Six outstanding faculty members at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center were honored by students from their colleges with Excellence in Teaching Awards at the annual Student Government Association Executive Council (SGAEC) Banquet held Monday at the Student-Alumni Center.
The awards are vetted by the SGAEC representative for each college, as well as students from each college. They are among the highest honors given to faculty on campus. Two faculty members are selected from each college through a nomination and voting process, with winners being given a plaque of recognition along with a $2,500 stipend at the banquet.
The honorees are:
College of Dentistry
Kenneth Anderson, DDS, MS, associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences, director of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, and director of Oral and Maxillofacial Diagnostic Services
Vinay Jain, BDS, MS, MDS, director of Removable Prosthodontics in the Department of Prosthodontics
College of Graduate Health Sciences
Jon Cox, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry
Kristin Hamre, associate professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
College of Health Professions
Jacque Bradford, PT, DPT, EdD, MS, assistant professor, director of Clinical Education in the Department of Physical Therapy
Keisha Burnett, EdD, associate professor, Cytotechnology Education Coordinator, and Master of Cytopathology Practice Admissions Chair in the Department of Cytotechnology and Histotechnology
College of Medicine
Michael Herr II, assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
Abdelazim Sirelkhatim, MD, Neurology Clerkship director
College of Nursing
Jacqueline Burchum, DNSc, FNP-BC, CNE, associate professor in the Department of Advanced Practice and Doctoral Studies
Melody Waller, PhD, MSN, RN, assistant professor and RN to BSN option coordinator
College of Pharmacy
Chelsea Renfro, PharmD, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy
Ted Cory, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy
SGAEC president Anna Evans presented the Imhotep Award to Lori Gonzalez, PhD, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs. The Imhotep Award is the highest honor given to a staff member by students at UTHSC and recognizes someone who has shown dedication and commitment to improving student activities and initiatives on campus.
In addition, 92 student leaders representing each college were recognized as new inductees to the Imhotep Society, an organization established at UTHSC in 1980 to recognize students leaders committed to improving student life on campus.
Other honorees at the event were Sara Cross, MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine-Infectious Disease and Tom Korioth, DDS, PhD, professor in the Department of Prosthodontics, who received UT Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards; Darrylinn Todd, EdD, associate vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, who received the Student Services Award; and third-year medical student John Sun, who received the Phil C. Webb Award.
All members of the SGAEC including Anna Evans, Peter Ketch, RJ Autry, Aaron Hamby, Joslyn Watermeier, Karen Merriweather, Jacob Sparks, and Jeremy Wooten were honored with the Student Service Award.
