Past Finalists
2024
2024 Cherry Award Finalist Texas A&M University, Philosophy
2024 Cherry Award Finalist Texas A&M University, Philosophy
Claire Katz is the Claude H. Everette Jr. ’47 Endowed Chair in Education and Professor of Philosophy and Education and serves as department head of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture at Texas A&M. Before joining A&M in 2006, she was associate professor of philosophy and Jewish studies at Penn State University. She teaches and conducts research in two primary areas: (1) the intersection of philosophy, gender, education and religion and (2) K-12 philosophy.
2024 Cherry Award Finalist University of Richmond, Neuroscience
2024 Cherry Award Finalist University of Richmond, Neuroscience
Kelly Lambert, MacEldin Trawick Chair and Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Richmond, is interested in experience-based neuroplasticity and enjoys teaching behavioral and clinical neuroscience courses. She and her undergraduate students use preclinical animal models to learn about the neurobiology of stress, resilience, depression, parenting, and natural enrichment.
2022
2022 Award Finalist University of Southern California, Political Science
2022 Award Finalist University of Southern California, Political Science
Jeb Barnes earned his B.A. in history, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Brown University in 1986, a J.D. from University of Chicago Law School in 1989, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from University of California, Berkeley, in 1995 and 2001, respectively. He serves as professor of political science and international relations at University of Southern California, a position he has held since 2017.
2022 Award Finalist Purdue University, History
2022 Award Finalist Purdue University, History
Randy W. Roberts earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Mansfield University in 1972, his M.A. from University of Nebraska (Omaha) in 1973 and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1978. He has been at Purdue University since 1988 and currently serves as both 150th Anniversary Professor and Distinguished Professor of History. In 2015-2016 he held the Charles Boal Ewing Chair in Military History at USMA, West Point. He is the winner of several national book awards and is a four-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in biography for his books on Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson, John Wayne and Joe Louis.
2020
2020 Award Finalist University of Florida, Education
2020 Award Finalist University of Florida, Education
Nancy Fichtman Dana earned her B.S. in elementary education, summa cum laude, in 1986 and M.S. in gifted and talented education in 1988 from State University of New York at Oswego. She earned her Ph.D. in elementary education from Florida State University in 1991. Dana taught in the department of curriculum and instruction at The Pennsylvania State University from 1992-2003. In 2003, she moved to University of Florida’s School of Teaching and Learning, where she serves as professor of education.
2020 Award Finalist Texas A&M University, Sociology
2020 Award Finalist Texas A&M University, Sociology
Reuben A. Buford May earned his B.A. in criminal justice from Aurora University in 1987, his M.A. in sociology from DePaul University in 1991 and his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago in 1996. He serves as professor of sociology at Texas A&M University, where, in 2017, he was named Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence, considered the most prestigious faculty honor for teaching bestowed by the university.
2018
2018 Award Finalist Georgetown University, Biology
2018 Award Finalist Georgetown University, Biology
Dr. Heidi E. Elmendorf, 2018 Finalist, earned her A.B. degree in biology, magna cum laude, Sigma Xi, Phi Beta Kappa, from Princeton University in 1988 and her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology in 1993 from Stanford University, where she was a National Science Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellow. In 1999, she began teaching at Georgetown University, where she serves as associate professor of biology, as well as director of the Regents Science Scholars Program. She taught high school from 1993-1996 and then in a post-doctoral fellowship at the NIH from 1996-1999.
2018 Award Finalist The University of Toledo, Leadership
2018 Award Finalist The University of Toledo, Leadership
Dr. Clinton O. Longenecker, 2018 Finalist, earned his B.B.A. in marketing (1977) and his M.B.A. in marketing (1978) from The University of Toledo. He earned his Ph.D. in management from Pennsylvania State University in 1984. He serves as Distinguished University Professor of Leadership and director of the Center for Leadership and Organizational Excellence in The College of Business and Innovation at The University of Toledo.
2016
2016 Award Finalist Curtin University, Soil and Water Science
2016 Award Finalist Curtin University, Soil and Water Science
Dr. Teresa Balser, 2016 Finalist, earned A.B. degrees in earth sciences and biology from Dartmouth College in 1992, and a Ph.D. in soil microbiology from the University of California-Berkeley in 2000. She engaged in postdoctoral research on ecosystem ecology at Stanford University in 2000-2001, and has served as a visiting scholar for the Institute fur Umweltwissenschaften in Zurich, Switzerland and at the University of Kyoto’s (Kyoto, Japan) Center for Ecological Research. From 2001-2011, Balser served as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2011, she was named dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida. She is currently serving as Dean of Learning and Teaching within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University in Australia.
