Faculty Awards

The Humanities Program has distinguished faculty that are committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Over the years alumni, students, faculty, and staff have recognized these faculty for their outstanding contributions to the UNC Asheville.

Distinguished Teaching Award for Humanities

When the University of North Carolina Board of Governors directed that each of the sixteen campuses establish awards for teaching excellence, UNC Asheville elected to honor its distinguished faculty for excellence in teaching by instituting a three tier system. The first level would be the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the second level would be the current UNC Asheville Distinguished Teacher Award, and the third level would recognize full-time tenure track faculty in their respective discipline divisions (Arts & Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences), full-time non-tenure track faculty, and adjunct (Non-Full-Time) faculty.

• 2011: Keya Maitra
• 2009: Brian Butler
• 2008: Brian Hook
• 2007: Ann Dunn
• 2006: Blake Hobby
• 2005: Grace Campbell
• 2004: John M. McClain
• 2003: Sophie J.V. Mills
• 2002: Grant R. Hardy
• 2001: Virginia Derryberry
• 2000: Edward J. Katz
• 1999: Richard Chess
• 1998: Peter Caulfield
• 1997: A. Ileana Grams
• 1996: Deborah James
• 1995: S. Tucker Cooke

The Ruth and Leon Feldman Professorship for Outstanding Service

Ruth and Leon Feldman established an endowment to be used exclusively to honor two or more professors selected annually by the faculty on the basis of their service to UNC Asheville and the community, and for their outstanding ability and demonstrated competence in the areas of teaching, research, and published writings. This recognition would take the form of a professorship for the following academic year after announcement. The first two professorships were awarded in 1984. Since its endowment, four Department of Management and Accountancy faculty, Donald D. Lisnerski, Claudel McKenzie, Linda Nelms, and Robert Yearout, have been so honored by their peers for distinguished scholarship and/or service.

• 2011: Brian Butler
• 2009: Grant Hardy

URC Distinguished Scholarship and Creativity Award

• 2009: Duane Davis

Distinguished Teaching by a Non-Tenured Faculty Member

• 2011: Reid Chapman
• 2010: Blake Hobby
• 2002: Kathleen Peters
• 1997: John M. McClain
• 1995: Edward J. Katz

Distinguished Teaching by a Part-Time Faculty Member

• 2011: Richard Laws
• 2008: Dennis Lundblad

Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award

Established in 1982, the UNC Asheville Distinguished Teacher Award recognizes its most outstanding teacher for the academic year. The award is based upon recommendations from students, faculty, alumni, and the UNC Asheville community. It is the oldest and one of the most coveted award that UNC Asheville presents to its faculty. The award is announced during the annual commencement exercises in May of each year.

• 2010: Grace Campbell
• 2004: Edward J. Katz
• 2000: Robert Yearout
• 1993: William M. Spellman
• 1988: Margaret J. Downes
• 1987: Dorothy R. Sulock

Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching

On 8 April 1994, The University of North Carolina Board of Governors instituted an award system to underscore the importance of teaching and to encourage, identify, recognize, reward, and support good teaching within the University. The Board directed that each of the sixteen campuses establish awards for teaching excellence and to identify one faculty member per year that clearly exhibits those characteristics that sets them apart from the institution's faculty as a distinguished teacher.

• 2011: Sophie Mills
• 2009: Samuel Kaplan
• 2006: Robert Yearout
• 2003: Margaret J. Downes
• 2001: Merritt Moseley

Award for Distinguished Service

• 2011: Alan Hantz