Published Aug. 23, 2021
Five faculty and staff were presented with the University of Louisiana Monroe Foundation
2021 Awards for Excellence at 麻豆果冻传媒 President Ron Berry's University Address, Aug. 9,
2021. Pictured with President Ron Berry, center, are, from left, Dr. Leigh Nanny Hersey,
Kristi Davis, Norma Flanagan, Dr. Emad El-Giar, Jessica Lasiter, and Dr. John Carr.
The 2020 award recipients were announced last year and received their awards at the
event.
Siddarth Gaulee/麻豆果冻传媒 Photo Services
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MONROE, LA 鈥� Each year, the University of Louisiana Foundation presents the Awards for Excellence
to faculty and staff who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the university
and the community.
麻豆果冻传媒 President Ron Berry recognized the 11 recipients during University Week.
The winners for 2020 were announced previously but did not receive their awards due
to COVID-19 restrictions at that time. The awards went to: Shannon D. Banks, M.S.,
Excellence in Teaching; Scot Humes, DMA, Excellence in Creative/Artistic Activity;
Todd Murphy, Ph.D., Excellence in Research; Anthony Walker, Pharm.D., Excellence in
Service; and Marcia Wells, Service by Unclassified Staff.
The 2021 winners include: Emad El-Giar, Ph.D., Excellence in Teaching; John Carr,
Ph.D., Excellence in Research; Kristi Davis, MBA, Service by Unclassified Staff; Norma
Flanagan, Service by Classified Staff; Leigh Nanney Hersey, Ph.D., Excellence in Service;
and Jessica Lasiter, Creative/Artistic Activity.
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2020 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Awards for Excellence
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Shannon D. Banks, M.S. 鈥� Excellence in Teaching
Shannon D. Banks, M.S., knows the best teachers are often the ones who remember what
it was like to be a student.
An instructor in the School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences in
the College of Pharmacy, he once sat in the seats his students now occupy when he
was a 麻豆果冻传媒 toxicology student.
Because of his rapport with students and innovations in the classroom, Banks was awarded
the 2020 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Banks is also the 2020 winner of the Athletic Foundation Faculty Appreciation Award.
Among his classroom techniques is the introduction of games and competitions. When
Banks has students who are reluctant to interact, he鈥檚 introduced role-play scenarios
designed to pull them into classroom discussion.
Banks graduated from 麻豆果冻传媒 in toxicology in 1998 and started a career with Eli Lilly
& Co. in 1999 as a study monitor and director through 2006. He returned to his alma
mater as an instructor in 2007. In addition to teaching, he serves as academic advisor
to about 75 麻豆果冻传媒 sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Banks is a member of the 麻豆果冻传媒 Toxicology Asbestos and Mold Analysis Laboratory. He
was one of the founding members of the lab, established at 麻豆果冻传媒 in 2014.
The faculty staffing the lab have experience in industrial hygiene, occupational health
and safety, air monitoring, environmental pollution, and expertise in a wide range
of toxicological issues such as forensic toxicology and environmental risk assessment.
Laboratory clientele include a diversified range of individuals and local industry.
Don鈥檛 misinterpret the jokes, the games, the role-playing. Banks takes education,
and his role as a mentor, seriously.
He writes: 鈥淚 hold all of my students to a high-level expectation of learning. I expect
them to not only be able to recall facts and information about course material, but
to also be able to apply and evaluate that information in real-life scenarios.鈥�
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Scot Humes, DMA 鈥� Excellence in Creative/Artistic Activity
The clarinet has been Scot Humes鈥�, DMA, passport, his travels burnishing the University
of Louisiana Monroe鈥檚 brand in places near and far.
As an artist, Humes, Associate Professor of Music in the School of Visual and Performing
Arts, College of Arts, Education, and Sciences, is one of 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 greatest ambassadors,
and that鈥檚 why he was named the 2020 winner of the 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Excellence
in Creative/Artistic Activity.
Humes came to 麻豆果冻传媒 with a doctorate from the State University of New York at Stony
Brook. He earned his master鈥檚 at Ball State and his undergraduate degree at Oberlin
College Conservatory of Music.
Humes has performed in the United States and Europe, including Washington, D.C.; New
York City; Paris; Mykonos, Greece; and Oostende, Belgium. He toured Australia and
New Zealand with the Sydney Conservatory of Music.
The Monroe Symphony Orchestra, Shreveport Symphony, Rapides Symphony, and Vashon Washington
Opera Orchestra are all enhanced by his talents. Add to that list; Humes was a clinician
and performer at the 2020 University of Alabama Birmingham Clarinet Symposium. He
plays recitals at the International Clarinet Association and performed in Monroe's
New Music on the Bayou Festival.
