Convocation will honor faculty achievements

Grand Valley faculty members will be honored at an awards convocation on Thursday, February 5, in the Loosemore Auditorium at the DeVos Center.

This marks the second time a separate ceremony has been held. It had been included in the opening convocation in August.

Provost Gayle R. Davis will give welcoming remarks beginning at 4 p.m. Jonathan White, professor of interdisciplinary studies, will give the keynote address, "A Promise of Liberal Education."

Awards will be presented to faculty members with 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service. The following faculty members will receive distinguished awards:

• Pew Teaching Excellence Awards: Peter Anderson, assistant professor of Classics;    Rachel Anderson, assistant professor of English; Neil MacDonald, professor of biology.

• Pew Teaching Excellence Award for Part-Time Faculty: Sheryl Vlietstra, adjunct faculty in the College of Education.

• Outstanding Advising and Student Services Award:    Christine Yalda, assistant professor of criminal justice.

• Outstanding Community Service Award:    Barbara Reinken, associate professor of education.

• Outstanding University Service Award: Milt Ford, professor of liberal studies.    

• Distinguished Contribution in a Discipline Award: Thomas Herzog, professor of psychology.

• University Outstanding Teacher Award: Donald Pottorff, professor of education.

Two faculty members will be recognized for 40 years of service: Samir IsHak, professor of management, and Lynn Mapes, professor of history.

The following people will be recognized for 35 years of service: Carl Arendsen, Milt Ford, Bennett Rudolph and Theodore Sundstrom. Linda Nicholson Grinstead will be recognized for 30 years of service; and the following people for 25 years of service: Dorothy Armstrong, Edward Baum, Ruth Ann Brintnall, M. Catherine Gardner, Richard Hall and Jonathan White.

Lynn Mapes, left, and Samir IsHak will be among the faculty members recognized for years of service at the Faculty Awards Convocation on Thursday in Loosemore Auditorium / Photos by Bernadine Carey-Tucker