Faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences were celebrated during the annual Fall Faculty Meeting in the Old Capitol Senate Chamber on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025.
During the event, faculty received recognition for earning named appointments, professional and tenure awards, and teaching and engagement awards. This celebration happens annually, and includes an opportunity for faculty from across the college to gather for conversation and refreshments following the awards ceremony.
Congratulations to the 2025 honorees!
Named Chair
Chair appointments are the highest possible honor given to faculty who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in their field and hold the promise of future research, instruction, and scholarly innovations.
Jan Wessel, Professor, Psychological and Brain Sciences; Clement T. and Sylvia H. Hanson Chair
Named Professorships
Named faculty positions and professorships honor the academic achievements of faculty while recognizing the generosity of donors to the academic enterprise.
Melissa Febos, Professor, English; Roy J. Carver Professor
Kaveh Akbar, Professor, English; Roy J. Carver Professor
Shuang Chen, Associate Professor, History; C. Maxwell and Elizabeth M. Stanley Family and Hua Hsia Associate Professor in Chinese Culture and Institutions
Collegiate Fellow
Senior faculty members who are not already holding named appointments are honored with a Collegiate Fellow Award for their exceptional contributions to teaching, scholarly and creative work, and leadership.
Ethan Canin, Professor, Writers' Workshop
Dean’s Scholars
The Dean's Scholar Award honors faculty candidates for promotion who excel in teaching and scholarship or creative work.
Rishab Nithyanand, Associate Professor, Computer Science
Jamel Brinkley, Associate Professor, Writers' Workshop
Kristi Hendrickson, Associate Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Collegiate Scholars
The Collegiate Scholar award recognizes mid-career faculty for exceptional achievement and carries discretionary funds to support teaching and research initiatives.
Drew Kitchen, Professor, Anthropology
Kaveh Akbar, Professor, English; Roy J. Carver Professor
Distinguished Associate Professors of Instruction
Distinguished Associate Professors of Instruction acknowledge candidates for advancement to Associate Professor, who excel in teaching, institutional and professional service, and their record of publications at the time of advancement.
Anna Morrison, Associate Professor of Instruction, Cinematic Arts
Kelly Danaher, Associate Professor of Instruction, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Distinguished Professor of Instruction Award
The Distinguished Professor of Instruction Award recognizes candidates who excel in teaching, institutional, and professional service, and their record of publications at time of advancement. The two-year award carries a one-time financial award, which may be used for research and teaching initiatives.
Cinda Coggins-Mosher, Professor of Instruction, Rhetoric
Collegiate Teaching Award
Collegiate Teaching Awards are given each year to faculty who demonstrate outstanding performance in the classroom, laboratory, or studio.
Rachel Klevar, Associate Professor of Instruction, Spanish and Portuguese
Anna Morrison, Associate Professor of Instruction, Cinematic Arts
Katlyn O'Shaughnessy, Associate Professor of Instruction, Rhetoric
Ksenia Nosikova, Professor, School of Music
Elisa Pizzi, Associate Professor, Political Science
David Supp-Montgomerie, Associate Professor of Instruction, Communication Studies
International Engagement Teaching Award
The International Engagement Teaching Award, jointly awarded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University of Iowa International Programs, is given annually to a CLAS faculty member in recognition of their excellence in fostering inclusive learning environments for international and domestic students; integrating international perspectives into the curriculum; or encouraging international experiences, such as internships, study abroad, and service work for students.
Harry Stecopolous, Professor, English
Kristine Munoz, Professor, Spanish and Portuguese
Outstanding Outreach and Public Engagement Award
The Outstanding Outreach and Public Engagement Award honors a CLAS faculty member who has engaged in activities that bring the University of Iowa to broader communities in significant and sustained ways.
John D'Agata, Professor, English
For more information on these awards and to see recent previous honorees, visit the CLAS faculty honors website.