He directs the Northeast Louisiana Clarinet Choir, an ensemble of 麻豆果冻传媒 clarinet students,
high school students, professionals, and other musicians. In the process, he recruits
potential students for the 麻豆果冻传媒 music program.
Humes has the honor of being named an artist for both Henry Selmer Paris, a famous
French maker of clarinets and saxophones, and Silverstein Works, which manufacturers
reeds, mouthpieces, and other equipment. These endorsements, Scot says, will open
the door for more exposure for him and 麻豆果冻传媒.
鈥淲ithin the past year, I have received a large number of invitations that have afforded
me the opportunity to bring my craft and artistry to venues on a global scale,鈥� Humes
wrote in his nominating letter. 鈥淔or each, I am not only a musical artist but, as
faculty, strive to represent 麻豆果冻传媒 as a place to be recognized for its excellence.鈥�
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Todd Murphy, Ph.D. 鈥� Excellence in Research
All of us, at one time or another, have had our heads in the clouds. Maybe we鈥檙e daydreaming,
thinking about our next vacation. When Todd Murphy, Ph.D., has his head in the clouds,
it鈥檚 research.
Murphy, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Science in the School of Sciences, College
of Arts, Education, and Sciences, has received the 2020 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Excellence
in Research. Murphy joined 麻豆果冻传媒 in 2012 as an instructor and was named assistant professor
in 2014.
He has been awarded 11 grants valued at $626,491. Murphy has developed a suite of
meteorological instruments at 麻豆果冻传媒, which he manages, including a $3 million polarimetric
S-band Doppler weather radar.
Murphy鈥檚 teaching and research provide the broader scientific atmospheric science
community with important weather information across Northeast Louisiana.
He has received research funding from NOAA annually since 2015 to study the origins
of rotation in tornadoes in the Southeast United States.
With the involvement of students who collect data for the project, Murphy's work helped
convince NOAA to make Northeast Louisiana a secondary data collection domain for the
Spring 2018 VORTEX-SE campaign. That research coincided with extremely active tornado
seasons.
In 2016, Murphy secured a grant for complex weather instrumentation from the Louisiana
Board of Regents.
In 2018, thanks to Murphy, a proposal to the National Science Foundation funded a
portable Doppler wind lidar. This was 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 first successful NSF proposal in approximately
10 years.
麻豆果冻传媒 funded a truck to mount the LIDAR system and other weather instruments, which
led to the development of a mobile profiling laboratory.
麻豆果冻传媒 is the onlyuniversity in the country with this collection of atmospheric research instrumentation
鈥� a true feat for an undergraduate-only program.
The 麻豆果冻传媒 weather radar has significantly improved severe and hazardous weather detection
in the region, protecting life and property. Murphy鈥檚 research indicates terrain plays
a significant role in changing the low-level wind shear and instability available
to thunderstorms, leading to the formation of tornadoes.
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Anthony Walker, Pharm.D. 鈥撎� Excellence in Service
If there鈥檚 a health fair in Northeast Louisiana, chances are good Anthony Walker,
Pharm.D., will be there, too.
In 2019-20 he participated in five community health fairs, two days of CPR training,
Prostate Cancer Awareness 5K Walk/Run, and was a guest speaker at Carroll High School
Medical Magnet Program.
The Clinical Associate Professor and Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory Manager for the
麻豆果冻传媒 College of Pharmacy鈥檚 School of Clinical Sciences provides basic life support
instruction to pharmacy students.
As a licensed and registered pharmacist, he extends his reach to provide medical education
and health screenings to the community.
Because of the selfless giving of his skills and time, Walker was named the 2020 winner
of the 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Excellence in Service.
Walker earned his first B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science at 麻豆果冻传媒, with a second B.S.
at 麻豆果冻传媒 in Pharmacy. He obtained his Pharm.D. at Shenandoah University鈥檚 Bernard J.
Dunn School of Pharmacy. Walker joined 麻豆果冻传媒 in 1999 as a certified poison information
specialist with the Louisiana Poison Control Center and assumed his current duties
in 2005. He also served as a medical laboratory scientist with HCA North Monroe Hospital
from 1988-98.
Jeffery D. Evans, Pharm.D., Director of the School of Clinical Sciences, applauded
his involvement with 鈥渁 couple of large student groups that required him to give up
his evenings and weekends to help the student groups meet their goals. 鈥� Dr. Walker
never shied away from going into the most medically underserved areas of Monroe and
helping those residents with their needs.鈥�
Walker, himself, views service as a payback.
