UCF will showcase more than 200 faculty members for academic excellence and service Wednesday at the Founders’ Day Faculty Honors Celebration in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom.

The celebration runs 3-5 p.m. and includes a reception after the formal program. Highlighted are recipients of the Pegasus Professor Award, UCF’s highest faculty honor; recipients of the Reach for the Stars Award; excellence award winners; faculty granted emeritus or emerita status; those who recently reached 20, 30 and 40 years of service; educators marking at least 10 years with the Faculty Senate; and retired and retiring faculty members.

“Faculty are the foundation of our university and the key to distinguishing UCF as a model University for the Future in academic excellence, student success and societal impact,” says Michael D. Johnson, UCF provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “We are grateful to them and look forward to celebrating their remarkable teaching, research and service with the campus community.”

The faculty event in the Student Union can also be watched online. For the first time, it is part of a Founders’ Day celebration with separate recognitions for staff, faculty and students on the same day. The campus community is invited to all of the events.

Here are the faculty honorees.

Pegasus Professor Award

  • Stephen Fiore, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Jane Gibson, College of Medicine
  • Jennifer Kent-Walsh, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Marianna Pensky, College of Sciences

Reach for the Stars Award

  • Bethany Backes, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Kerri Donaldson-Hanna, College of Sciences
  • Yanjie Fu, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Haidar Khezri, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Lindsay Taliaferro, College of Medicine

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

College Awardees

  • Rodrigo Amezcua Correa, College of Optics and Photonics
  • Carissa Baker, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Keith Brazendale, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Devon Cadwell Bazata, College of Undergraduate Studies
  • Julie Donnelly, College of Sciences
  • Michelle Dusseau, College of Sciences
  • Stephen Hopkins, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Nicole Lapeyrouse, College of Sciences
  • Chiara Mazzucchelli, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Carlos Valdez, College of Business Administration
  • Karen Mottarella , College of Sciences
  • Marino Nader, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Kourtney Nieves, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Carlton Patrick, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Melissa Pompos, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Emily Proulx, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Kyle Riding, College of Medicine
  • Jacqueline Woerner, College of Sciences
  • Asli Yalim, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Ricardo Zaurin, College of Engineering and Computer Science

University Winner

  • Carlos Valdez, College of Business Administration

Excellence in Graduate Teaching

College Awardees

  • Mary Jean Amon, College of Graduate Studies
  • Shana Harris, College of Sciences
  • Ryan McMahan, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Gulnora Hundley, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Susan Quelly, College of Nursing
  • Jennifer Tucker, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Dana Wallace, College of Business Administration
  • Konstantin Vodopyanov, College of Optics and Photonics
  • Wei Wei, Rosen College of Hospitality Management

University Winner 

  • Gulnora Hundley, College of Community Innovation and Education

Excellence in Research

College Awardees

  • Mary Jean Amon, College of Graduate Studies
  • Xiaoxiao Fu, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • David Fukuda, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Shin-Tson Wu, College of Optics and Photonics
  • Kerri Donaldson Hanna, College of Sciences
  • Dana Joseph, College of Business Administration
  • Elizabeth Kinchen, College of Nursing
  • Anastasia Salter, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Dinender Singla, College of Medicine
  • Dalena Dillman Taylor, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Thomas Wahl, College of Engineering and Computer Science

University Winner

  • Shin-Tson Wu, College of Optics and Photonics

Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising

  • Adele Richardson, College of Arts and Humanities

Excellence in Professional Service

  • Danielle Eadens, College of Undergraduate Studies

Excellence in Librarianship

  • Lee Dotson, University Libraries

Excellence in Instructional Design

  • Aimee Denoyelles, Division of Digital Learning

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students

Engineering, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences

  • Ahmad Elshennawy, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Social Science, Humanities, Education, Business, Art and Health

  • Farshid Safi, College of Community Innovation and Education

University Award for Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars

Early Career Faculty

  • Bethany Backes, College of Community Innovation and Education

Tenured Faculty

  • Nazanin Rahnavard, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Faculty Senate 10-years of Service Awards

  • Joseph Harrington, College of Sciences
  • William “Bill” Self, College of Medicine

