Grand Valley State University honors our excellent faculty in a range of areas of accomplishment: faculty who teach in and outside of the classroom, contribute significant scholarship that advances their profession and enriches their teaching, offer inspired mentoring to our students, and provide dedicated service to the campus and community. Click on the award name below for further information and criteria for each award. Links are provided for a list of previous recipients.

Glenn A. Niemeyer Award
Faculty selected are honored for their excellence, enthusiasm and loyalty to teaching., scholarship and service. Nominees should have a superior student-centered approach to teaching with continued development of excellence in the classroom that instills students with a love of learning.  They create new knowledge and explore its applications through scholarly activity. They also contribute their expertise and service to the University, professional organizations, and/or the community.
Criteria Recipients

2026 Recipients

Theresa Bacon-Baguley, Ph.D.
Professor of Physician Assistant Studies 

Theresa Bacon-Baguley is committed to student success, rigorous academic inquiry, and institutional advancement. She is a transformative educator whose teaching repertoire is as broad as it is deep, spanning from undergraduate nursing to graduate-level clinical science. Her classroom is widely recognized for academic rigor, clinical relevance, and inclusive engagement, making her one of the most impactful educators within the College of Health Professions. Bacon-Baguley’s record of scholarship reflects intellectual breadth, methodological rigor, and a commitment to translational impact. She has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications and has been awarded more than $3.5 million in federally funded research grants. Bacon-Baguley is an exceptional mentor for students and faculty, who are passionate about educating the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Shabbir Choudhuri, Ph.D.
Professor of Engineering

Shabbir Choudhuri has served on GVSU’s faculty since 2004 and has made lasting contributions in teaching, research, and service. Choudhuri is widely recognized for his project-based, student-centered teaching approach, which integrates real-world engineering challenges to build student confidence, collaboration, and applied problem-solving skills. He has played a central role in strengthening graduate education at GVSU, serving as the Graduate Program Director for Engineering from 2011 to 2021 and leading the program’s growth into a thriving, well-supported community of graduate students. He also founded the Padnos College of Engineering’s annual Project Day and helped establish the Design, Optimization, Evaluation and Redesign Center (DOER) to connect faculty, students, and industry partners. Choudhuri’s research focuses on operations improvement and engineering education, including National Science Foundation funded initiatives that promote student success, belonging, and retention. A dedicated mentor and collaborator, he continues to advance innovation and excellence across the college.

David Leonard, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry 

David Leonard’s career embodies the excellence recognized by the Glenn A. Niemeyer Award. Since joining GVSU in 1998, Leonard has advanced biochemistry education through innovative curriculum design, most notably transforming Chemistry 462- Biochemistry into a high-impact, course-based undergraduate research experience. A committed mentor, Leonard has supported more than 50 undergraduate researchers, many of whom have pursued graduate studies or careers in healthcare and biotechnology. His nationally recognized research on antibiotic-resistance enzymes has generated over 40 peer-reviewed publications, significant student co-authorship, and more than $1 million in competitive federal funding. Leonard’s service contributions range from strengthening departmental advising to supporting pre-professional pipeline programs, which demonstrate his dedication to student success. His teaching, scholarship, and service reflect a sustained commitment to excellence that has enriched students, colleagues, and the broader scientific community.

University Outstanding Teacher Award
Faculty members honored must use multiple approaches in classroom/laboratory instruction and evaluation; stimulate intellectual curiosity in students; show evidence of being current in field/disciple; demonstrate commitment to student learning as instructor, role model, or positive influence on career development of students; and reflect on past teaching experience to improve current practice.  In addition, faculty must demonstrate characteristics of outstanding teaching by demonstrating that course expectations have consistently high standards and designing pedagogies to maximize students' engagement in their learning and provide exemplary support so that all students can be successful.
Criteria Recipients

Distinguished Contribution in a Discipline Award 
Award honors a faculty member whose performance in scholarly or creative activities, or whose contributions through service to professional organizations, is clearly outstanding. The award may recognize a single, clearly exceptional accomplishment or a continued record of achievement.
Criteria Recipients
 

2026 Recipient

Katherine Moran, DNP
Associate Professor of Nursing

Katherine Moran is an exceptional researcher and transformative
leader whose continuing contributions to the scholarship of nursing practice embodies Grand Valley’s mission to empower learners and enrich society. As an award-winning expert on doctoral nursing education, Moran has published over 50 refereed articles and book chapters as well as a foundational textbook used in 192 Doctor of Nursing Practice programs nationwide. Since joining Grand Valley in 2018, Moran’s trailblazing academic practice partnerships have resulted in over $7.6 million in federal grants to support graduate education for nurses in rural and underserved communities. 

