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Faculty Awards

Azusa Pacific University faculty are scholars and mentors committed to helping students become purpose-driven servants who will make a positive impact on society. The university presents a number of awards to recognize particular faculty members who personify this commitment.

Excellent Teaching Awards

Each year, Azusa Pacific University presents an award to each of two worthy faculty members. They are The Chase A. Sawtell Inspirational Faculty Award and The Teaching Excellence Award, which were funded for two years initially by the Sears Roebuck Foundation. Each award is accompanied by a memento and an honorarium.

Criteria for the Chase A. Sawtell Inspirational Faculty Award

The recipient shall be a full-time APU faculty member on an extended contract; shall model significant faculty involvement in the lives of students; shall have a strong Christian influence in the lives of students, peers, alumni, and administrative staff; and shall be seen as living a life of service to others, affirming the worth of each person as a unique individual created by God. Past recipients are not eligible.

Criteria for the Teaching Excellence Award

The recipient shall be a full-time faculty member on an extended contract who has demonstrated excellence in the classroom and who has made a positive impact on student learning in her or his academic unit. Candidates may be selected on the basis of their IDEA scores, innovative teaching strategies, unique course design, and/or effective mentoring of other faculty at the university. Past recipients are not eligible.

Past Recipients

Year Sawtell Award Teaching Excellence Award
2024

Monica Ganas, PhD
Cinematic Arts

Lewis Bonney, PhD
School Counseling and School Psychology

2023

Patricia Brown, PhD
English

Wendi Dykes McGeHee, PhD, CF-LSP
Organizational Leadership

2022

Grace Moorefield, PhD, APRN-BC
Nursing

Sharon Titus, PhD
Nursing

2021 Paul C. Boles, PhD
Theology
Richard A. Slimbach, PhD
Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL
2020 Phil Shackleton, DMA
Music Studies
Michael Lee, MM
Music Technology
2019 Dennis Royse, PhD
Music
Tolulope Noah, EdD
Liberal Studies
2018 Paul Flores, PhD
Liberal Studies
Stan Deal, MS, CPA
Business and Management
2017 Ken Otto
University Libraries
Abbylin Sellers
History and Political Science
2016 Dick Pritchard
Practical Theology
Jennifer Livingston
Exercise and Sport Science
2015 Jon Milhon
Biology and Chemistry
Barbara Johnson
Social Work
2014 Eileen Hulme
Higher Education
Diana Glyer
English
2013 Tedd Szeto
Mathematics and Physics
Sharon Lehman
Exercise and Sport Science
2012 Frank Berry
Adult and Professional Studies
Kathleen Bacer
Educational Tech. and P.E.
2011 Harold Clousing
Music
Michael Lee
Music
2010 Stephen Lambert
Psychology
Jennifer Walsh
History and Political Science
2009 Mary Rawlings
Social Work
Elizabeth Leahy
University Libraries
2008 Rodney Cathey
Music
Thomas Allbaugh
English
2007 Roger Conover
Business and Management
Renee Pozza
Nursing
2006 Bryan Lamkin
History and Political Science
William Yarchin
Theology
2005 Guy Kinnear
Art
Phil Shackleton
Music
2004 Kimberly Battle-Walters
Social Work
Jan Kodat
Physical Therapy
2003 Michael Laymon
Physical Therapy
Gary Lemaster
Business and Management
2002 Diana Glyer
English
Orlando Griego
Business and Management
2001 Jim Hedges
English
Earl Grant
Theology
2000 Glenn Austin
Music
Nancy Brashear
Education
1999 Ilene Bezjian
Business and Management
Cahleen Shrier
Biology
1998 Marv McKissick
Music
Don Isaak
Mathematics and Physics
1997 Clarence Butz
Business and Management
Ann Croissant
Education
1996 Stan Deal
Business and Management
Bill Catling
Art
1995 June Hamlow
Modern Languages
Bruce Simmerok
Education
1994 Carole Lambert
English
Beverly Stanford
Education
1993 Bruce Baloian
Religion
John Hartley
Religion
1992 Al Clifft
Music
David Weeks
Political Science
1991 Wendel Scarbrough
Engineering and Computer Science
Carole Lambert
English
1990 Terry Franson
Physical Education
Bruce Baloian
Religion
1989 Matthew Touhey
Social Work
N/A
1988 Chase A. Sawtell
English
N/A

Scholarly Achievement Awards

The awards for scholarly achievement are given to faculty members on extended contracts—one whose primary assignment is teaching graduate courses, and one whose primary assignment is teaching undergraduate course—who value and promote scholarship through discovery, integration, or application, and actively support dissemination of that work through presentations and publications. The individuals selected are ones who recognize the linkages between active scholarship, teaching, student learning, and service. Past recipients are not eligible.

Note: In 2007, the Graduate Scholarly Achievement Award was renamed the Rose Liegler Graduate Scholarly Achievement Award.

