The Lamar University College of Fine Arts and Communication announced the recipients of their Innovation and

 Excellence Awards during a faculty and staff presentation at the college’s convocation on Tues., Aug. 20. The recipients were Millicent Musyoka for her flipped classroom model; Lilian Felipe for the use of oblique strategies international partnerships and workshops; Stephan Malick for e-portfolio presentations; Kurt Dyrhaug for research with metal coatings and patinas; Golden Wright for his choreography of "Fragmented;" and J.T. Robertson for "Sights & Sounds Magazine." Each award recipient received $1,000 for their innovative contribution to the college.

Friends of the Arts, an organization which brings awareness to the college and raises funds for scholarships and educational enhancements, kindly gave the award donation to help highlight faculty and staff and their  outstanding work. The College of Fine Arts and Communication’s Faculty Council developed the criteria for the awards, and the Professor and Merit Awards Committee reviewed the applications and submitted their evaluations to Derina Holtzhausen, dean, for final approval.

“We have considerable innovation and excellence in our college. I am extremely excited that we were able to showcase the work of our faculty and staff,” said Holtzhausen. “I hope to continue these awards in the future.”

The six categories of Innovation and Excellence Awards included: creative activity, research, teaching - tenured teaching and tenured track teaching, instructor and staff member.

Special recognition was also awarded to Francisco Perez for "Monolith;" André Favors for health communication; Kenneth Ward for shifting from reductive to adductive course construction; and Chris Troutman for digital drawing and painting methods.

Get more information about the College of Fine Arts and Communication.