sandra Williams, wrote: “Professor Smith’s research draws and connects areas from across the University, engaging and uniting collaborative partners from diverse fields with her expertise in storytelling and worldbuilding. With her finger on the pulse of multiple disciplines, Professor Ash Smith’s research has a long reach and impact into areas far beyond the arts. Her research in prestigious institutions, but also demonstrates the necessity and application of the humanities to all disciplines, and all professional fields.”

• Outreach, Engagement or Service Award:
Stacy Asher, School of Art, Art History & Design

This award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in outreach, engagement or service.

Her nominator, Professor of Art History Michael Hoff, wrote: “The task of writing the nomination letter fell upon me but in no means is this an onerous job because of the strength of Asher’s service record. For a faculty member who is not fully promoted, Professor Asher carries a heavy service load.” Among the many activities he outlined, he highlighted her appointment to the Chancellor’s Commission on Environment, Sustainability and Resilience (SESRC): “Serving on this commission represents a sizeable commitment of time, but also offers the potential of great rewards for the stakeholders in the University.”

• Academic Advising Award:
Ann Marie Pollard, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film

This award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in academic advising.

Her nominator, Associate Professor of Theatre David Long, wrote: “Both students and faculty have praised Ann Marie’s efforts to support advising, an often underrated activity in the Carson School. Prof. Pollard’s contribution to school responsibility in this area resulted in her advocacy of ‘early intervention practices’ within student probation policies. By creating a multi-tiered path to academic recovery, she has improved our approaches to assist the struggling student. Her service as faculty advisor to Theatrix, the student run theatre organization, has provided guidance to budding theatre artists as they engage in the process of theatre production and performance.”

• Curriculum Development Award:
Dana Fritz and Walker Pickering, School of Art, Art History & Design

This award recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in curricular or programmatic development.

Their nominator, Associate Professor of Art Margaret Bohls, wrote: “Professors Fritz and Pickering are an extraordinarily strong team. They continually confer with one another about all aspects of the photo program and, since Professor Pickering was hired in 2014, have worked collaboratively to build the photo program at the undergraduate and graduate levels in both depth and breadth.”

• Junior Faculty Teaching Awards:
Katie Anania, School of Art, Art History & Design
Marques L.A. Garrett, Glenn Korff School of Music

These awards recognize junior faculty members who have demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in teaching.

Anania’s nominator, Associate Professor of Art Margaret Bohls, wrote: “The Executive Committee of the School of Art, Art History & Design agreed unanimously that Professor Anania has gone far above and beyond what is expected of new faculty in developing new courses, new course materials, and new approaches to teaching Art History. With a focus on student access, diversity, and the relationship of art history to contemporary social issues, Professor Anania has succeeded in winning widespread admiration and engagement from her students, despite the rigor of her coursework and assignments.”

Garrett’s nominator, Assistant Professor of Composition/Jazz Studies Greg Simon, wrote: “In his time at Nebraska, Prof. Garrett has been an invaluable member of not only the School of Music’s faculty, but of our campus community; and shown himself to be a leader among students and colleagues alike. In the space of three years (including one marked by the limitations of COVID), Prof. Garrett has turned Nebraska’s choral department into a national leader for diverse, intentional programming of traditionally underrepresented composers.”

• Outstanding Lecturer Award:
Perry Obee, School of Art, Art History & Design

This award recognizes a lecturer who has demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in teaching.

Obee’s nominator, Professor of Art Santiago Cal, wrote: “Perry joined our program in August of 2020, to teach and lead the Printmaking area within the School. He had very large shoes to fill, with the Francisco Souto becoming Director of the School and the retirement of Professor Karen Kunc. Perry made the transition effortless and has demonstrated a tremendous amount of initiative in building upon the strengths of the program. He has taken on a leadership role and implemented series of new initiatives, all during the COVID -19 pandemic.”

• Outstanding Staff Award:
Jeff O’Brien, Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts

The Outstanding Staff Award is awarded to a staff member whose overall performance has regularly and consistently exceeded expectations and has reflected a high level of service throughout their years of service.

In her nomination letter, Assistant Professor of Practice of Emerging Media Arts Anna Henson wrote: “I am a new faculty in the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts, and I have been fortunate enough to have Jeff as a colleague who not only excels in his role but consistently goes above and beyond to support the faculty and students of the Carson Center. Jeff is a creative and practical problem solver with an unwavering ‘can-do’ spirit in the face of challenges. He is consistently quick to respond to any requests, making himself available at a moment’s notice when any issues arise. During the past year, Jeff has been faced with not only the challenges of operating during COVID, but supporting a new program (the BFA in Emerging Media Arts) with facilities and equipment he has organized from the ground up, and attending to the technology needs of multiple new faculty and cohorts of students, many of whom are remote. New policies have been enacted, equipment must be sourced and sanitized, WiFi supported, and the rigorous, creative work of the Hixson-Lied College must continue. Jeff’s role as Director of Technology is mission critical.”

• Staff Award for Exemplary Service:
Dayana Corredor, Glenn Korff School of Music

This award is given to a staff member who has demonstrated exemplary service to the College or Academic Unit over the preceding 12-month calendar year.

In his nomination letter, Assistant Professor of Composition/Jazz Studies Greg Simon wrote: “Dayana has faced the myriad adversities of this year with not only grace and good humor, but an abundance of creativity, open-mindedness, and a willingness to work with faculty and students alike to find the best solution to each problem. She has introduced changes and innovations in the oft-overlooked, day-to-day workings of the School of Music, and these introductions were vital in making it possible for ensembles to perform and students to make meaningful degree progress. . . . Without someone of Dayana’s creativity, adaptability, and dedication to teamwork, we would simply not be thriving during the pandemic the way that we are.”

• M.V.P. Award:
David Bagby, Hixson-Lied College Dean’s Office

This award is given to a staff member who has provided support to the College behind-the-scenes.

In his nominating letter, Associate Professor of Theatre Jamie Bullins wrote: “Since my first day here on campus, back in August of 2017, David was one of the first people I met in the College. . . What I remember clearly was thinking how helpful David was. He was patient, easy to get along with, even in the face of the often-confusing world of Technology. And, in the 4 years now that I’ve been here, that helpful nature is a constant. In my experience, if David cannot be of assistance right away, he will certainly point you in the right direction, or search himself for a solution. Now, throw in an unexpected world-wide pandemic, that pushes everyone home to teach and work at first and then turns the needs and expectations for offices and classrooms completely upside down. . . David, and the extended IT staff, have managed it all while remaining pleasant and, again, patient. IT often goes unnoticed as a whole. Especially when things are working as expected.”

• Special Staff Service Awards

The College also recognizes the following staff members who went above and beyond this year preparing the College to teach, work and operate under the challenging circumstances of the pandemic with Special Staff Service Awards. These staff members helped to prepare College facilities and systems for remote instruction, managed performances or exhibitions for online presentation, or developed and communicated other operational policies for the success of the College.

The Special Staff Service Award recipients are:
• Brad Buffum, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film
• Todd Cuddy, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film
• Drew Davis, School of Art, Art History & Design
• Andrea Gruber, School of Art, Art History & Design
• Leslie Harms, Glenn Korff School of Music
• Joseph Holmes, School of Art, Art History & Design
• Megan McMasters, Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts
• Joe Morris, Dean’s Office
• Cameron Shoemaker, Glenn Korff School of Music