Awards for Excellence

This award honors a senior undergraduate student with a GPA of 3.51 or higher who has completed at least three semesters at University of Idaho. Nominees show strong involvement in extracurricular activities and demonstrate leadership and service on campus and in the community.

For more information, email Sandy Larsen or call 208-364-4030.

See this year's award recipients

This award recognizes a graduating graduate student with a GPA of 3.51 or higher who demonstrates exceptional research or creative work with potential for significant impact in their field. Nominees are also actively involved in campus or community service, leadership and extracurricular activities.

For more information, email Sandy Larsen or call 208-364-4030.

See this year's award recipients

This award recognizes a third-year law student in the top 10% of their class who demonstrates exceptional academic achievement, along with meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities, campus leadership and community service.

For more information, email Sandy Larsen or call 208-364-4030.

See this year's award recipients

This award is presented to 10 first-year students who have demonstrated outstanding service, leadership and academic achievement and who are committed to serving the university community.

This award is presented to 10 sophomores who have demonstrated outstanding service, leadership and academic achievement and who are committed to serving the university community.

Started in 1923, the Silver Lance Award recognized outstanding men who held leadership positions on campus. This award evolved to recognize any student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership traits.

This award is presented to 10 juniors who have demonstrated outstanding service, leadership and academic achievement and who are committed to serving the university community.

This award is presented to 10 seniors who are exceptional leaders at University of Idaho with demonstrated outstanding service, leadership and academic achievement and who are committed to serving the university community.

Donald R. Theophilus was a member of University of Idaho faculty for nearly 40 years and was university president from 1954-1965. One of the highest distinctions at University of Idaho, this award is presented to graduating seniors who have an outstanding record of academic achievement and service to the university community. Students are selected from the top applicants of the Outstanding Seniors category.

Funded by the Honors Leadership Council in honor of Alton Campbell, this award recognizes a student who has significantly strengthened the campus community. Recipients demonstrate exceptional initiative in organizing events and fostering meaningful dialogue or service, as well as showing a deep, ongoing commitment to building and sustaining a vibrant student community.

This award recognizes one student each academic year who demonstrates exceptional dedication to professional development and actively contributes to creating opportunities for their peers within our academic community.

This award honors a student who has displayed exceptional contribution, dedication and growth during their cooperative education experience. This student has shown great work ethic, professionalism and willingness to face the obstacles in the real world while going above and beyond to exceed expectations.

Frank W. Childs IV was an engineering student at University of Idaho who died in an untimely tragic death. Frank was an outstanding student and was actively involved in student government. The Associated Students University of Idaho (ASUI) created this award to honor graduating seniors who share his qualities of leadership, service and academic excellence.

George Dafoe’s leadership, dedication and integrity came at a critical juncture in student government and campus history. He continued to guide and inspire student leaders as an advisor until his death from cancer in the summer of 1990. His unique personal qualities and capabilities were used to serve student interests and inspired this award. The intent of this award is to acknowledge a deserving student who has served in the Associated Students of University of Idaho (ASUI).

Guy Wicks served the students of University of Idaho for 34 years before retiring in 1965. Guy, along with his wife, Grace, were fixtures of the university community whose impact is still felt today. This award, one of the highest honors at the institution, recognizes senior students exhibiting outstanding success based on GPA, campus activities and service to the university in the spirit of Wicks’ legacy.

This award is presented to an individual undergraduate student who has demonstrated exceptional motivation, innovation and involvement in community service. Students may earn this award more than once in their academic career.

In 1899, Jennie Eva Hughes became the first African American to graduate from U of I. This award was named in her honor and is given to a student who is committed to multicultural advocacy and leadership.

Former University of Idaho President Richard Gibb earned the reputation for being exceptionally student-centered and was particularly supportive of non-traditional students. This honor is presented as a capstone award to a student who has entered post-secondary education in a non-traditional fashion (i.e. not directly from high school) and has overcome a variety of obstacles while providing service and leadership to the campus community.

This award honors a student who has displayed exceptional contribution, dedication and growth during their cooperative education experience. This student has shown great work ethic, professionalism and willingness to face the obstacles in the real world while going above and beyond to exceed expectations.

Established in 2006 and named for its first recipient, this award honor the efforts of graduate faculty who excel as mentors. This award is part of the College of Graduate Studies’ continuing efforts to support excellent mentoring of graduate students at University of Idaho.