鈥淚 look back over my early years as a child and remember that although I didn鈥檛 have
much, I never did without, mainly due to kind-hearted people who made sacrifices for
me so that I could succeed. I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to my students,
my university, my profession, and my community.鈥�
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Marcia Wells 鈥� Service by Unclassified Staff
There is a classroom unlike any in the state at the University of Louisiana Monroe's
College of Pharmacy campus on Bienville Drive.
It is called an active learning classroom. It takes a lot of technology smarts to
manage a smart classroom. Marcia Wells, Instructional Technology Manager for Pharmacy,
proves every day she is up to the challenge. She鈥檚 the 2020 recipient of the 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation
Award for Service by Unclassified Staff.
The active learning classroom technology enables professors and students to wirelessly
share content from any laptop, smartphone, or tablet between the teacher station and
the tables where students collaborate as a team on projects and problems.
In fact, every classroom and conference room in Pharmacy is wired with state-of-the-art
distant learning technology. Wells not only maintains the equipment, she has been
involved in installing it in each room.
Wells is responsible for not only all technology, including the toxicology program
on the main campus, she also services branch campuses in Shreveport and New Orleans.
Faculty at our branch campuses are able to present their lectures using distance learning
technology, avoiding costly travel between the different sites.
Wells joined 麻豆果冻传媒 in 2005 after a career with State Farm Insurance Cos.
Her reach extends beyond the Pharmacy. She works on the webpages for Marriage and
Family Therapy and Counseling and the College of Health Sciences. She collaborated
with the Office of Marketing and Communications to develop the current Pharmacy and
Toxicology program webpages.
鈥淚 consider myself the customer service representative for pharmacy,鈥� Wells says.
鈥淢y job is to make sure the classrooms are functioning, assist with technology issues
that may arise, communicate with Information Technology and other departments of problems
we experience, communicate with pharmacy faculty/staff and students in regard to any
technology issues we are experiencing and keep them up to date with information.鈥�
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2021 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Awards for Excellence
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Emad El-Giar, Ph.D. 鈥� Excellence in Teaching
This professor鈥檚 tireless preparation, attention to the traditionally underserved
students, and great patience have earned him the 2021 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Excellence
in Teaching.
Emad El-Giar, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry in the School of Sciences, College
of Arts, Education, and Sciences, has a world of experience. He has taught in his
native Egypt, and Sudan, Canada, and the United States at 麻豆果冻传媒 and Mississippi State
University.
鈥淚 embrace teaching as an opportunity to inspire and empower future scientists, medical
doctors, and engineers,鈥� says El-Giar.
鈥淚 consider a teacher鈥檚 primary role is to aid students develop and enhance their
skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, group dynamics, and oral as well as
written communication.鈥�
鈥淚 do understand that chemistry is a difficult subject matter that requires both the
students to possess math and reading skills; and the instructor to be knowledgeable,
fair, sincere, patient, creative, organized, and has a sense of humor in doing the
job.鈥�
As a university instructor who has lived in the U.S. for 24 years and as a parent
of four children who attended public schools in Mississippi and Louisiana, El-Giar
is aware of the weaknesses and difficulties students may have with reading, math,
and science classes. He prides himself in having improved the passage rate in the
General Chemistry courses at 麻豆果冻传媒.
Much of the students鈥� success comes from El-Giar鈥檚 approach early in a semester. In
the first class, he conducts a voluntary placement quiz with some math and general
chemistry questions to gauge the abilities the students have at the beginning.
鈥淪tudents consistently rate him as 鈥榓wesome鈥� because of his skill of demystifying
the complexities of chemistry, as well as the time and care he takes with them,鈥� says
Monica Bontty, Ph.D., a Professor of History at 麻豆果冻传媒.
鈥淗e is committed to diversity and makes a special effort to assist at-risk students,
as well as tutor athletes and under-represented students,鈥� Bontty said.
He鈥檚 even been known to join impromptu study parties and is praised for his open-door
policy.
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John Carr, Ph.D. 鈥� Excellence in Research
He spans the globe, exploring the infinite variety of 鈥� turtles. The thrill of variety
and the agony of watching a species decline.
This lifetime fascination and study has earned John Carr, Ph.D., the 2021 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation
Award for Excellence in Research for 2021.
For 15 years, Carr, Professor of Biology in the School of Science, College of Arts,
Education, and Sciences, has tracked nine species of small and medium-sized turtles
in 16 Latin American countries. Since 2005, Carr has traveled to Colombia to help
shape a turtle conservation action plan. The work expanded to Ecuador.
He rarely travels alone, often bringing graduate students with him to Latin America,
West Africa, South Africa, and Mexico.
