2005 Chancellor's Honors Banquet

The 2005 Chancellor's Honors Banquet was held April 13 in the University Center Ballroom. The Honors Banquet is held each spring to recognize students, faculty, staff and friends of the University of Tennessee for their extraordinary achievements.

For a complete list of honorees including photos, download the Honors Banquet Program (PDF).

List of Award Recipients

2005-2006 Macebearer Award:

• Dr. Gordon Burghardt, professor of psychology, is nationally recognized for his groundbreaking work on animal play. His book, The Genesis of Animal Play, was published by MIT Press in February, and was hailed last month in a Nature magazine review.

Volunteer of the Year (given to a rising senior):

• Margaret "Maggie" Valvo, history major and political science minor from Alexandria, Va.

Torchbearers (highest student honor, which reminds all students that those who bear the Torch of Enlightenment shadow themselves to give light to other):

• Stephen Dolgner, biology major from Elizabethton, Tenn., has contributed his considerable computer skills to a number of campus organizations, notably as director of SGA's Technology Services Committee and as manager of the Honors Program Computer Lab. He was a student member of UT's Volprint steering committee. He was one of 15 recipients of Chancellor's Summer Research Internships last year, and he's headed to medical school after graduation.
• Monica Balon Harper is a pre-teaching mathematics major from Memphis. She's president of Black Educators of Tomorrow and serves on the African American Achievers Programming Committee. She holds National Merit, Coca Cola, Alumni Valedictorian, and Presidential scholarships and a minority teaching fellowship. Ms. Harper tutors UT athletes at the Thornton Center and high school students in UT's KAPTAINS Program. She's an enthusiastic UT recruiter who aspires to be president of a UT Alumni Chapter someday.
• Jason Johnson is a history major from Maryville. He is editor-in-chief of the Daily Beacon, UT's student newspaper. He founded and continues to edit Compendium, the UT Honors Program newsletter. Mr. Johnson is a four-year member of Progressive Student Alliance, an organization that takes action for social justice. He won a Chancellor's Undergraduate Summer Research Internship early in his academic career. He has won the LeRoy Graf Scholarship and the Stephens and Hoffman Scholarship.
• Alee Lynch, agricultural economics and business major from Spring City, Tenn., excels as a leader of the UT competition team for the National AgriMarketing Association. Her efforts have built the group into "the team to beat" at regional and national events. She's been vice president of Dance Marathon, a resident assistant in Greve Hall, and a UT Ambassador. And, she's made time to study abroad in Thailand and in Paris.
• Chaz Molder, political science major from Columbia, Tenn., was this year's president of the Student Government Association. He's an effective member of campus governance working with the Offices of the President and Chancellor and the Board of Trustees. He's a member of the search committee for the new UT Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs. He's on the board of directors of the Howard Baker Center. His community service is laudable, from a mission trip to Costa Rica to the Blue/Orange Blood Drive.
• Rachel Parsons is a journalism and political science major from Jasper, Tenn. She is president of Student Alumni Associates, and earned special recognition when she surpassed 300 hours of service to the organization. Ms. Parsons is editor-in-chief of the Volunteer Yearbook and vice president of Alpha Omicron Pi social sorority. She was president of the Spring Sports Ambassadors working with prospective varsity athletes. All that, plus she holds Whittle, National Merit, Presidential and Alumni Valedictorian scholarships.
• Carol Lynette White, a food science & technology major from Pelham, Tenn., served as student representative to the Board of Trustees and on the UT Presidential Search Committee. She is president of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Student Council. Ms. White is a Whittle Scholar, a Phi Kappa Phi McDow Scholar, and won the Vic Davis/ Earl Zwingle Award. She's an avid flag football player and sings alto in her church choir.

Customer Service Awards:

• Donna Hutsell, senior custodian at Strong Hall
• Angela Berry, administrative aide in the dean's office of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Campus Leadership and Service Awards:

• M.G. Bailey, speech communications major from Knoxville
• Bonnie Buffaloe, journalism major
• Rachel Clement, psychology major from Nashville
• Chad Fulton, political science major from Savannah, Tenn.
• Amy Michaelson, senior in logistics and transportation from Smyrna, Tenn.
• Andrew Shafer, a communication studies major from Greer, S. C.
• Jenny Wright, master's degree candidate in college student personnel from Powell.

