Favorite Faculty winners.
At the core of the mission of University Residences and Purdue Dining & Culinary is the desire to create a place where students feel at home on campus. Central to this mission are the numerous people who deliver the programs, experiences and services that help students find their place on campus.
The end of the school year is an opportunity to recognize the impact of outstanding faculty and staff for their tireless efforts. From having an open door to welcome students, making time for a difficult conversation or working late into the night to ensure the details of an upcoming program delivered an elite experience for participants, these individuals exemplify the best of the Boilermaker spirit.
Cheryl Brantley was recognized with the Bill Berner Staff Achievement Award, which recognizes staff members whose mentorship and personal attention to students and staff reflects that of Bill Berner, a long-time University Residences employee who made a significant impact with his individual attention to students during his tenure. The award is presented through the support of the late Donald Heirman, who created the award to honor the mentorship and personal attention he received from Berner, as well as in memory of his wife, Lois.
Brantley serves as the assistant director for learning communities for University Residences Residential Academic Initiatives (RAI). She serves as the lead administrator for the 3,700 students who live in University Residences’ 70+ learning communities. Her work is instrumental in the day-to-day operations and more than 900 special activities hosted by learning communities. She selflessly served as a Senior Faculty Fellow, filling an important need on top of an already heavy workload. She also regularly volunteers with the Executive in Residence program on nights and weekends.
Favorite Faculty awards are selected based on nominations from students and recognize distinguished faculty for success in academics, research, service and learning. Partnerships with faculty are crucial to the success of University Residences’ efforts to support learning beyond the classroom. Honorees are recognized at a reception where the students who nominated outstanding faculty help honor for their work.
The Most Distinguished Faculty for Academics Award was presented to Paul Parsons, associate professor of computer graphics technology. In nominating Parsons, one student wrote, “His impact on Purdue students and myself is immeasurable, and I know his innovative spirit, unwavering dedication and passion have inspired countless students to reach new heights of excellence.”
The Most Distinguished Faculty for Academics Award, recognizing a faculty member for their skill in the classroom, was awarded to Mallory Kern, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry. One nominator wrote, “She goes above and beyond to make sure every student is truly understanding the material and that nobody is getting left behind,” while another student added, “She has made learning organic chemistry go from being an insurmountable task to an achievable goal.”
The award for Most Distinguished Faculty for Campus and Community Engagement was given to Elise Frketich, assistant teaching professor in Cornerstone. Frketich’s nominator highlighted her “passionate and genuine excitement” for campus cultural events like Purdue Theatre productions and Cornerstone film screenings, with the student adding that “because of her influence, I plan to carve time out of my schedule and attend more performances in the future.”
The Frederick L. Hovde Faculty Fellow of the Year Award went to Cai Chen, corporate partners technical specialist in The Data Mine Learning Community and Faculty Fellow for Hillenbrand 8E. His nominator wrote, “As a faculty fellow, Cai embodies the spirit of community involvement and dedication to fostering connections within our academic institution. Cai's unwavering enthusiasm and exceptional communication skills have consistently shone through in his active participation in various floor events.”
The Dr. Gerald Krockover Outstanding Favorite Faculty Award was awarded to Tim Delworth, senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics. Seven different students nominated Delworth, with one summing up his excellence saying, “Tim Delworth has been the best professor I’ve had at Purdue. He makes math less difficult to understand and always makes time for his students because he wants to see us succeed.”