Five University of Arkansas – Fort Smith faculty members were honored last week for their services to the institution during the Faculty Appreciation Ceremony held on campus.

 

Recipients were Dr. Alexandra Zacharella of Fort Smith, recipient of the Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Award; Dr. Sandhya Baviskar of Fort Smith, recipient of the Lucille Speakman Master Teacher Award; Dr. Ann-Gee Lee of Fort Smith, recipient of the Excellence to the University, to the Profession, and to the Community Service Award; Jennifer Stewart of Fayetteville, recipient of the Luella M. Krehbiel Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award; and Bob Cloninger of Fort Smith, instructor of computer engineering in the Western Arkansas Technical Center, recipient of the Lori Norin Faculty Appreciation Award given by the Student Government Association.

 

Alexandra Zacharella

 

Dr. Alexandra Zacharella is an associate professor of low brass and director of bands at UAFS, a position she has held since 2007. She is the director of the symphonic band, low brass ensemble and teaches instrumental conducting and private trombone, euphonium and tuba.

 

During her tenure at UAFS, Dr. Zacharella has accrued an impressive list of scholarly and creative activities. She has presented research at the The 65th and 70th Midwest Clinics in Chicago, Illinois, the Music by Women Festival in Columbus, Mississippi, the College Music Society International Conferences in South Korea, Argentina, Sweden and Finland and Australia, at the International Trombone Festivals in France, Spain and the U.S., as well as various national and regional College Music Society Conferences, Slider Asia in Hong Kong and several Arkansas State Music Educator Association conferences.

 

“I am both thrilled and humbled to have been selected for this prestigious university award. I am very grateful to UAFS for giving me the opportunity to create, research and to travel the world making music. I came to UAFS a few months out of just finishing my Doctoral degree, and over the past 11 years, UAFS has taught me how to better musician, researcher, pedagogue and most importantly, a human being.”

 

Zacharella earned bachelor’s degrees in trombone performance and music education from The University of Hartford, The Hartt School; her master’s degree in trombone performance from the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre and Dance; and her doctoral degree in trombone performance from the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music with doctoral minors in conducting, music education and jazz studies.

 

Sandhya Baviskar

 

Dr. Sandhya Baviskar, associate professor of biological science, came to UAFS in 2009 as an assistant professor and was promoted to her current position in 2015. She teaches courses including cell and molecular biology, biological science, anatomy and physiology, developmental biology and microbial genetics.

 

Baviskar has presented research conducted in tandem with students and has spoken at conferences locally and nationally on scientific and pedagogical topics. Additionally, she has help guide numerous research projects conducted by UAFS students.

 

“I feel very honored to be selected for 2018 Lucille Speakman Master Teacher Award at UAFS,” she said. “I have been teaching at UAFS since 2009, and I have grown here as a teacher and researcher. I implement new teaching and assessment tools in my classes, and it has created positive impact on student learning. The administration has recognized my efforts by selecting me for this award. It is an honor and very fulfilling experience.”

 

“To me, learning means knowing, exploring, communicating, and connecting knowledge and also understanding its application to real world situations, and teaching means facilitating the process of learning,” she continued. “A teacher not only helps students learn, but also gets to learn at the same time. I view teaching both as an art and science that can be mastered through experience, experimentation, and evaluation.”

 

Baviskar earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in zoology from Gujarat University in India and her doctorate in biology from Idaho State University.

 

Ann-Gee Lee

 

Dr. Ann-Gee Lee, associate professor of English, has taught at UAFS since 2010, starting as an assistant professor before being promoted to associate professor in 2015. She teaches courses including English composition I & II, textual research methods, rhetoric and Poetics, writing for the workplace and arguing public issues, among other subjects.

 

During her time at UAFS, Lee has served on numerous university committees and offices, including secretary of Faculty Senate, and has been involved with the Fort Smith community through several volunteer activities. She has served as advisor for the Cultural Network student organization since fall 2010, teaches free Mandarin-Chinese classes through the organization, and works as a reviewer for the Institutional Review Board since fall 2012. Additionally, she has served as a Chinese-to-English translator for Tzu-Chi Foundation in Taiwan since 2013, co-chair of the Read This! program since Fall 2015, and member of the Interfaith Fellowship Board of Directors since 2015.

 

“Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’ To me, good service opportunities are personal, meaningful, and provide venues for mutual learning and social progress,” Lee said. “I would like to thank everyone who has opened such doors for me, and I look forward to many more.”

 

Lee holds her bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in teaching English as a second language from California State University Stanislaus, her master’s degree in English from California State University Stanislaus, and her doctorate in English from Bowling Green State University.

 

Jennifer Stewart

 

Jennifer Stewart, an adjunct instructor of English, has taught as an adjunct professor at UAFS since 2008, teaching courses including composition, writing for the workplace, and technical writing.

 

Stewart has presented at conferences including the Delta Blues Symposium, in addition to community presentations given to members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arkansas. She has served as a writing tutor and conversation partner at the Ozark Literacy Council and is currently an Advanced Placement English and Composition Rater.

 

“I am honored and humbled to receive the 2018 Krehbiel Adjunct Teaching Award,” Stewart said. “Working with the amazing students at UAFS these past years has been one of the joys of my life. Being a part of the incredible community of educators and scholars at this university inspires me each day to innovate and be the best possible instructor I can be.”

 

Stewart earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science and master’s degrees in English from Arkansas State University.

 

Bob Cloninger

 

Bob Cloninger is a computer engineering instructor in the Western Arkansas Technical Center, a position he has held since 2005. He currently teaches courses in Java and Python programming, Cisco networking, computer hardware and computer operating systems.

 

Prior to his work in WATC, Cloninger was also an adjunct instructor at UAFS, where he taught introductory operating systems II and system administration courses. His time at UAFS followed a 30-year career as an information technology generalist beginning in the Marines and including work at various local companies including Baldor, Golden Living and OK Industries.

 

“Good things are a group effort,” Cloninger said. “It took an inquisitive student with support from WATC, the College of Applied Science and Technology, and the university to make this happen. My students and the faculty, staff, and administration of CAST, WATC, and the Computer and Information Science Department have been a blessing.”

 

Cloninger holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hendrix College, a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Arkansas, and a master’s degree in information quality from the University of Arkansas – Little Rock.