鈥淚 think these were great learning experiences for them, both from a turtle research
perspective as well as the cultural eye-opening of working with students and faculty
in another country,鈥� he said.
Carr鈥檚 most intensive study, however, occurs nearby. He has participated in distributional
surveys of amphibians and reptiles at state wildlife management areas and national
wildlife refuges in Northeast Louisiana as part of a three-state region.
And you鈥檒l often find him at Black Bayou National Wildlife Refuge, where he is practically
on a first-name basis with every alligator snapping turtle there, studying their reproduction
and nesting ecology.
In 2020, he completed five turtle surveys in North Louisiana, resulting in 19 research
papers, including 20 different 麻豆果冻传媒 graduate students as authors.
鈥淚t would be an understatement to say that a lot of time and effort is required to
publish a scientific book, especially given the demands placed on faculty in higher
education today,鈥� writes his colleague, Dr. Kim Marie Tolson, 麻豆果冻传媒 professor of biology.
鈥淒r. Carr has been the only member of the biology faculty to pull off this feat in
the past five years. He co-authored 鈥楢mphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana: An Identification
and Reference Guide鈥� that was published in 2017. This impressive book is considered
by many to be the gold standard of field guides.鈥�
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Kristi Davis, MBA 听鈥撎� Service by Unclassified Staff
Even after this Warhawk took wing, she never flew far from the nest. She has, however,
been soaring to ever greater heights.
That includes the 2021 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Service by Unclassified Staff to Kristi
Davis.
Davis started at 麻豆果冻传媒 in 2003, earning a Bachelor of Science, then an MBA.
Just as Davis was about to start her professional career, her mother was involved
in a serious auto accident that left her permanently disabled. Davis put her career
on hold to care for her mother. As she improved, Davis looked for job opportunities.
Since 2009, Davis has served in several business and budgetary roles. She is now Assistant
to the Vice President for Business Affairs,听 Bill Graves.
In 2020, she was named Executive Director of the University of Louisiana Monroe Facilities
Inc.
Graves holds Davis in high esteem.
鈥淥ne of Kristi鈥檚 most outstanding attributes is her ability to get along with a wide
range of personalities across campus in a pleasant and professional manner. Her knowledge
of the university has been a great resource for me and many others within the university
community. Her presence on campus during the entire pandemic has truly kept things
moving and is appreciated more than words can express,鈥� Graves said.
At 麻豆果冻传媒, she chaired the SACSCOC Financial and Physical Resources Committee, has served
on the Warhawk Village Project Operations Committee, Women鈥檚 Symposium Board, Strategic
Planning Steering Committee, Staff Senate ,and United Way Campaign.
Off-campus, Davis volunteers at North Monroe Baptist Church and a homeless shelter.
She serves on the Sterlington Elementary PTO. Kristi and her mother partner with Louisiana
State Police and Mothers Against Drunk Driving on the dangers of drinking and driving.
Davis views the hours of service as a privilege. 鈥淭he university has provided opportunities
in my life that I never dreamed would be possible, and I consider it personally rewarding
to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those I work with on
a daily basis.鈥�
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Norma Flanagan - Service by Classified Staff
It鈥檚 impossible to know exactly what each employee at 麻豆果冻传媒 does every day.
For instance, what does Norma Flanagan, Administrative Coordinator III in the School
of Humanities in the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences, do?
The better question is, what 诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛 Norma Flanagan do?
That鈥檚 why she is the 2021 winner of the 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Service by Classified
Staff.
With 麻豆果冻传媒 since 2003, Norma has worked in Admissions, Graduate School, Education, and
now with School of Humanities Director Ruth Smith. Ph.D.
Flanagan is the person auditing degree sheets for English, History, Communications,
and World Languages, updating major changes for four departments, and keeping the
CAES Dean鈥檚 Office informed on graduating seniors.
She鈥檚 supervising student workers, answering phones, receiving visitors, locking and
unlocking classrooms on the third floor of Walker Hall, assisting faculty, delivering
mail, ordering supplies, and much, much more.
鈥淣orma manages this with skill and good humor and is always ready to assist when new
questions and assignments come up,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淣orma has a natural instinct to reach
out and help without being intrusive.鈥�
Jeffrey E. Anderson, Ph.D., Professor of History and Associate Director of the School
of Humanities, praised Flanagan鈥檚 personal touch.
鈥淗er actions to aid one of my deceased colleagues, Julia Guernsey-Pitchford, during
what would turn out the be her final struggle with terminal cancer, impressed me the
most. Upon Julia鈥檚 hospitalization, Mrs. Flanagan regularly visited her and helped
care for her home. When Julia was able to briefly return to her house, Norma continued
to visit frequently. She kept up her care until the end.鈥�
Flanagan shrugs that all off. She has a job to do, and she does it to the best of
her ability.
