{"id":2492042,"date":"2026-07-07T15:18:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T15:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2492042"},"modified":"2026-07-07T15:18:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T15:18:05","slug":"university-faculty-members-honored-with-provost-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/university-faculty-members-honored-with-provost-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"University Faculty Members Honored With Provost Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

The University of Scranton\u2019s Provost\u2019s Faculty Enhancement Awards are some of the University\u2019s most coveted prizes, presented with the intention of encouraging, supporting,\u00a0promoting\u00a0and recognizing the efforts of faculty who strive for and achieve distinction and excellence in their work.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year,\u00a0nine\u00a0Provost Awards were presented Thursday, May 14, at the McIlhenny Ballroom inside the DeNaples Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

Award recipients included:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Honoring exceptional leadership in shared governance and academic planning,\u00a0<\/span>Andrew Venezia, Ph.D.,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0associate professor of health and human performance, earned the\u00a0<\/span>Award for Academic Leadership and Institutional Stewardship<\/span><\/strong>. Dr. Venezia\u2019s extensive service across more than 10 committees, including key chair roles, fosters collaboration, transparency and institutional strength while advancing faculty engagement and academic excellence throughout the University. As Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee chair alone, he\u00a0convenes\u00a0weekly meetings and works daily with various\u00a0dean\u2019s\u00a0offices, the registrar, the\u00a0provost\u00a0and faculty from all three colleges.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Four<\/span><\/p>\n

Honoring a commitment to justice, human dignity and belonging, the\u00a0<\/span>Beloved Community Faculty Enhancement Award<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0recognizes\u00a0<\/span>Kate Cummings<\/span><\/strong>, assistant professor and research and instruction librarian for the University\u2019s Weinberg Memorial Library.\u00a0Professor Cummings\u2019 leadership in promoting intellectual freedom and\u00a0equitable\u00a0access to knowledge has earned widespread recognition.\u00a0In 2025, she was elected as the Pennsylvania Library Association\u2019s vice president and president-elect, a three-year commitment that will culminate in her leading the state\u2019s library association.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Four<\/span><\/p>\n

Advancing care for creation and environmental justice, the\u00a0<\/span>Laudato Si\u2019 Award<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0honors\u00a0<\/span>Rich Larsen<\/span><\/strong>, professor of English and theatre. Professor Larsen has\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0decades of sustainable theatre practices, including innovative material reuse and eco-conscious design, long before sustainability became an institutional priority.\u00a0His scenic design for a recent musical production used an\u00a0estimated\u00a0just\u00a0$400 in new materials with the rest assembled entirely from stock and donated and reclaimed items,\u00a0demonstrating\u00a0how the arts can model creative stewardship of the natural world.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Group<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing excellence in outcomes-based education, the\u00a0<\/span>Award for Assessment and Educational Effectiveness<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0honors the\u00a0<\/span>Department of Counseling and Human Services<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0Across their\u00a0five degree\u00a0programs, CHS faculty members commit themselves to helping their graduates become competent practitioners who are genuinely prepared to care for those they serve. The department assesses its students through transparent and rigorous practices and while using a continuous feedback model that drives student and programmatic success, building a culture of assessment that\u00a0benefits\u00a0the entire University\u00a0and its people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Group<\/span><\/p>\n

Honoring innovative and mission-centered collaboration, the\u00a0<\/span>Award for Mission-Driven Innovation and Partnerships<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0recognizes the\u00a0<\/span>Department of Crime, Justice and Security.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0The department’s Center for the\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Analysis and Prevention of Crime engages students with community partners to address real-world challenges while advancing justice, public\u00a0safety\u00a0and transformative student learning. Partner organizations include the Scranton Police Department, the Lackawanna County District Attorney\u2019s\u00a0Office\u00a0and the Office of Youth and Family Services, among others.\u00a0The department also runs an annual cyber camp in the summer, providing training to high school students.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Four<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Group<\/span><\/p>\n

Celebrating outstanding scholarly achievement, the\u00a0<\/span>Award for Research and Scholarly Practice<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0recognizes corecipients\u00a0<\/span>Spencer Galen, Ph.D.,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0assistant professor of biology,\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Marc Shapiro, Ph.D.,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0professor and chair of theology and religious studies. Dr. Galen\u2019s prolific research record includes 14 articles and a book chapter in an open-source textbook. He has also generated significant external\u00a0funding\u00a0and his work has been cited hundreds of times. Dr. Shapiro\u2019s decades of leadership in Judaic Studies at Scranton has elevated the University\u2019s international reputation and connections within worldwide Jewish communities. He is the author of nine books \u2014 with Nos. 10\u00a0and 11 in progress \u2014 and his most recent book about Rav Kook was a finalist for the prestigious Rabbi Sacks Book Prize.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Four<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing innovative teaching excellence, the\u00a0<\/span>Award for Transformative Teaching and Learning <\/span><\/strong>honors <\/span>Ovidiu\u00a0Cocieru, Ph.D.,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0associate professor of management. Dr. Cocieru\u2019s Classroom-as-Organization\u00a0(CAO)\u00a0approach is a research-based model in which\u00a0student\u00a0live organizational life rather than simulating it. For instance, his students in MGT 430 plan and execute Scranton\u00a0SoccerFest\u00a0every spring. Dr. Cocieru\u2019s instruction strengthens student engagement and awards real authority to students.\u00a0He has authored six peer-reviewed\u00a0publications\u00a0on CAO pedagogy,\u00a0establishing\u00a0him as a national authority on the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Four<\/span><\/p>\n

Honoring sustained excellence across teaching, scholarship and service, the\u00a0<\/span>Magis\u00a0Award<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0recognizes\u00a0<\/span>Debra Fetherman, Ph.D.,<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0professor and chair of health and human performance. Dr. Fetherman\u2019s leadership as Community-Based Learning\u2019s\u00a0(CBL)\u00a0faculty coordinator has exemplified Ignatian values and prepared students to lead lives of purpose and service. She has led faculty workshops, supported\u00a0colleagues in\u00a0integrating CBL into their\u00a0courses\u00a0and secured grant funding. She also plays\u00a0a central role\u00a0in the Leahy College of Health Sciences\u2019 TAPESTRY program, which introduces first-year students to Jesuit values to guide seniors to discern how those values will shape their professional lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Four<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, Ann “Nancy” Cummings,<\/strong> management and marketing faculty specialist, received the Faculty Senate Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award. The award recognizes a faculty member’s dedication to teaching graduate students in an encouraging and intellectually stimulating environment that promotes critical thinking and learning. Last year’s award winner, Wesam Alramadeen<\/strong>, assistant professor of operations and analytics, presented the award to Professor Cummings.<\/span><\/p>\n

The University also honored a group of distinguished faculty members who are transitioning into scholarly pursuits, personal projects or retirement, among other things. The group includes\u00a0<\/span>Rev. Timothy Cadigan, S.J.<\/strong>, Jones DeRitter, Ph.D.,\u00a0Michael Friedman, Ph.D.,\u00a0Jean Harris,\u00a0Ph.D.,\u00a0Bonnie Markowski, MFA,<\/strong> and Terrence Sweeney, Ph.D.,<\/strong>\u00a0of the College of Arts and Sciences; Robert Spinelli, DBA,\u00a0<\/strong>of the Leahy College of Health Sciences; and Daniel Mahoney, Ph.D.,<\/strong> of the Kania School of Management.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n