The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) celebrated the start of the semester Monday with a welcome address from Dean Heather Dillaway followed by the presentation of awards to faculty and staff earned during the 2024-25 academic year. The gathered crowd also heard from Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Ani Yazedjian before new and retiring faculty and staff were recognized in the event held in the Bone Student Center’s Old Main Room.
In her remarks, Dillaway addressed the college’s challenges and opportunities, celebrated its achievements, spotlighted under-recognized work, and provided a glimpse of the college’s future. She thanked the entire CAS community for its collective impact.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done—and continue to do—for CAS and for ISU,” Dillaway said. “I am proud of what we are sustaining and building together in this college, and I hope you are, too.”
At the conclusion of her remarks, Dillaway launched into recognition of faculty and staff, recognizing the following groups.
2024-25 College of Arts and Sciences award winners
Outstanding College Researcher Awards: Dr. Kathryn Jasper (History), Dr. Andrés Vidal-Gadea (Biological Sciences)
Outstanding College Creative Activity Awards: Dr. Amy Robillard (English), Dr. Matt Caplan (Physics)
Ellen T. Blaney Humanities Prize: Dr. Christopher Breu (English)
Outstanding Scholarly Achievement Award for Pre-Tenured Faculty: Dr. Jordan Arellanes (Psychology)
Janice Witherspoon Neuleib Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement for Tenured Faculty: Dr. Maochao Xu (Mathematics)
Outstanding College Teacher Awards: Dr. Tara Lyons (English), Dr. Amanda Cullen (Mathematics), Dr. Aaron Pitluck (Sociology and Anthropology)
Outstanding Teaching Award, AP: Dr. Derek O’Connell (Philosophy)
Outstanding Teaching Award, non-tenure track: Dr. Sandra Keller (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures)
Outstanding Teaching Award, pre-tenure: Dr. Taylor Soja (History)
John A. Dossey Award for Outstanding Teaching by a Tenured Faculty Member: Dr. John Baldwin (Communication)
Kenneth and Mary Ann Shaw Teaching Fellowship: Dr. Michael Hendricks (Politics and Government)
Outstanding College Service Awards: Dr. K. Megan Hopper (Communication), Dr. Alec Foster (Geography, Geology, and the Environment)
Outstanding College Staff Awards: Paul Meister* (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Katie Fisher (English)
Scott M. Elliott Award for Outstanding Staff: Libby Harness (English)
Grabill-Homan Peace Scholarship: Isabella R. Ebersold
Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize: Dave Bentlin
* Winner of the 2023-24 award.
2024-25 University award winners
Outstanding University Researcher Awards: Dr. Jeremy Driskell (Chemistry), Dr. Allison Harris (Physics)
Research Initiative Awards: Dr. Daniel Kpienbaareh (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Dr. Pirmin Nietlisbach (Biological Sciences)
Outstanding University Creative Activity Award: Dr. Ela Przybyło (English)
Outstanding University Service Award: Dr. Cheri Simonds (Communication)
Outstanding University Graduate Student Teaching Award: Alexis Quick (Communication)
Tom and Claire Lamonica Outstanding University Teaching Award: Steve Suess (Communication)
Outstanding University Teaching Award, non-tenure track: Dr. Amy Bloom (Geography, Geology, and the Environment)
Outstanding University Teaching Award, tenure track: Dr. Derek Sparby (English)
University Teaching Initiative Awards: Dr. Melissa Heil (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Dr. Kristina B. Lewis (English), Dr. Intan Suwandi (Sociology and Anthropology), Dr. Andrew Ventimiglia (Communication)
Retired/retiring faculty and staff
Lane Crothers (Politics and Government), Richard Nagorski (Chemistry), Susan Kim (English), Cindy Caldwell (Economics), Deborah Fox (Dean’s Office), Diane Leonard (Communication Sciences and Disorders), Alison Bailey (Philosophy), Julie Burns (Communication Sciences and Disorders), Julie Jung (English), Daniel Holland (Physics), Joe Casto (Biological Sciences), Ross Bogue (Physics), Mark Olson (Social Work), Jonathan Druker (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures), Sarah Hassani (Mathematics), Brent Simonds (Communication), Cherie Simonds (Communication)
New faculty and staff
Kelly Adkins (English), Tameka Thompson (Social Work), Brookelyn Adams (Economics), Christopher Busse (History), Sarah Crist (Communication), Katherine Dunning (Social Work), Molly Evans (Social Work), Jaclyn Frisvold (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures), Adam Kinzer (Social Work), Gloria Sugg (Social Work), Jacob Thompson (Economics), Justin Binks (History), SeaAna Walker-Harris (Communication Sciences and Disorders), Hannah DeLand (Psychology), Mindi Marcum (Communication Sciences and Disorders), Katelyn Charlier (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Joanie Graham (English), Kelly Keogh (History), Amy Rardin (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Michael Stivers (Politics and Government), Paul Swanson (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Sarah Wilhoit (Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies), Robert Peacher (Social Work), Ivan Medvedev (Physics), Cara Kipp (English), Yan Cui (Mathematics), Aaron Doubet (Communication Sciences and Disorders), Gordon Duguid (Politics and Government), Puja Goyal (Chemistry), Andrew Green (Mathematics), Yiming Guo (Geography, Geology, and the Environment), Patrick Hillesheim (Chemistry), Sean Kafer (Mathematics), Xose Lopez Goldar (Biological Sciences), Syed Rashid Munir (Politics and Government), Suzanne Nolan-Strle (Biological Sciences), Ryan Patrick (Biological Sciences), Evelyne Smith-Roberge (Mathematics), Alexander Tatum (Psychology), Megan VanGorder (History), Rachael Wolney (English), Cj Borowski (Economics)
Writer’s note: Retiring and new faculty staff lists, provided by Human Resources, are as of July 23, 2025, and date back to July 1, 2024. If a name is missing from this list, please contact Matt Wing at mjwing@ilstu.edu.
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