鈥淚 attribute my strong work ethics to my dad, who always said, 鈥楧o the job as if you
were working for yourself. Take pride in the job you do,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淢y mission is
to help others. It is a privilege to be part of the 麻豆果冻传媒 family.鈥�
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Leigh Nanney Hersey. Ph.D. 鈥� Excellence in Service
Leigh Nanney Hersey, Ph.D.
Service for Leigh Nanney Hersey, Ph.D., began with beagles.
The year was 2008, and Hersey volunteered with Arizona Beagle Rescue. She fell in
love with dogs, adopting one of the beagles. And she fell in love with helping the
communities where she lived.
As an Assistant Professor of Political Science and MPA Coordinator in the School of
Behavioral and Social Sciences, College of Business and Social Sciences, Hersey teaches
by example. For her, volunteerism isn鈥檛 an abstract classroom topic. It鈥檚 a way of
life, and she is the winner of the 2021 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Excellence in Service.
Among her numerous campus activities, Hersey participates in the Career Center Mentoring
Program, Strategic Plan Focus Group, Athletic Director Search Committee, Academic
Innovation Council, Title IX Ad Hoc Task Force, SACSCOC Steering Committee, and the
Search Committee for the Director of Office of Sponsored Projects and Research. She
also served as a faculty representative for the United Way Campaign three years running.
Her service, however, goes beyond 麻豆果冻传媒 to the community. In 2017, she served as a community
investment volunteer for the United Way of Northeast Louisiana. Hersey serves on the
boards of both the Downtown Arts Alliance and the Children鈥檚 Coalition of Northeast
Louisiana. And she continues to work with dogs. She is a transport coordinator for
the Senior Moments Weimaraner, another canine rescue organization.
Hersey studied journalism at the University of Georgia, earned her Master鈥檚 in Athletic
Administration at Temple University, and her doctorate in Public Administration with
a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership at Arizona State University.
She joined 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 faculty in 2016.
As a teacher of nonprofit management and community development, Hersey has been instrumental
in getting her students to volunteer in the community.
鈥淢y goal in life is to leave my community better than I found it,鈥� Hersey says. 鈥淭hat
not only means the work I do myself, but it includes the impact I have on those I
work with.鈥�
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Jessica Lasiter, MHIN, 鈥� Excellence in Creative/Innovative Works
Play-Doh and Twister? Is this a university or a kindergarten?
Definitely a university. But who says learning can鈥檛 be fun?
That鈥檚 Jessica Lasiter鈥檚 approach. She teaches a highly complicated course of study,
one where lives hang in the balance. With complex scientific concepts and vocabulary,
students can get easily lost or bored.
Lasiter, the 2021 winner of the 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation Award for Creative and Innovative Works,
is Associate Professor and Program Director of Medical Laboratory Science in the School
of Allied Health, College of Health Sciences. She holds a Master in Health Information
Management and is a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist.
She loves what she does.
鈥淚 am constantly trying to find innovative and creative ways to 鈥榗onnect the dots鈥�
and keep the student鈥檚 attention,鈥� she said. Lasiter connects learning through play.
Consider 鈥淧arasitology Twister.鈥� The images are not colored dots but pictures of cysts,
trophozoites, and amoebas. The spinning wheels have disease names and clinical manifestations.
As part of the study of renal physiology, Lasiter has the students mold the anatomy
of the kidney with Play-Doh, then they use the model to explain renal function.
Imagine planning social events for a Bi-State MLS Conference. Lasiter was tasked with
that as chair of the meeting. She worked with the 麻豆果冻传媒 School of Visual and Performing
Arts to create an MLS Murder is Served event.
These are just a few of the innovations employed by Lasiter, who earned her bachelor鈥檚
and master鈥檚 degrees at Louisiana Tech, then at Rapides Regional Medical Center and
St. Francis Medical Center before joining 麻豆果冻传媒 in 2010.
Does her approach work? Here鈥檚 what two students said:
鈥淓ven with the challenges presented during COVID lockdown, Mrs. Lasiter curated unique
teaching methods that enabled us as students to reach our full potential,鈥� Justin
L. Hernandez.
鈥淢rs. Lasiter pushes you to work harder, encourages you to believe in yourself, and
inspires you to reach your full potential. I hope one day I can be half as good of
a Medical Laboratory Scientist that she is,鈥� Annelise Johnson.
Does Lasiter鈥檚 approach work? Yes.
