Apr. 17, 2026

 

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