April 17 honors convocations to recognize students, faculty

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will honor student scholars and outstanding faculty at two honors convocations April 17. Both will convene in the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th St., and Chancellor Harvey Perlman will preside over the ceremonies.

The Rising Scholars Convocation begins at 1 p.m.; lobby doors open at noon. This convocation honors freshman and sophomore scholars who have a 4.0 GPA in their academic studies. Also honored will be freshman scholars who have attained a 3.6 to a 3.99 cumulative GPA. Faculty members receiving the Annis Chaikin Sorensen Award, College Distinguished Teaching awards, Chancellor's Exemplary Service to Students and the Student Foundation/Builders Award for Outstanding Advising will be recognized during this ceremony.

The University Scholars Convocation begins at 4 p.m. with lobby doors opening one hour earlier. This ceremony recognizes Chancellor's Scholars, graduating seniors who have attained 4.0 averages on all graded collegiate work at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and any other post-secondary educational institution they may have attended. Also recognized are Superior Scholars, graduating seniors who have attained GPAs of 3.6 or higher, are in the upper 3 percent of their college's senior class or have been on the honors convocation list each year since matriculating as freshmen. Also being honored are 4.0 seniors who will not graduate this year and 4.0 juniors.

The following faculty awards will be presented at the 1 p.m. Rising Scholars ceremony (the names of students to be honored April 17 will be announced in separate news releases later this week, one for Chancellor's Scholars and one for all honored students):

* Annis Chaikin Sorensen Award: Adelaida L. Martinez, professor, modern languages and literatures

* Chancellor's Exemplary Service to Students Award: Linda D. Moody, senior lecturer, agricultural leadership, education and communication

* Student Foundation/Builders Award for Outstanding Advising: Wayne G. Jensen, construction management

* UNL College Distinguished Teaching Awards:
o Carolyn A. Barber, associate professor, School of Music (Fine & Performing Arts)
o Mary M. Beck, professor, animal science (Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources)
o David B. Berkowitz, associate professor, chemistry (Arts & Sciences)
o Richard J. Bischoff, associate professor, family and consumer sciences (Education & Human Sciences)
o Miles T. Bryant, professor, educational administration (Education & Human Sciences)
o Jeffrey Day, assistant professor, architecture (Architecture)
o Scott M. Fuess, professor, economics (Business Administration)
o William E. Hanson, assistant professor, educational psychology (Education & Human Sciences)
o James LeSueur, associate professor, history (Arts & Sciences)
o Adelaida L. Martinez, professor, modern languages and literatures (Arts & Sciences)
o Patrice McMahon, assistant professor, political science (Arts & Sciences)
o Amelia M. Montes, assistant professor, English (Arts & Sciences)
o Jerry Renaud, associate professor, broadcasting (Journalism & Mass Communications)
o Paul A. Savory, associate professor, industrial and management systems engineering (Engineering & Technology)
o Vinodchandran Variyam, assistant professor, computer science and engineering (Arts & Sciences)

The following faculty awards will be presented at the 4 p.m. University Scholars ceremony:

* Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award (conferred by the University of Nebraska system):
o Parks M. Coble, professor, history
o Anthony F. Starace, professor, physics and astronomy

* Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award (conferred by the University of Nebraska system): C. William McLaughlin, senior lecturer, chemistry

* Charles Bessey and Willa Cather professorships:
o Vadim Gladyshev, Bessey professor and professor of biochemistry
o Marjorie Langell, Bessey professor and professor of chemistry
o J. David Logan, Cather professor and professor of mathematics

* Academy of Distinguished Teachers:
o Christin J. Mamiya, professor, art and art history
o Christine A. Marvin, associate professor, special education and communication disorders

* George Howard-Louise Pound Distinguished Career Award: David Brinkerhoff, emeritus professor, sociology

* Harold and Esther Edgerton Junior Faculty Award: Victoria A.O. Smith, assistant professor, history

* Donald R. and Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence: Susan Wunder, associate professor, teaching, learning and teacher education

* Distinguished Educational Service Award: Don C. Adams, professor and interim director, West Central Research and Extension Center

* Doc Elliott Award: Wallace Peterson, emeritus professor, economics

CONTACT: Annette Wetzel, University Communications, (402) 472-8524