L.R. Hesler Award:

• Dr. Paul Pinckney, professor of history

Alexander Prize (named for former UT President and now Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander and his wife, Honey):

• Dr. Stephen Ash, professor of history.

Jefferson Prize (established by an anonymous donor to the university, honors the memory and principles of the nation's third president):

• Dr. Dorothy Bowles, professor of journalism and electronic media
• Dr. Joseph Carcello, a William B. Stokely Distinguished Scholar in accounting and business law and director of research for UT's Corporate Governance Center.

UT National Alumni Association's Outstanding Teaching Awards:

• Dr. Stan Bowie, professor of social work
• Dr. Mary McAlpin, associate professor of French
• Dr. Anthony Nownes, associate professor of political science
• Dr. Robert Stillman, professor of English.

UT National Alumni Association Public Service Award:

• Dr. Robert Kronick, professor of counseling and human services.

Graduate Student Teacher Awards:

• Allen Broyles, marketing; Tanya Faberson, anthropology
• Melissa Hargrove, anthropology
• Anne Marie Snellen, English.

Research and Creative Achievement Awards:

• Dr. Mark Dadmun, professor of chemistry
• Dr. Thomas Heffernan, professor of English
• Dr. Terry Schultz, professor of comparative medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine
• Dr. Hanno Weitering, professor of physics.

Professional Promise in Research and Creative Achievement Awards:

• Dr. Janice Lannett Edwards, assistant professor of animal science
• Dr. Henri Grissino-Mayer, assistant professor of geography.

Excellence in Teaching Awards (presented by the Chancellor's Office and the Faculty Senate Teaching Council):

• Professor Dwight Aarons, associate professor of law
• Dr. Luis Cano, assistant professor in Spanish
• Dr. Michael Handelsman, professor of Spanish
• Dr. Jeffrey Kovac, professor and director of undergraduate studies in physical and polymer chemistry
• Dr. Stephane Natan, lecturer in French
• Dr. Geoffrey Steadman, instructor and lecturer in classics.
  

Excellence in Advising Awards (presented by the Chancellor's Office and the Faculty Senate Teaching Council):

• Dr. John Bohstedt, associate professor of history
• Dr. Timothy Hiles, associate professor of art
• Aaron Todd, assistant director of Arts & Science Advising Services.

Academic Outreach Awards:
Dr. Stuart Elston, professor of physics; and Club Geography, a student organization.

Angie Warren Perkins Award (named for the first dean of women at the University of Tennessee at the turn of the 20th century):

• Deseriee Kennedy, associate professor of law.

Women of Achievement Awards (presented by the Commission for Women):

• Dr. Candace White, associate professor of public relations and president of the Faculty Senate
• Jenny Moshak, assistant athletics director for sports medicine and head trainer for the UT Women's Athletics Department
• Jillian Ross, master's degree student in sports studies.

2005 UT Notable Woman Awards (presented by the Commission for Women):

• Dr. Faye Julian, dean of the College of Communication and Information
• Dr. Marian Moffett, architecture faculty member until her death fall semester.

Gene Mitchell Gray Award (presented by the Commission for Blacks recognizing a student for pro-active contributions in promoting cultural diversity):

• Vanessa Thomas, sports management and political science senior from Nashville.

Hardy Liston Symbol of Hope Award (honors a long-time associate vice chancellor for academic affairs):

• posthumously to Dr. George W. Harris Jr. was one of the first black professors on campus (died in December 2003), professor emeritus in educational administration and supervision and in theory and practice in teacher education.

Commission for Blacks Hall of Fame Award:

• Dr. Michael Blackwell, dean of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine.

Service to the University Awards:

• Staff -- Marian Sykes, Information Technology Team Leader.
• Friend of the University -- Chris Snow, a "T" bus driver.
• Faculty -- Dr. Lynn Cagle, associate dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences; Dr. Don Cox, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Deseriee Kennedy, professor of law; Stephanie Taylor, administrator of UT's Art Education Program.

