CFA Awards
Faculty Excellence Awards
The College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah is committed to fostering continuous growth and excellence in research, teaching, and service among its faculty.
Each year, three faculty members are selected to receive the College of Fine Arts Faculty Excellence Awards in the categories of Research, Teaching, and Service. These awards recognize outstanding distinction and contributions in each area.
Each award includes a $1,000 honorarium. Recipients are recognized at the College of Fine Arts Convocation in the spring and at the College of Fine Arts Faculty & Staff Reception in the fall.
Teaching Award nominations are evaluated on evidence of:
- innovative pedagogical practices
- curricular and program development
- student mentoring, student impact, and student engagement (including engagement in research projects)
- exemplary contributions to the educational process inside and outside the classroom
Research Award nominations are evaluated on evidence of:
- the creation of new knowledge and new ways of knowing
- development of innovative creative and/or scholarly research methods
- national and/or international impact of research
- anything else of note that can’t be addressed in the three categories above
Service Award nominations are evaluated on evidence of:
- Breadth and Depth of Service: Demonstrated involvement in service across multiple levels (departmental, college, university, professional or community).
- Leadership and Initiative: Evidence of taking leadership roles, initiating new programs or committees, or guiding important institutional changes.
- Impact and Effectiveness: Clear outcomes resulting from service work, including improvements in policy, student success, faculty engagement, or community partnerships.
- Sustained Contribution: A record of consistent and meaningful service over time, not limited to a single academic year.
Nominations
Eligible nominees must:
- Have at least four years of teaching service as a tenure-line and/or career-line faculty member in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah (may include the academic year the nomination is submitted)
- Be tenured, tenure-track, or career-line faculty
- Wait five years after receiving a University-wide teaching or research award (for example, Early Career Teaching Award, Distinguished Teaching Award, Distinguished Research Award, etc.) Note: this does not include University-wide research and teaching grants).
- This award committee will be the Executive Committee in the College of Fine Arts. Current members in EC are not eligible.
*Note that faculty members can only receive each award once. Please see below for a list of former recipients.
Nomination Instructions:
Faculty Excellence Award Nomination Forms are submitted via Qualtrics survey found below. Nominators will need to fill out information about the nominee (name and department/school), and include a brief reason for their nomination. The nominator may be contacted if additional information is needed. Self-nomination is also encouraged.
Once nominations are received, the faculty nominees will be contacted and asked to provide additional materials: CV, Personal Statement, Letters of Support from colleagues, students, collaborators, publishers, curators, etc., and either Course Evaluations (for Teaching Awards) or Samples of Research (for Research Awards). After materials have been received, the Dean's Office will contact the chair/director of the academic unit to add their support to the nomination. All of the above information will be reviewed by the CFA Faculty Excellence Award Committee, and the committee will make award recommendations to the Dean.
Note: Nominators should excuse themselves from serving in the Faculty Excellence Award Committee, and current/active committee members should excuse themselves from discussing any faculty members to whom they provide letters of support.
Timeline for Process:
- Nominations period (April 15th – May 15th)
- Support requests from Chairs/Directors (June 1st – June 15th)
- Notification of nominees & consolidation of files (July 1st - 31st)
- Committee meeting (August)
Click here to go to the Research - Faculty Excellence Award Nomination Form
Click here to go to the Service - Faculty Excellence Award Nomination Form
Click here to go to the Teaching - Faculty Excellence Award Nomination Form
Former recipients:
2025
Excellence in Teaching: Michael Hirshon (Art & Art History)
Excellence in Research: Catherine Mayes (Music)
2024
Excellence in Teaching: Natalie Desch (Dance)
Excellence in Research: Molly Heller (Dance)
2023
Excellence in Teaching: Michael Chikinda (Music)
Excellence in Research: Sonia Albert Sobrino (Film & Media Arts)
2022
Excellence in Teaching: Miriam Albert Sobrino (Film & Media Arts)
Excellence in Research: Elizabeth Craft (Music)
2021
Excellence in Teaching: Alison (Al) Denyer (Art & Art History)
Excellence in Research: Brian Manternach (Theatre)
2020
Excellence in Teaching: Carol Sogard (Art & Art History)
Excellence in Research: Jane Hatter (Music)
2019
Excellence in Teaching: Sarah Hollenberg (Art & Art History)
Excellence in Research: Sarah Sinwell (Film & Media Arts)
2018
Excellence in Teaching: Catherine Mayes (Music)
Excellence in Research: Wendy Wischer (Art & Art History)
2017
Excellence in Teaching: Sandy Brunvand (Art & Art History)
Excellence in Research: Lien Fan Shen (Film & Media Arts)
2016
Excellence in Teaching: Pamela Jones (Music)
Excellence in Research: Eric Handman (Modern Dance)
2015
Excellence in Teaching: Tim Slover (Theatre)
Excellence in Research: Ed Bateman (Art & Art History)
2014
Excellence in Teaching: Chris Lippard (Film & Media Arts)
Excellence in Research: Sarah Shippobotham (Theatre)
2013
Excellence in Teaching: Pamela Geber Handman (Modern Dance)
Excellence in Research: Beth Krensky (Art & Art History)
2012
Excellence in Teaching: Sydney Cheek-O'Donnell (Theatre)
Excellence in Research: Elena Shtromberg (Art & Art History)
Staff Excellence Awards
Each year, the College of Fine Arts recognizes the superior performance of its staff members within the college. Staff members must show exceptional ability in terms of Service Excellence and Commitment to the College of Fine Arts.
Each year, one staff member will be awarded with a prize of $1000 and will be recognized at the annual CFA Staff Conference. Nominations may be made by current students, alumni, staff or faculty members. Nominees must have at least 3 years of continuous service in the College and be .75 FTE or higher. Previous recipients of the Staff Excellence Award will be re-eligible for the award 3 years after receiving it. Faculty, director-level staff and above, and part-time hourly employees are not eligible for this award.
Nomination Instructions:
Staff Excellence Award Nomination Forms are submitted via Qualtrics survey found below. Nominators will need to fill out information about the nominee (name and department/school), and then answer two questions:
- What traits are exemplified by the nominee that result in superior work performance?
- What actions are taken by the nominee to assist in achieving the Department/College mission and that contribute to long-lasting benefits in the College/University community?
Information about the nominator will be requested in case additional information is needed.
Click here to go to the Staff Excellence Award Nomination Form
Timeline for Process:
- Nominations open (April 15th – May 15, 2024)
- Committee meeting (August)
Previous awardees:
- 2025 - Emeri Fetzer (Dean's Office)
- 2024 - Christopher Larson (Dance)
- 2023 - Halee Rasmussen (Theatre)
- 2022 - Andrew Grace (Dean's Office)
- 2021 - Sean Carter (Dance)
- 2020 - Penny Caywood (Theatre)
- 2019 - Michelle Addison (School of Music)
- 2018 - Robin Wilks-Dunn (UtahPresents)
- 2017 - Cami Rives (Dean's Office)
- 2016 - Spencer Kellogg (Music)
- 2015 - Shawn Porter (Art & Art History)
- 2015 - Wayne Coons (Modern Dance)
- 2014 - Holly Christmas (CSIS)
- 2014 - Tyler Kunz (Dean's Office)
- 2013 – Paula Lee (Film & Media Arts)
- 2013 – Amy Walchli (Art & Art History)
- 2012 – Glenda Staples (Modern Dance/Ballet)
- 2012 – Rob Yeo (CSIS)