2025 award recipient

Emad Kassem 
Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering 
College of Engineering 

This award recognizes graduate students who demonstrate excellence in teaching. Many forms of teaching exist throughout the graduate school experience, including classes and labs, mentoring and assisting professors in instructing and developing course materials. This award is part of the College of Graduate Studies’ continuing efforts to support and recognize outstanding teaching by graduate students at University of Idaho.

2025 award recipient

Nick Koenig 
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences 
College of Science 

This award is part of the College of Graduate Studies’ continuing efforts to recognize and encourage excellence in research and creative activity by graduate-level students at University of Idaho.

2025 award recipient

Hossam Hassan 
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Nuclear Engineering 
College of Engineering 

This award recognizes faculty who have demonstrated exceptional support and guidance for postdoctoral scholars and fellows. The award is presented by the College of Graduate Studies and the Office of Research and Economic Development.

2025 award recipient

Christopher Marx 
Professor, Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences 
College of Science 

This award is part of the continuing effort by the College of Graduate Studies and Office of Research and Economic Development to recognize and encourage excellence in research and other creative activities by postdoctoral fellows at University of Idaho.

2025 award recipient

Temitayo Olagunju 
Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences 
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences 

This award was established to recognize and encourage excellence in all forms of scholarly research and creative activity. One award will be made in the amount of $5,000 to an eligible faculty member.

2025 award recipient

Lilian Alessa 
Co-director of the Center for Resilient Communities and Professor in Environmental Design and Landscape Architecture 
College of Art and Architecture 

This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional teaching in General Education courses by engaging students through innovative practices that support student achievement, student access and student problem-solving skills that align with General Education Learning Outcomes.

2025 award recipient

Theresa Allen 
Senior Instructor, Department of Math and Statistical Sciences 
College of Science 

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exemplary service to the General Education Program. Such service supports practices that enhance student achievement, student access and student problem-solving skills that align with General Education Learning Outcomes.

2025 award recipient

Dean Panttaja 
Professor Emeritus, Department of Theatre Arts 
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences 

This award recognizes exemplary faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching and a strong dedication to students. The award intends to encourage and reward faculty for their pursuit of excellence and show the value teaching holds for our university.

2025 award recipient

Ashley Kerr 
Associate Professor, School of Global Studies 
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences 

This award recognizes exemplary faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching and strong dedication to students. It is intended to encourage and reward teaching faculty for their pursuit of excellence and show the value of teaching.

2025 award recipient

Markie McBrayer
Assistant Professor, Department of Politics and Philosophy 
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences 

This award recognizes outstanding academic advisors who demonstrate strong dedication to student needs and passion for inspiring students to discover and achieve their full potential. It is intended to encourage and reward advisors for excellence and show the value advisors hold for our university.

2025 award recipient

Erik Larson 
Associate Professor, Department of Business 
College of Business and Economics 

This award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates leadership in promoting a diverse, inclusive and welcoming campus environment. The goals of the award are to recognize a continuous commitment to diversity and inclusion on campus through tangible actions; sponsored or coordinated programs on campus that have cultivated diversity and inclusion; or exceptional work in the area of diversity and inclusion that has encouraged dialogue, promoted reflection, built community or inspired action.

2025 award recipient  

Dylan Hedden-Nicely 
Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of law 
College of Law 

This award is given to a faculty member who makes significant contributions to outreach and engagement. Recipients apply their expertise to serve communities, expand access to knowledge and create meaningful public impact.

2025 award recipient

George Tanner 
Senior Instructor, Department of Business 
College of Business and Economics 

This award was established to honor faculty members who exemplify interdisciplinary or collaborative efforts. The individuals must have contributed to substantial and lasting connections to people, units, programs or departments within University of Idaho.

2025 award recipient

Berna Devezer 
Associate Professor, Department of Business 
College of Business and Economics 

This award is given to gifted faculty members, usually during the middle of their career, who have demonstrated a commitment to outstanding scholarship, teaching and engagement. Eligible faculty will have completed three years of full-time service at the university in either tenured, tenure-track or non-tenure-track professorial ranks, including faculty-at-large. Up to nine awards are available annually.

2025 award recipients

Erkan Buzbas 
Associate Professor, Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences 
College of Science

Christopher Caudill 
Professor, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences 
College of Natural Resources

Benjamin Cover 
Associate Professor of Law 
College of Law

Matthew Fox-Amato 
Associate Professor, Department of History 
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences

Paul Rowley 
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences 
College of Science

Andrew Scheef 
Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction 
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences

Nathan Schiele 
Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering 
College of Engineering

Rebecca Scofield 
Associate Professor and Department Chair, Department of History 
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences

Damon Woods 
Associate Professor, Art and Architecture Design Lab 
College of Art and Architecture 

This rank is bestowed on U of I faculty in recognition of sustained excellence, as judged by peers, in scholarly and artistic achievement; breadth and depth of teaching in their discipline; and university service as well as service involving the application of scholarship, creative activities that address the needs of one or more external publics.

