NEWS

Louisiana Tech honored 10 of the most integral and deserving members of the Tech family recently with University Senate Awards at its 2023 Fall Faculty Staff Meeting in Howard Auditorium to begin the new school year.

“Congratulations to these hardworking, ever-loyal Tech faculty and staff,” Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Terry McConathy said. “I am excited that we celebrate and recognize members of the Tech family who are so committed and focused on success in all the areas across campus. These recipients demonstrate how the Tech Tenets are at the heart how and why we come to work each day to support the faculty, staff, students, and community.”

At the annual autumn kickoff event, each recipient receives a plaque, and some awards come with stipends. Here are the winners, along with an explanation for each award.

Virgil Orr Junior Faculty Award
Brooke Cassady
Assistant Professor, School of Design

Established in 2000 to recognize junior faculty who have made significant contributions to the mission and purpose of the University. Includes a $1,500 paid through the Louisiana Tech University Foundation. 

University Senate Chair Award
Dr. Gergana Nestorova
Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences

Awarded to a full-time tenured faculty member whose research, teaching, and service are seen as significant contributions to the mission and purpose of the University. Includes a $2,000 stipend.

F. Jay Taylor Undergraduate Teaching Award
Dr. Krystal Cruse
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Awarded to a full-time faculty member whose primary duty is undergraduate teaching; the faculty member must be tenured or must have served on the faculty full-time for at least six years.

Outstanding Advisor
Dr. Jamie Newman
Professor, School of Biological Sciences

Awarded to a faculty advisor whose support of, enthusiasm for and academic expertise with students is impossible to ignore.

Loyalty Award – Unclassified
Emily Poole Cash
Campus Experience Coordinator, Recruitment & Admissions

Loyalty Award – Classified
Nickie Blackwelder
Library Specialist, Cataloging

Recognizes and rewards an employee for extraordinary loyalty, dedication, and service to the University, their fellow employees and/or students.

Student Outreach – Unclassified
Ashley Osborne
Project Based Learning Specialist, College of Engineering & Science

Student Outreach – Classified
Robin Goertz
Library Specialist, Research Services

Recognizes and rewards an employee who has taken great strides in improvement of the lives of students by becoming acclimated and integrated with student life, and carries out the duties of their job with Respect and Leadership, two of the Tech Tenets.

Outstanding Service – Unclassified
Vanessa Mullins
Training & Development Manager, Office of Human Resources

Outstanding Service – Classified  
Desirée Brodeen 
Administrative Assistant 5, Office of the Dean, College of Engineering & Sciences

Recognizes and rewards an employee who exhibits exemplary performance, seeks growth as a professional, and carries out the duties of their job with Integrity and Excellence, two of the Tech Tenets.