Colorado State University – Pueblo recognizes its ‘Leaders of the Pack’ for 2004-05  
             
Pueblo- Outstanding faculty and staff leaders at Colorado State University – Pueblo were honored at a recognition luncheon held on Thursday, April 21.
Teacher Education Instructor Margie Massey was recognized as the 2005 Outstanding Employee. Nominations for this award are based on outstanding accomplishments, initiative, performance as a team player, commitment to the University, a positive attitude, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. A campus-wide committee of current University employees selected the winner.

Massey has been a Curriculum Lab Coordinator in the Teacher Education department for the past five years under the Teacher Quality Grant. The Curriculum Lab began without structure, systems, or supplies and now serves as a resource for novice teachers, professors, and teacher candidates as well as partner schools. Thanks to Margie, the lab now includes teaching materials for all content areas, reference materials on innovative and best practices, technology references and equipment, and art and music resources. She not only knows the inventory of the lab, but how to use them all!

Outstanding Classified Employee Jim Glenn, Information Technology Services, was selected from among six nominees by a panel of community leaders: Lucy Garcia, retired school District 60 Spanish teacher; Jess Cano, MANPOWER; and Richard Aragon, Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo. In 2004, Glenn nearly single-handedly installed 14 high-tech classrooms and upgraded another 18 additional rooms on campus. He shifted his work schedule to odd and late hours so that the work could be accomplished without interrupting classes. While the work in itself may have been enough to earn him this award, it was the personable and positive manner with which he goes about his work that puts him “over the top.” The runner-up was Kim Hill, commencement coordinator and administrative assistant in External Affairs, whose entire staff signed the nomination letter, describing her as “an outstanding, hardworking ambassador and cheerleader for CSU-Pueblo and a generous and patient friend to us all.” The second-runner up for Classified Employee of the Year was Patty DeGrasse, Library Services for her 18 years of “creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for students, faculty, and staff throughout her years at the University Library.”

David Collins, assistant professor of chemistry, received the 2005 University Award for Excellence in Teaching. Collins has become well-known for his meticulous class preparation, his innovative teaching techniques and style, and his leadership in curriculum development. Dr. Collins routinely performs lecture demonstrations, uses clips from the popular CSI television shows as well as video from experiments he performed himself to help students learn and to generate student interest. Since his arrival in Fall or 2003, Collins has developed an entire
emphasis area in forensic chemistry

The 2005 University Award for Faculty Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activity was presented Jonathan Rees, associate professor history. Rees has produced an extraordinary number of scholarly works in the past two years, including two books, nine scholarly articles, and 15 general interest articles. His record is even more impressive considering that he has accomplished so much while maintaining a full teaching and service load. Although a nationally recognized specialist in labor history, his publications reflect a wide range of interests and expertise. Rees has played a central role in helping to secure the Bessemer Historical Society’s grant funding and thus insuring that one of Pueblo’s most valuable historical assets will be available to the general public and to labor historians.

The 2005 University Award for Faculty Excellence in Service was presented Katherine Frank-Dvorsky, assistant professor of English. Frank-Dvorsky has transformed the University’s composition program and thus improved the University’s image as an institution of higher education. She has energetically pursued several grants, including the National Writing Project Grant. An intensive pilot program called “The Southern Colorado Writing Project” has for three summers in a row educated local teachers and librarians about the teaching of writing in high school classrooms. In-service programs at schools throughout Pueblo are key to the writing project and require extensive meetings with administrators for planning, development, facilitation, and follow-up in order to build the kind of system that will touch as many teachers as possible. She also is chair of FOCUS, an innovative program that she has contributed to since her first year here, involving faculty from different disciplines partnering to create linked courses through enrolling the same first-year students, thereby creating “learning communities.”

Sue Hanks, chair and professor of management/marketing, received the University Award for Faculty Excellence in Advising/Mentoring. Hanks has a long and distinguished record of excellence in advising in the Hasan School of Business and in the University’s Advising Center. In the past two years, she has been one of the two undergraduate faculty advisors for the School, regularly advising more than 175 students. On the School’s exit survey for graduating seniors, which is used to benchmark its performance against other AACSB accredited programs, the scores for the School are significantly higher than those of our peers. Dr. Hanks is well-known by students for her assistance with career and life issues. She supervises the internship program for the School and serves as the keynote speaker for the school’s annual Etiquette Dinner.

The following faculty members were honored as the top faculty member in their respective colleges for the 2004-05 academic year:

* George Dallam, associate professor of exercise science, health promotion, and recreation, College of Education, Engineering and Professional Studies

* Katherine Frank-Dvorsky, assistant professor of English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

* Peter Billington, professor of management/marketing, and Kevin Duncan, professor of accounting, economics, and finance, Hasan School of Business

* Tensia Soto-Johnson, associate professor of mathematics, College of Science
and Mathematics

* Eleni Adrian, instructor, library services, University Library

Also honored at the luncheon were recent retirees of the University and individuals who received national recognition for their service or accomplishments during the past academic year.
University Service Awards also were presented to employees achieving milestones of service from five to 35 years. The following four individuals were honored for 35 years of service to the institution: J. Michael Beck, music; Ron Dehn; Admissions; Marcella Hopkins, Library Services, and Daniel Sullivan, Library Services.
 
Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.