Service Awards

20 Years of Service

  • Michele Adams, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Kenneth Adams, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Alma Alacon, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Timothy Bottorff, UCF Libraries
  • Richard Brunson, College of Sciences
  • Andres Campiglia, College of Sciences
  • Michael Caputo, College of Business Administration
  • Mason Cash, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Robert Cassanello, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Fikret Catbas, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Honghui Chen, College of Business Administration
  • Alexander Cole, College of Medicine
  • Steven Collins, College of Sciences
  • Larry Cooper, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Lisa Dieker, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Barbara Durham, College of Business Administration
  • Roberta Ergle, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Jiyu Fang, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • John Fauth, College of Sciences
  • Elena Flitsiyan, College of Sciences
  • Denise Gammonley, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Michele Gill, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Paul Gregg, College of Business Administration
  • Regina Gresham, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Vance Geiger, College of Sciences
  • Debbie Hahs-Vaughn, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Kenneth Hanson, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Atsusi Hirumi, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Olusegun Ilegbusi, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Alvaro Islas, College of Sciences
  • Peter Jacques, College of Sciences
  • Bruce Janz, College of Arts and Humanities
  • David Jenkins, College of Sciences
  • Kelly Jennings-Towle, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Naim Kapucu, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Tammie Kaufman, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Jennifer Kent-Walsh, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Mark Kerlin, UCF Global
  • Pieter Kik, College of Optics and Photonics
  • Vyacheslav Kokoulin, College of Sciences
  • Stephen Kuebler, College of Sciences
  • Sandra Leon-Barth, Student Success and Well-Being
  • Frank Logiudice, College of Sciences
  • Theo Lotz, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Abby Milon, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Renee Montgomery, UCF Libraries
  • Eduardo Mucciolo, College of Sciences
  • Kevin Murphy, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Liqiang Ni, College of Sciences
  • Deirdre O’Shea, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Lisa Peterson, College of Sciences
  • Julie Pomerleau, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Leandra Preston, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Kerry Purmensky, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Yuanwei Qi, College of Sciences
  • Pedro Quintana-Ascencio, College of Sciences
  • Michael Reid, College of Sciences
  • Lee Ross, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Patrick Schelling, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • John Schultz, College of Sciences
  • William “Bill” Self, College of Medicine
  • Denver Severt, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Kristine Shrauger, UCF Libraries
  • Bert Scott, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Eileen Smith, College of Graduate Studies
  • Vladimir Solonari, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Axel Stock, College of Business Administration
  • Ula Stoeckl, College of Sciences
  • Qiyu Sun, College of Sciences
  • Nora Underwood-Caputo, College of Business Administration
  • Gergana Vitanova, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Youcheng Wang, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Deborah Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Earl Weaver, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Lei Wei, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Shannon Whitten, College of Sciences
  • Mary Wood, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Jiongmin Yong, College of Sciences

30 Years of Service

  • Anthony Byrd, College of Business Administration
  • Manoj Chopra, College of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Peter Delfyett, College of Optics and Photonics
  • Lixing Gu, Florida Solar Energy Center
  • Robert Reedy, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Susan Schleith, Office of Research
  • Ayako Yonetani, College of Arts and Humanities

40 Years of Service

  • Abraham Pizam, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Robin Vieira, Office of Research

Faculty Emeritus and Emerita

  • Louis Chow, Professor Emeritus, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Victor Davidson, Professor Emeritus, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences
  • Madelyn Flammia, Professor Emerita, Department of English
  • Keith Folse, Professor Emeritus, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
  • Marcy Galbreath, Associate Lecturer Emerita, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
  • Darlene Hadrika, Research Associate Emerita, School of Visual Arts and Design
  • Scott Hall, Professor Emeritus, School of Visual Arts and Design
  • Charles Kelliher, Associate Professor Emeritus, Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting
  • Richard Lapchick, Professor and Director Emeritus, Devos Sports Business Management
  • Dan Marinescu, Professor Emeritus, Department of Computer Science
  • Lawrence Martin, Professor Emeritus, School of Public Administration
  • Arthur Weeks, Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Retired and Retiring Faculty

  • Penny Beile, UCF Libraries
  • Stephen Berman, College of Medicine
  • Joyce Burr, College of Nursing
  • Eda Correa, UCF Libraries
  • Harold “Jay” Corzine, College of Sciences
  • Jeff Duke, College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • Rick Florsheim, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Marcy Galbreath, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Ernest Gibbs, College of Business Administration
  • Joseph Henderson, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Lynn Hepner, College of Arts and Humanities
  • Dorilyn Hitchcock, College of Medicine
  • Harriet Holaday, Student Success and Well-Being
  • Lin Huff-Corzine, College of Sciences
  • Robert Jones, College of Sciences
  • Cynthia Kisby, UCF Libraries
  • Donna Malvey, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Lawrence Martin, College of Community Innovation and Education
  • Sandra Neer, College of Sciences
  • Muthu Periasamy, College of Medicine
  • Robert Seltzer, Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • M.J. Soileau, (CREOL) College of Optics and Photonics
  • Alvin Wang, College of Sciences
  • Karri Williams-Fjeldhe, College of Community Innovation and Education