Past Recipients

Year Graduate Undergraduate
2024

Chris Patterson, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS
Physical Therapy

Ethan Schrum, PhD
History

2023

David Dunaetz, PhD
Organizational Leadership

Sándor Volkán-Kacsó, PhD
Physics

2022 No Award Given

Rico Vitz, PhD
Honors College

2021 Stacy M. Kula, PhD
EdD in Educational Leadership Program
Kevin Sheng-Lin Huang, PhD
Biology and Chemistry
2020 Karen Winslow, PhD
Biblical and Theological Studies
Chong Ho Yu, PhD
Research and Grants
2019 Michael Kozubek, MM
Music
Dennis Okholm, PhD
Theology
2018 Claire Fedoruk, DMA
Music
Eugene Alcalay, DMA
Music
2017 Karen Longman
Higher Education
Robert Mullins
Biblical and Religious Studies
2016 Lyrica Taylor
Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism
Megan Prosser
Biology
2015 Young Kim
Higher Education
Skyla Herod
Biology
2014 Mary Wong
Global Studies, Sociology, and TESOL
Rachel Castaneda
Psychology
2013 Vivien Dee
Nursing
Thomas Parham
Cinematic Arts
2012 Gary James Daichendt
Art and Design
B.J. Oropeza
Biblical Studies
2011 Robert Welsh
Psychology
Monica Ganas
Theater Arts
2010 Don Thorsen
Theology
Samuel Sambasivam
Engineering and Computer Science
2009 Carol Lundberg
College Counseling and Student Development
Jim Willis
Communication Studies
2008 Cheryl Canary
Nursing
Diana Glyer
English
2007 Kimasi Browne
Music
Carole Lambert
Academic Research and Grants
2006 Kevin Reimer
Psychology
Donald Isaak
Math and Physics
2005 Laurie Schreiner
Higher Education and Organizational Leadership
Kenneth Waters Sr.
Theology
2004 Marianne Hattar
Nursing
Emily Griesinger
English
2003 Felicitas dela Cruz
Nursing
Joseph Bentz
English
2002 Marsha Fowler
Nursing and Theology
Gerald Wilson
Religion
2001 John Hartley
Theology
Bill McCarty
Business
2000 Kathryn Scorgie
Education
Vicky Bowden
Nursing

Alice V. Watkins Imago Dei Ethos Award

The Alice V. Watkins Imago Dei Ethos Award, named for Alice V. Watkins, PhD, former dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Studies, recognizes full-time faculty who play a substantial role in advancing diversity efforts at APU. Candidates who are on extended contract may be selected on the basis of curriculum design or pedagogy that supports diverse learners, scholarly research in the area of diversity, mentoring historically underrepresented students, faculty, or staff, leadership of, or participation in, diversity organizations that positively impact APU, and encouraging greater awareness of opportunities for inclusion. Past recipients are not eligible.

Past Recipients

Year Name
2024

Michelle Cox, PhD
School Counseling and School Psychology

2023

Frances Wu, PhD
Organizational Leadership

2022

Angela Guta, PhD
Teacher Education

2021 Courtney W. Davis, PhD
Communication Studies
2020 Patricia Brown, PhD
English
2019 Monica Ganas, PhD
Theater Arts
2018 Jennifer Young, PhD
Biology and Chemistry
2017 Alexander Jun
Higher Education
2016 Chinaka DomNwachukwu
Teacher Education
2015 Maria Pacino
University Libraries
2014 Christine Guzman
Social Work
2013 Annie Tsai
Psychology
2012 Christopher Bassey
Mathematics and Physics
2011 Pam Christian
Higher Education
2010 Nilsa Thorsos
Special Education
2009 Judy Hutchinson
Center for Academic Service-Learning

and

Jon R. Wallace
President
2008 Carol Lundberg
Higher Education and Organizational Leadership
2007 Thomas Andrews
University Libraries
2006 No Award Given
2005 Mark Eaton
English
2004 Sue Clark
American Language and Culture Institute
2003 David Miyahara
Global Studies

Community Engagement Faculty Award

This award recognizes a full-time faculty member who has clearly integrated APU’s Four Cornerstones—Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service—in ways that significantly contribute to the reciprocal partnership between APU and the public and private sectors. Candidates may be selected on the basis of community-engaged scholarship, community-based research, academic service-learning, work that addresses issues of social justice, advancement of the university’s engagement in civic and democratic values, and efforts that inspire greater involvement in community engagement and service to others.

Note: This award, renamed in 2018, was previously known as the Service-Learning Cornerstone Award, and past recipients of either award are not eligible.

Past Recipients

Year Name
2024 No Award Given
2023 Jesse Negron, MFA
Cinematic Arts
2022 Koy Parada, PhD(c)
Nursing
2021 Lydia D. Garcia-Usry, RN, MSN, PHN
Nursing
2020 Jessica Cannaday, PhD
Teacher Education
2019 Alexander Koops, DMA
Music
2018 Catherine Heinlein, EdD
Nursing
2017 Skyla Herod
Biology and Chemistry
2016 Marcela Rojas
Modern Languages
2015 Jim Thompson
Art and Design
2014 Roxanne Helm-Stevens
Business and Management
2013 Mary Rawlings
Social Work
2012 Robert “Bobby” Duke
Biblical Studies
2011 Paul Flores
Liberal Studies
2010 Stuart Strother
Business
2009 No Award Given
2008 Melanie Weaver
Art and Design
2007 Bryan Lamkin
History
2006 Karen Sorenson
Communication Studies
2005 Sean Rochelle
Education

University Leadership Award

The recipient shall be a full-time faculty member on an extended contract who has served the university by advancing the vision of her or his academic unit or the university at large. Candidates may be selected on the basis of their effective leadership, effective service on councils or committees, or other contributions to the APU community. Past recipients are not eligible.

Past Recipients 

Year Name
2024 Courtney Davis, PhD
Communication
2023 Catherine Hahs Brinkley, EdD
Teacher Education
2022 Christina Bivona-Tellez, DNP, MPH, BSN, NEA-B
Nursing
2021 David R. Morrison, EdD
School Counseling and School Psychology
2020 Joshua Morris, PhD
Biology and Chemistry
2019 Kenneth L. Waters Sr., PhD
Theology
2018 Bryant Mathews, PhD
Mathematics and Physics
2017 Ryan Hartwig
Communication Studies
2016 Bryan Lamkin
History
2015 Bradley “Peanut” McCoy
Mathematics and Physics
Note: This information is current for the 2024-25 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.