2025-2026 KSU Faculty Awards

KSU is incredibly proud of its faculty and their accomplishments. Many of our faculty boast national and international recognition for their leadership and innovation in their teaching, scholarship and creative activity, and other professional endeavors. Thanks to our robust faculty recognition program, we have historically recognized our faculty with awards in several categories.

Academic Affairs is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 KSU Faculty Awards, managed by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

Our rigorous selection process involves an initial selection at the college level, culminating with each Dean nominating their outstanding candidates. University wide committees with faculty representation from each college then review the finalists’ nominations and select the winners.

Timeline

  • December 1, 2025: Call for nominations opens
  • January 30, 2026 at 5:00 pm: Deadline for Deans or designees to submit nominations
  • February and March 2026: Selection committees review nominations and make recommendations for winners and finalists where applicable
  • April 2026: Announcement

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 KSU Faculty Award Recipients

 

Award Recipient
Distinguished Professor Award Volker Franke, School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development
Outstanding Teaching Award Soon Goo Lee, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Outstanding Teaching Award Jeffrey Yunek, Bailey School of Music
Outstanding Online Teaching Award Alison Hedrick, Department of Information Systems and Security
Outstanding Part-time Teaching Award Yujia Xie, Department of World Languages and Cultures
Outstanding Professional Service and Community Engagement Award Jennifer Purcell, School of Government and International Affairs
Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Activity Award Tu Nguyen, Department of Computer Science
Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Activity Award Cynthia Thompson, School of Art and Design
Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award Christian Hess, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award Lauren Thompson, Department of History and Philosophy & Interdisciplinary Studies
Conference USA Faculty Achievement Award Maia Hallward, School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development

 

Past Winners