Prairie View A&M University recognizes faculty and staff through awards for significant contributions in teaching, research, and service – areas of importance to the University’s land-grant mission. The accomplishments and contributions of those selected are highly meritorious and worthy of recognition.
Following the nomination periods for these respective awards, the selection process began through committee reviews and recommendations. The following individuals are the 2021 and 2022 faculty and staff award recipients.
Presidential Awards – $5,000
Presidential Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Faculty Member
- Orion Ciftja (2021), Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Alfred Parks (2022), Professor, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology
Presidential Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Staff Member
- Chelsee Young (2021), Assistant Director, Honors Program
- Brian Cudnik (2022), Laboratory Coordinator II, Department of Chemistry and Physics
Faculty Awards – $2,000
Outstanding Full-Time Teaching
- Jacklyn Sanders (2021), Lecturer II, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology
- Karl Baughman (2022), Assistant Professor, Division of Social Sciences
Outstanding Part-Time Teaching
- Manjit Kaur (2021), Adjunct Instructor, Department of Languages and Communication
- Brian Cantrell (2022), Adjunct Instructor, Department of Justice Studies
Faculty Service
- Terésa Dowell-Vest (2021), Assistant Professor, Department of Languages and Communication
- Lin Li (2022), Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science
Academic Advising (honors full-time faculty or staff)
- Orlando Garcia (2021), Academic Advisor III, Academic Advising Services, College of Business
- Ahmed Mahfouz (2022), Associate Professor, Department of Accounting, Finance, and Management Information Systems
Global Engagement Faculty
- Nabil Ouassini (2021), Assistant Professor, Department of Justice Studies
- Kwaku Addo (2022), Professor and Department Head, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology
Faculty/Staff Research and Innovation Awards – $2,000
Excellence in Sponsored Research
- Raghava Kommalapati (2021), Honeywell Endowed Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
- Ali Fares (2022), Endowed Professor, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology
Excellence in Scholarly Research
- Ananda Amarasekara (2021), Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Orion Ciftja (2022), Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics
Outstanding Early Researcher
- Ahmed Ahmed (2021), Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science
- Nabila Shamim (2022), Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
Excellence in Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship
- Not Awarded (2021)
- Shuza Binzaid (2022), Research Associate Professor, Smart Microgrid Advanced Research and Technology Center
Staff Awards – $2,000
Initiative and Creativity
- Jimmy Henry (2021), Program Leader, Cooperative Extension Program
- Meaquell Lewis (2022), Program Coordinator II, Health Services
Personal Accomplishments
- Phyllis Earles (2021), Librarian II, Library
- Denesha Henderson (2022), Program Manager, Health Services
Team Accomplishments (team recipients share $2,000)
- Not Awarded (2020)
- Library – Henry Koshy and Cesselly Churchill (2021)
- Health Center – Glenn Berry, Ruth Smith, Elizabeth Mitchell, Carolyn Carter, Lovie Busby, Bhadresh Patel, Julia Jones, Alvin Ferguson, Tanaya Kizzine (2022)
Customer Support
- Kimberly Rose (2021), Administrative Coordinator I, School of Architecture
- Belinda Lewis (2022), Director, Disability Services
Cooperative Extension Program (CEP) Extension Award
- Crystal Wiltz (2021), Extension Agent, Family and Community Health, Travis County
- Dawn Burton (2022), Program Specialist II, Family and Community Health, College of Nursing
Due to the pandemic, the ceremony scheduled for 2020 was canceled. A Faculty and Staff Awards Appreciation Dinner to recognize 2020, 2021 and 2022 winners is scheduled for Wednesday, September 7, in the Memorial Student Center Ballroom. Details will be sent to each award recipient.
Congratulations to these extraordinary award recipients, and I extend our thanks to all of those who served on the various review committees. An announcement regarding 2023 Faculty and Staff Awards will be released in December. The deadline for nominations will be in February. Please consider nominating meritorious members of our community for these awards.
Ruth J. Simmons
President