CHHS Dean’s Awards for Excellence

Award for Promoting Academic Inclusive Excellence

The Award for Promoting Academic Inclusive Excellence honors faculty, staff, and/or students who work collaboratively to develop strategies that eliminate learning barriers and create a culture of civility. The award recognizes creative and varied approaches to teaching and assessment to achieve equity in learning outcomes and recognizes an individual who exemplifies the college's strategic goal of achieving academic equity.

Past Winners

• 2024 - Flora Surjadi
• 2023 - King Chung
• 2022 - Milijana Buac
• 2021 - Sherrill Morris
• 2019 - Flora Surjadi
• 2018 - Dawn S. Brown
• 2017 - Patricia J. Tattersall

Fisher Award for Excellence in Service

The Fisher Award for Excellence in Service is given each year to a regular full-time, tenured or tenure-tracked faculty member or regular full-time supportive professional staff member. The service may involve on-campus activities but also must include off-campus professional activities at the state, national or international level that contribute to the stature and growth of the profession. Cletus Fisher, former chair of the Department of Communicative Disorders, funded the award.

Past Winners

• 2024 - Bryan Dallas
• 2023 - Jamie Mayer
• 2022 - Henna Muzaffar
• 2021 - Jane Rose Njue
• 2020 - King Chung
• 2019 - Nancy T. Prange
• 2018 - Kristen Selig
• 2017 - Danai Kasambira Fannin
• 2016 - Jeanette Rossetti
• 2015 - Connie Uhlken
• 2014 - Josephine Umoren
• 2013 - Donna Munroe
• 2012 - Sherrill Morris
• 2011 - Nancy Lacursia
• 2010 - Lan Li
• 2009 - Linda Dersheid
• 2008 - Judith Hertz
• 2007 - Sarah (Sally) Conklin
• 2006 - Sharon Coyer
• 2005 - Jeanne M. Isabel
• 2004 - Pamela Jackson, Laura Smart
• 2003 - Judith Popovich
• 2002 -Diane Cearlock
• 2001- Ellen Parham
• 2000 - Nancy Long
• 1999 - James Andrews
• 1998 - Ayhan Lash
• 1997 - Sondra King

Lankford Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Lankford Award for Excellence in Teaching is given each year to a full-time, tenured or tenure-tracked faculty member within the College of Health and Human Sciences who have an excellent overall teaching effectiveness score. It is named for James Lankford, former dean of the college, who initiated the award.

Past Winners

• 2024 - DeAnna Harris-McKoy
• 2023 - Julie A. Patterson
• 2022 - Allison Gladfelter
• 2021 - Cristan Sabio
• 2020 - J. Mark Killmer
• 2019 - Kari Hickey
• 2018 - Florensia Surjadi
• 2017 - Jamie Mayer
• 2016 - Jeanne Isabel
• 2014 - Donna Plonczynski
• 2013 - Beverly W. Henry
• 2012 - Sarah Cosbey
• 2011 - Lin Shi, Amy Ozier
• 2009 - Catherine Maney
• 2008 - Karen Baldwin
• 2007 - MJ Blaschak, Jeanette Rossetti
• 2006 - Greg Long
• 2005 - Charline Xiaolin Xie
• 2004 - Pamela Hadley
• 2003 - Shi-Ruei Sherry Fang
• 2002 - Sondra King
• 2001 - Julie Hillery
• 2000 - Carolinda Douglass
• 1999 - Irene Stephens
• 1998 - Lucy Robinson
• 1997 - Rebecca Johnson

Sullivan Award for Excellence in Research

The Sullivan Award for Excellence in Research is given to a regular full-time faculty tenured/tenure-track or clinical and regular full-time supportive professional staff who have at least three years of experience at NIU. Grantsmanship and collaborative efforts with students are also considered for this award that was endowed by Peggy Sullivan, former dean of the college.

Past Winners

• 2024 - Yujun Liu
• 2023 - Courtney Hughes
• 2022 - Melissa Clucas Walter
• 2020 - Scott Sibley
• 2019 - Xiaohui Sophie Li
• 2018 - Bryan Dallas
• 2017 - Maryann Abendroth
• 2016 - Lucy Bilaver
• 2015 - Christina Papadimitriou
• 2014 - Wendy Bostwick
• 2013 - King Chung
• 2012 - Beverly W. Henry
• 2011 - Jinsook Kim
• 2010 - Aimee Prawitz
• 2009 - Donna Plonczynski
• 2008 - Lin Shi
• 2007 - Judith E. Hertz
• 2006 - Donna Munroe
• 2005 - Aimee D. Prawitz
• 2004 - Matthew Rispoli
• 2003 - Carolinda Douglass
• 2002 - Ellen Parham
• 2001 - Marilyn Stromborg
• 2000 - James Ciesla
• 1999 - Sue Ouellette
• 1998 - Sherilynn Spear
• 1997 - William Oleckno

Award for Exceptional Work in Interprofessional Education (IPE)

The College of Health and Human Sciences aspires to create an inclusive community of professionals and students who work and learn with and from one another. Created in 2024, this award honors faculty, staff and/or students who work collaboratively to provide interprofessional education opportunities with positive implications for patient outcomes.

• The award recognizes the creation and facilitation of both curricular and co-curricular experiences.
• The award for Exceptional Work in Interprofessional Education recognizes CHHS faculty, staff, and/or student(s) who exemplify the College's strategic goal of promoting interprofessional education.

Past Winners

2024 - Jessica Madrigal