The University of North Carolina at Wilmington recognized faculty members for their achievements and dedication during the third annual Faculty Awards Celebration, now called “Soaring Together: Celebrating Our Faculty,” on April 28. Chancellor Aswani K. Volety, Interim Provost Rob Burrus, deans, and other academic leaders attended the event to formally acknowledge the 2026 award recipients.
The awards ceremony, hosted by the Office of Faculty Affairs, aims to highlight faculty commitment and excellence in teaching, research, service, and engagement. Interim Provost Burrus said, “This was a celebration of true excellence, and each award recipient has spent countless hours honing and perfecting their teaching, research, service and engagement skills. They exemplify the very best from our outstanding faculty, and it is our honor to celebrate their contributions.”
Honorees included Diana Ashe (Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching), Alison Taylor (Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award), Alexandra Krallman Barnes (Cameron School of Business Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award), Anka Roberto (College of Health and Human Services Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award), David Houpt (College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award), Richard Pond (College of Science and Engineering Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award), Sara Movahedazarhouligh (Watson College of Education Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award), Alexander McDaniel and Michele Parker (Distinguished Faculty Scholar Awards), Jessie C. Jarvis (Distinguished Scholarly Engagement and Public Service Award), Brian Chandler and Alison Taylor (Distinguished Teaching Professorship Awards).
Other recognitions went to David Glew for excellence in online education; Daisyane Barreto as Graduate Faculty Mentor; Stephanie Duea as J. Marshall Crews Distinguished Faculty; Brandon Brice and Maggie Guggenheimer as Lecturers of the Year; Christopher Stuart received the UNCW Library Faculty Engagement Award.
According to university officials present at the event, these awards underscore ongoing efforts to recognize innovation across various disciplines among UNCW’s faculty members.
More information about many of these awards can be found on the university’s Faculty Excellence Awards webpage.
