Congratulations to our College of Liberal Arts (COLA) faculty, alumni, and student winners of NSHE and college awards this spring.
Faculty Awards
Jason Geddes Rising Researcher Award - Kara Christensen Pacella, Psychology
Regents’ Creative Activities Award - Javon Johnson, Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies
UNLV Outstanding Teaching by Part-Time Faculty Award - Arpine Mkrtchyan, World Languages and Cultures
UNLV Community Engagement 2026 Faculty/Staff Community Outreach Award - Jennifer Byrnes, Anthropology
Students’ Choice Advising Excellence in Efficiency Award - Wilson Advising Center
2026 Administrative Faculty of the Year - Leadership Excellence - Jenna Heath, Dean's Office
2026 Eileen McGarry Career Champion of the Year - Joseph Ervin, COLA
Catherine Gullo Bellver Career Achievement Award in Liberal Arts - Barbara Roth, Anthropology
College of Liberal Arts Diversity Faculty Award - Chenghui Zhang, Sociology
Donald Schmiedel Lifetime Service Award - Michael Green, History
Faculty-in-Residence/Lecturer Award for Excellence in Teaching - Nicholas Barron, Anthropology
Rita Deanin Abbey Teacher of the Year Award - Amy Reed-Sandoval, Philosophy
William Morris Award for Excellence in Scholarship - Nicole Short, Psychology
William Morris Award for Excellence in Scholarship - Wendy Chen, English
William Morris Award for Excellence in Teaching - Margarita Jara, World Languages and Cultures
James Frey Senior Faculty Excellence in Scholarship Award - James Hyman, Psychology
College of Liberal Arts Classified Staff Service Award - Dawn Johnson, Women's Research Institute of Nevada
Distinguished Department Alumni
M. Diane Hardgrave, Ph.D. ’10, Anthropology
A. Anthony Brinkley ’20, English
Claire White ’08, History
Brooke Buchanan ’03, Political Science
Robyn D. Walser, Ph.D. ’94, Psychology
Neosha Smith ’11 ’13, Sociology
Anthony “T.J.” Troche ’06 ’11, World Languages and Cultures
Student Awards
Sam Lieberman Regents’ Award for Student Scholarship - Richard Chang, Psychology
UNLV Outstanding Non-STEM Dissertation Award - Grace Goodwin, Psychology
UNLV Outstanding Non-STEM Thesis Award - Arel Weiderholt Kassar, English
UNLV Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award - Lila Hearn, Political Science