Community Service Awards:

• Faculty -- Dr. Daniel Murphy, head of the Department of Accounting and Information Management.
• Students -- Amy Nachtrab, English major; Vanessa Thomas, sports management and political science senior from Nashville and president of UT's NAACP Student Chapter; Abby Thomason, English major from Ooltewah, Tenn.; and Betty Thurber, law student.
• Student Organizations -- Baccalaureate Student Social Work Organization; and the UT Student Chapter of the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Contribution to Campus Life Awards:

• The Student Government Association's Campus Beautification Committee; and the Issues Committee.

Citations for Academic Achievement by College:

• Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources: Emily Arlene Curtis, Elizabeth A. England, Brady D. Lewis, Jessica E. Smith
• Arts & Sciences: Marissa Michelle Allen (Scholar-Athlete), Jessica D. Brogden, Katharine Aileen Burnett, Albert E. DePrince, Stephen James Dolgner, Jessica L. Hodge, Amy B. Holmes, Paul E. Julian, Jessica Marie Lenden, Monica P. Lynch, Shannon M. Metz, Laurel A. Morton, Amy E. Nachtrab, William C. Overcast, Justin M. Pratt, Brent Nicholas Reed, Shawna M. Ross, Caroline T. Sarros, Devin L. Weinberg, Gail Zasowski
• Business Administration: Teesha L. Ash (Scholar-Athlete)
• Communication & Information: Jeffrey A. Hicks
• Education, Health & Human Sciences: Jessica E. Andrews (Scholar-Athlete), Kaitlin N. Bargreen (Scholar-Athlete), Kristen E. McGrath (Scholar-Athlete), Valerie Nicole Wilkins
• Engineering: Jamie Garvey, Bethany D. Gregory, Jesse A. Richmond
• Nursing: Lynda E. Galloway
• Social Work: Kathryn A. White

Citations for Professional Promise by College:

• Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources: Roberto N. Barbosa, Patrick A. Dobbs, Alee L. Lynch, Carol Lynette White
• Arts & Sciences: Anna M. Hollmann, Laurel A. Morton, Olga S. Ovchinnikov, Shawna M. Ross, Nathaneal A. Tanner, James E. Wicker
• Communication & Information: Ashley L. Tharp
• Education, Health & Human Sciences: Hannah D. Bolinger
• Engineering: James E. Alsup, Zhong Du, George C. Jacob, Abhishek Vyas, Yingyue Xu
• Law: Jeff M. Metzger, Jonathan T. Mize, Kimberly A. Pride
• Nursing: Barbara K. Folsom, Emma L. Taylor
• Social Work: Sarah B. Garlington, Mary E. Lamb, Katheryn O. Teague
• Veterinary Medicine: Mary Lauren L. Mesich, Olya A. Smrkovski

Top Collegiate Scholars by College:

• Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: Emily Arlene Curtis
• Architecture and Design: Alisha Nicole White
• Arts and Sciences: Marissa Michelle Allen, Abdelhamid Mohamed Alsharif, Ann Marie Bennett, Katharine Aileen Burnett, Joshua Bryant Byrd, Sarena Kay Cleeton, Elizabeth Ann Coffman, Justin Matthew Deaton, Stephen James Dolgner, Anna Marie Dougherty, Leah Hastings Gordon, Rachel Natalie Graves, Anna Virginia Jefferson, Catherine Ann Jennings, Jessica Marie Lenden, Matthew Nicholas Moore, Brent Nicholas Reed, Christopher James Roethle, Shawna M. Ross, Gail Zasowski
• Business Administration: Cory Joseph Duprey, Martha Stratton McRee, William Randall Stefek, Beth Anne Tarnoff, Lauren Michelle Turner
• Communication & Information: Jesse Clark Morton
• Education, Health & Human Sciences: Emily Ann Cleveland, Ivy Claire Griffin, Valerie Nicole Wilkins
• Engineering: Mary Kathryn Airhart, Benjamin Erich Kant, Tatiana Alexandra Espin Kyker, Graham Martin Nelson, Lance David Schmieder, Jill Lynn Weigand
• Law: Jonathan T. Mize, Kimberly A. Pride
• Nursing: Christa Ann Avenell, Amber Elizabeth Bennett
• Social Work: Sarah R. Feist-Gardner
• Veterinary Medicine: Mary Lauren L. Mesich