Outstanding University Service Award
Faculty member committed to service to the university.
Criteria Recipients
 

2026 Recipient

Karyn Rabourn, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Counseling

Karyn Rabourn has sustained a profound record of dedicated institutional service at GVSU. Her embodiment of the spirit of collaborative leadership, equity and engagement can be seen in her long list of service, which includes positions with the University Academic Senate, the Executive Committee of the Senate, Chair of the Title IX External Investigation Task Force, Chair of the Equity in Personnel Process Task Force, Chair of the College of Education Faculty Development Committee, Co-Chair of the Vice President for Student Affairs Search Committee, and Co-Chair of the College of Education and Community Innovation’s Faculty Council. In all of these roles, her wisdom, dedication, expertise, grace and collegiality have strengthened the university’s mission and culture.

Outstanding Community Service Award 
Faculty member committed to community service that uses the faculty member's professional expertise.
Criteria Recipients
 

2026 Recipient

Kathleen Bailey, Ed.D.
Professor of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies

Kathleen Bailey’s dedicated work for more than 40 years has transformed both individual lives and entire systems, making a profound impact on the juvenile justice system, the broader community, GVSU, and her students. Her work is her passion, reforming the criminal justice system’s treatment of its most vulnerable population, juveniles. Bailey’s exceptional achievements include creating the state’s only Juvenile Justice Minor, founding the PALS mentoring program, co-founding Juvenile Justice Vision 20/20, and being appointed by former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to serve on the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice. Bailey’s actions of service are not singular, but are boundless, and her impact to GVSU and West Michigan is profound and long-lasting.

Outstanding Academic Advising & Student Services Award
One faculty member and one AP staff member who consistently demonstrate outstanding academic advising and service to students.
Criteria Recipients
 

2026 Recipient

Jennifer DeWaard, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning

Jennifer DeWaard’s kindness, integrity, and dedication are at the heart of her ability to provide exceptional advocacy and care for her students. Learners recognize DeWaard’s ability to connect on a human level, share her own experiences, and make students feel seen, and they appreciate DeWaard’s continued contribution to their learning, as she guides them to a successful future as inclusive educators. Along with her exceptional advising skills, DeWaard is known for her expertise in academic policies and procedures, as her implementation of a new program structure is greatly recognized by her colleagues. 

Haas-Stiner Undergraduate Mentoring Award
This prestigious award is given to honor an early career faculty member at GVSU who demonstrates their understanding of their disciplines through writing, research, and active engagement of undergraduate students.

Criteria Recipients

2026 Recipient

Matthew Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology

Matthew Cooper exhibits exceptional dedication to mentoring student scholarship and fostering meaningful academic growth. He views his role as a mentor, equivalent to a wilderness guide: assisting students on the adventure while staying safe and successfully completing the goal. As a component of his research lab, which focuses on social cohesion, each student signs an “expectations agreement,” which outlines both his expectations of the student and the student’s expectations for him as a mentor. His guidance elevates the quality of research and writing, nurtures confidence, and assists with any setbacks. His mentorship not only improves individual research skills, but also enriches the broader learning environment for all students.

Internationalization Award
Award honors a  faculty member for significant service, teaching, program development, international projects, and other contributions to the internationalization of the University and campus community. It recognizes the achievements of tenured, tenure-track, or affiliate faculty members who advance international education and the global learning mission at GVSU.
Criteria Recipients

2026 Recipient

Janel Pettes Guikema, Ph.D.
Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures

Janel Pettes Guikema is a model of global engagement whose 23-year career at GVSU has profoundly shaped internationalization across the university. She has guided GVSU’s France faculty-led program seven times, redesigning the curriculum each year to ensure deeply immersive, interculturally rich learning. Her programs have transformed students’ linguistic confidence, global awareness, and academic pathways. As department chair of Modern Languages and Literatures, Guikema championed multilingualism, co-created the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy pathway, and helped develop the Multilingualism and Intercultural Fluency badges. Her work with virtual exchanges and the Global Civil Discourse Map has connected students with journalists worldwide, cultivating critical global perspectives. 

Pew Awards for Excellence

The Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center presents several awards that honor excellent teaching in the classroom.

     Pew Teaching Excellence Award
     (Previous Recipients)

     Pew Teaching with Technology Award
     (Previous Recipients)

     Pew Excellence Award for Library Faculty
     (Previous Recipients)

     Pew Teaching Excellence Award for Part-Time Faculty
     (Previous Recipients)

     Pew Excellence Award for Teaching and Learning Enrichment
     (Previous Recipients)

     Burch, Jacobs, and Moore Diversity Teaching Excellence
     (Previous Recipients)

CSCE Awards for Scholarly and Creative Excellence

The Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence presents several awards that honor excellent scholarship.

     Distinguished Early Career Scholar Award 
     (Previous Recipients)

     Distinguished Undergraduate Mentoring Award 
     (Previous Recipients)

     Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award
     (Previous Recipients)

OTHER AWARDS

Outstanding Educator Award
Faculty member who has had the most significant impact on the careers of alumni. Presented by the Alumni Association.
(Previous Recipients)

Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year - Michigan Association of State Universities
The Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year program recognizes the outstanding contributions made by the faculty from Michigan's public universities to the education of undergraduate students.
(Previous Recipients)

Michigan Association of Governing Boards Award
no longer presented
(Previous Recipients)

State Excellence in Teaching Award
no longer presented
(Previous Recipients)