2025 award recipients

Adam Jones 
Distinguished Professor, Department of Biological Sciences 
College of Science

Scott Minnich 
Distinguished Professor, Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences 
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences 

This award honors exempt staff who demonstrate exemplary service and upward career progression. As the first award of its kind at the university, it complements — but does not replace — the Outstanding Staff Awards. The prize is open to full-time staff who lead or provide high-level administrative support within departments, colleges or administrative units. Nominees must have at least 10 years of service and cannot hold executive leadership roles, though administrative support staff for the president and provost remain eligible.

2025 award recipient

Jana Joyce 
Department Manager, Department of Math and Statistical Science 
College of Science 

This award is given to a staff member for excellence in diversity. The goals of the award is to recognize demonstration of or promotion of a continuous commitment to diversity and inclusion on campus through tangible actions; sponsored or coordinated programs on campus that have cultivated diversity and inclusion; or exceptional work in the area of diversity and inclusion that has encouraged dialogue, promoted reflection, built community or inspired action.

2025 award recipient

Meggie Cafferty 
Associate Director of Scholarships 
Office of Student Financial Aid Services 

This award recognizes outstanding academic advisors who demonstrate strong dedication to student needs and passion for inspiring students to discover and achieve their full potential. It is intended to encourage and reward advisors for excellence and show the value advisors hold for our university.

2025 award recipient

Kaylena Townsend 
Lead Academic Advisor 
University Advising Services 

The Outstanding Staff Awards have recognized the dedication and impact of University of Idaho staff since 1972. Created as a companion to the university’s longevity awards, these honors celebrate non-faculty employees who go above and beyond in their roles. Staff are nominated by peers or supervisors and selected based on quality of service, exceptional effort, initiative and interpersonal skills. Awards are presented each spring in six categories—Senior Leadership, Non-Faculty Exempt, Technical/Paraprofessional, Service/Maintenance, Skilled Trades and Administrative Assistants.

2025 award recipients

Outstanding Employee Award: Senior Leadership

Yolanda Bisbee 
Executive Director 
Office of Tribal Relations

Outstanding Employee Award: Non-Faculty Exempt

Luke Sheneman 
Director of Research Computing and Data Services 
Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences

Outstanding Employee Award: Administrative Assistant

Mónica Martínez 
Business Specialist III 
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences

Outstanding Employee Award: Service/Maintenance

Connor Knickerbocker 
Recycling and Solid Waste Technician 
Facilities

Outstanding Employee Award: Skilled Trade

Rick Wilkins 
HVAC/R Machine Shop Supervisor 
Facilities

Outstanding Employee Award: Technical/Paraprofessional Employee

Renee Jensen-Hasfurther 
Business Manager I 
College of Science 

The Outstanding Team Award honors University of Idaho staff who demonstrate exceptional teamwork on unique, non-routine projects. Established in 2005 following the success of the Goldschmidt Conference hosted on campus, this award recognizes teams of three to 15 members who go beyond their regular duties to achieve a shared goal. Eligible teams must include mostly board-appointed staff and showcase collaboration, creativity and a commitment to excellence.

2025 award recipient

Financial Aid – FAFSA Project Team

Outstanding Team Leader

• Randi Croyle, Former Director of Financial Aid

Outstanding Team Members

• Daniel Carlos, Interim Director of Financial Aid
• Meggie Cafferty, Associate Director of Scholarships
• Cassie Smith, Associate Director of Financial Aid
• Trevor Humble, Technical Product Manager
• Brady Nelsen, Information Reporting Analyst
• Josh Escusa, Enterprise Developer I
• Don Pierce, Enterprise Developer III
• Paul Rumelhart, Enterprise Developer IV 

The Staff Education Award supports the academic goals of students who are children, stepchildren, grandchildren or legal dependents of current University of Idaho staff or honored staff retirees. About four $500 scholarships are awarded annually ($250 per semester) to full-time U of I students, selected at random regardless of class level or financial need. Students may receive the award twice.

2025 award recipients

• Dominic Dorigo
• Aidan Prakash
• Luke Salsbury
• Samantha Unger