College honors faculty, students

ORONO – The University of Maine College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored faculty members and students for dedication and accomplishments recently, giving the award for outstanding teaching and advising posthumously to the husband of a popular psychology professor who died in an auto accident last fall.

Carrying his young son, Camden, in his arms, Steve Alexander, husband of professor Michele Alexander, accepted the framed citation for teaching and advising excellence on his late wife’s behalf from Kathryn Olmstead, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

History professor Richard Judd received the college’s award for research and creative activity. Known for his scholarship in environmental history, Judd has written five books on topics such as logging in Maine, conservationism and environmentalism in the United States and the socialist dynamic in American municipal politics. He currently is co-editing an innovative “Historical Atlas of Maine.”

“His impact on historiography extends well beyond the borders of the University of Maine and the state,” department chairman Scott See said in his nomination letter, calling Judd’s reputation as a scholar “meticulous, imaginative and productive.”

The college also gave awards to three outstanding students, recognized six faculty members who recently were awarded tenure and 30 students who received department awards.

Students receiving the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Outstanding Student Awards were Lauren A. Marshall, Fairfield, the Graduating Senior Award; doctoral candidate Margaret Killinger Pandiscio of Orono and a history major, the Outstanding Graduate Student Award; and Yukiko Miura of Nukata, Japan, the Outstanding International Student Award.

The six faculty members recognized for earning tenure and promotion to associate professor are Sandra Berkowitz, communication and journalism; David Bradley, mathematics and statistics; Adrienne Kearney, economics; Shannon Martin, communication and journalism; Philip Silver, music; and Judy Perkins Walker, communication sciences and disorders.

Winners of individual department Outstanding Graduate Student awards went to Lori Sawlivich, communication sciences and disorders; Richard Brooke Morrill Jr. of Waretown, N.J., English; Margaret “Mimi” Killinger Pandiscio, history; Jan Fiala of Prague, Czeck Republic, physics and astronomy; and Jennifer Pells of Bangor, psychology.

Since some departments withhold the names of award winners until commencement, departmental awards for graduating seniors made public so far are as follows:

. Anthropology: Dianna Schindler, Berwick, and Alisha Welt, Brunswick.

. Service and leadership award: Jennifer Malpiedi, Marshfield, Mass.

. Communication sciences and disorders, Michelle Bourque, Topsham;

. Economics, Ross Bartlett, Auburn.

. English, Lauren Marshall, Fairfield;

. Philosophy, Aaron Hanson, Livermore.

. Physics and astronomy, Adrienne Traxler, Sharpsville, Ind.

. Political science, Eric Black, Orient.

In psychology, Dickinson Awards went to Greg Dore of Milford, Dawn Norris of Hampden, Jenna Pitula of Winterport, Moira Reilly of Bucksport and Aaron Thomas of Garland.

The Nichols Award from the psychology department went to James Strout of Eddington and the the Ryckman Award went to James Clark 3rd of Orono.

Psychology faculty awards went to Stacy Alexander of Brunswick, Jessica Fales of Winslow, Rachel Goetze of Exeter, Meghan Hannington of Glenburn, Leah Pendergast of Berwick and Gina Veits of Orrington.

Amy Maier of Bath received the School of Performing Arts Music Award and Amanda Eaton of Dexter received the department’s Theatre and Dance Award.

In sociology, Brandon Archibald of Mexico, Heather Taylor of Minneapolis, Minn., and Kelly Thibodeau of South China received an Outstanding Graduating Senior Award, and Jessica Joy of Westbrook, Aubrey Russell of Minot and Kelly Thibodeau won Alpha Delta Kappa awards.