Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University recognized 13 educators during a Faculty Recognition Banquet Thursday.

President Dan Bradley presented the President's Medal, the university's highest award for faculty, to Sister Alma Mary "SAMy" Anderson, professor of art and graphic design, and Max Douglas, professor of management in the Donald W. Scott College of Business

Other faculty members received honors for teaching, research and creativity, distinguished service and community-based learning.

An ISU faculty member since 1987, Anderson "has taught and advised with creativity, inspiration and care generations of undergraduate and graduate students in graphic design and computer graphics," Bradley said. "Professor Anderson's commitment to university and public service is prolific and indefatigable. She has earned the respect and admiration of countless students, faculty and staff through her unflagging support, her uncompromising fairness and her unwavering humanity."

Anderson has designed and illustrated five books on subjects ranging from environmental health and safety to historical markers, often engaging students in the projects. Her graphic design work is particularly for not-for-profit organizations. She has served on the Faculty Senate every year she has been eligible for the past 18 years and is on the governing boards of three non-profit organizations.

"The award is a humbling recognition of what I've so enjoyed, particularly service which puts me in contact with the whole of the university," Anderson said. "I am, essentially, speechless at having been nominated and accepted for it. I honestly feel it is an award encompassing those I have worked with and learned from, many of whom deserve this recognition. They will always be in the forefront of my reflections when I look at the President's Medal - and I will look at it a lot!"

Since joining the ISU faculty in 1968, Douglas "has demonstrated success in teaching, advising and mentoring thousands of students," Bradley said. "His rapport and continued contact with alumni is outstanding and his extensive career truly reflects his dedication to the ideals of life-long learning and his belief that students need to contemplate and discuss their core values and ethics before beginning their careers."

Douglas' teaching and research emphasizes ethics in the workplace and servant leadership. Douglas has co-authored an introduction to business textbook. He previously received the Ethics in Education Award from the Scott College and the college's Outstanding Teaching Award. He has served on the Presidential Teaching Scholars Community and was a teaching fellow in the Center for Teaching and Learning.

"At the end of the day I hope that I have taught my students how to live first, and then make a living. Keeping these priorities in order should help students protect their most important asset-namely their personal character," Douglas said.

Anderson and Douglas previously received the university's Caleb Mills Distinguished Teaching Award.

Benjamin Medal                                                                              

Named for the ISU president who championed international partnerships during his service from 2000-2008, the Lloyd W. Benjamin III Medal for Distinguished International Service recognizes individuals whose work has advanced international education and the university through international partnerships.

Bradley and Jack Maynard, ISU provost and vice president for academic affairs, presented the 2010 medal to Brian Kilp, professor of music.

Kilp was appointed to the music department faculty in 1998. In 2000, he traveled to Beijing to perform at the International Horn Society 2000 Symposium and has been to Asia every year since, and in some years multiple times. He has also been active in Thailand, first as an assembled trio of musicians from Singapore and China and, later, Korea, and more recently a brass quintet. His outreach led to a memorandum of understanding between ISU and a consortium of 15 universities in Thailand. In March, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University of Thailand awarded Kilp an honorary Doctorate of Liberal Arts in recognition of his devotion to music education, his contributions to the internationalization of higher education and promotion of relations with Thai universities. This summer, he will perform and teach on a 10-day tour of China with his ensemble The Ambassador Brass, and help the ISU Foundation create a Thai/ISU club.

"What an incredible honor," Kilp said. "It has been an amazing journey from my first visit to this point. We have many more projects pending. As we speak, there are five Thai faculty and seven Thai high school students from partner schools visiting in Vigo and Marion County schools. The Bayh College of Education is planning an instructional tour of Thai universities with five ISU faculty members and Dean (Brad) Balch on board. The next step will be to have Thai students matriculate to ISU - and it will happen."

Other faculty awards presented Thursday were:

Caleb Mills Distinguished Teaching Award

Faculty Distinguished Service Award

Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Research/Creativity Award 

Community-Based Learning and Scholarship Award

Photos: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/photos/848516309_TacxD-L.jpg - SAMy Anderson http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/photos/848509353_S7KfL-L.jpg - Max Douglas http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/photos/141168873_Pi4kA-L.jpg - Brian Kilp

Media contact and writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu