At the College of Fine Arts’ annual College-wide Faculty & Staff Meeting, three members of our CFA community shone particularly brightly.

Join us in extending the celebration of our 2023 Faculty and Staff Excellence Award winners: Sonia Albert Sobrino, Michael Chikinda and Halee Rasmussen.

Sonia Albert-Sobrino (Film & Media Arts)
The Research Excellence Award recognizes a colleague who has been evaluated on the creation of new knowledge and new ways of "knowing," national and/or international impact of research, and the development of innovative creative and/or scholarly research methods. Sonia’s research was riddled with new ideas and innovative approaches, with attention consistently called out to the quantity and quality of her research. As one nomination stated: “Sonia’s research has consistently brought awareness to three subject matters: female rights; climate crisis; and technology dependency. [Her] films take on innovative processes and presentations to challenge audiences' ideas, inviting them to question and re-think relevant issues that otherwise would be invisible in more traditional formats.” 
 

Michael Chikinda (Music)

The Teaching Excellence Award recognizes a colleague who has exemplary contributions to the educational process inside and outside the classroom, with innovative teaching practices and admirable mentorships, as well as who puts tremendous effort into developing the curriculum in their unit. According to his nominator, Michael is a “Master of Teaching;” he is a popular, hands-on professor who knows how to create a safe and engaging learning environment in his classrooms. His teaching methods are multi-modal, participatory, and immersive. He developed beautiful systems for teaching during the COVID shutdown and continually familiarizes himself with the latest trends in music theory, always actively promoting the sense of a unified purpose for learning among students, faculty, and TAs. 

Halee Rasmussen (Theatre)
Halee Rasmussen is this year’s Staff Excellence Award honoree. The Award recognizes exceptional ability, service excellence, and commitment to the College. Halee is an alum of the U’s Performing Arts Degree Program and currently serves as the Assistant Director and Scenic Charge Artist for the Department of Theatre. Halee also recently achieved her 10-year milestone with the University. Halee is well known in the theatre community and brings a deep commitment to students and artistry to her work. As one nominator wrote, “Our faculty, staff and students rely on Halee's expertise, dedication and years of experience for any challenge that needs the right solution.” The College and broader campus are fortunate to have Halee as an artist and colleague.

Visit these pages if you’d like more information on the Faculty Excellence or Staff Excellence awards including nomination information and past recipients.