2016 Award Finalist University of Virginia, English
2016 Award Finalist University of Virginia, English
Dr. Lisa Russ Spaar, 2016 Finalist, earned her B.A. with high distinction and summa cum laude honors in English language and literature from the University of Virginia in 1978. She earned her M.F.A. in creative writing (poetry) from the University of Virginia in 1982. In addition to teaching for more than 20 years in the University of Virginia’s department of English, she has held positions at James Madison University and University of North Texas.
2014
2014 Award Finalist New York University, Art History and Classics
2014 Award Finalist New York University, Art History and Classics
Dr. Joan Breton Connelly earned her B.A. in classics from Princeton University in 1976, a master's degree in classical and Near Eastern archaeology in 1979 and her Ph.D. in 1984, both from Bryn Mawr. She served as assistant dean of the Undergraduate College and lecturer in classical and Near Eastern archaeology at Bryn Mawr from 1982-84, before joining the faculty of art history and classics departments of New York University in 1986, where she currently serves as professor of classics and professor of art history. Since 1990, she has served as director of the NYU Yeronisos Island Excavations and Field School, Cyprus. In 2002, she received a citation from the Ministry of Communication and Works for her contribution to the exploration and preservation of Cypriot cultural heritage.
2014 Award Finalist University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Economics
2014 Award Finalist University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Economics
Dr. Michael K. Salemi, 2014 Finalist, earned his B.A. in economics egregia cum laude from St. Mary's College, a master's degree in economics from Purdue University in 1969, and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1976. He joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1976 and currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Economics.
2012
2012 Award Finalist College of William & Mary, Geology
2012 Award Finalist College of William & Mary, Geology
Dr. Heather Macdonald, 2012 Finalist, has served as Chancellor Professor at The College of William and Mary since 2006. She joined the William & Mary faculty in 1983 and has served in various roles, including geology department chair from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2005 to 2008, and dean of undergraduate studies of arts and sciences from 1994 to 1996. She currently co-directs the school’s marine science minor program.
2012 Award Finalist Rice University, History
2012 Award Finalist Rice University, History
Dr. Allen J. Matusow, 2012 Finalist, the W.G. Twyman Professor of History and associate director for academic programs at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. He joined the Rice faculty in 1963 and has served in several roles, including dean of humanities at Rice from 1981-95.
2010
2010 Award Finalist Stony Brook University, English
2010 Award Finalist Stony Brook University, English
During his distinguished 40-year career as an English professor, author, columnist, essayist and playwright, Dr. Roger Rosenblatt’s list of awards and honors includes a Fulbright Scholarship to Ireland, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Prize, two George Foster Peabody Awards for “distinguished achievements and meritorious public service, “ five honorary doctorates, two George Polk Awards for journalism, and an Emmy Award.
2010 Award Finalist University of Arkansas, History
2010 Award Finalist University of Arkansas, History
A specialist in the social and environmental history of the American West, Dr. Elliott West is the author of seven books and more than 100 book chapters, articles, and book reviews in national history journals and publications.
2008
2008 Award Finalist Pennsylvania State University, Mathematics
2008 Award Finalist Pennsylvania State University, Mathematics
A member of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, Andrews received his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University and his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty of Penn. State in 1964.
2008 Award Finalist Indiana University, Art (printmaking)
2008 Award Finalist Indiana University, Art (printmaking)
Legendary printmaker Pozzatti was born in Telluride, Colorado, and began studying art at the University of Colorado. However, World War II interrupted his education. During the war, he served under Gen. George Patton and was part of the Battle of the Bulge. After his military service, he returned to Colorado, where he earned his bachelor and master’s degrees.
2006
2006 Award Finalist Case Western Reserve University, Physics
2006 Award Finalist Case Western Reserve University, Physics
Robert W. Brown received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and his doctorate in physics from MIT. He joined the Case Western Reserve faculty in 1970 and has served as a visiting research scientist at SUNY at Stony Brook, the Fermi National Laboratory and Washington University.
2006 Award Finalist SUNY Genesseo, History
2006 Award Finalist SUNY Genesseo, History
A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Cook earned his bachelor's degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and his master's degree and doctorate from Cornell University. Concentrating on medieval history, he studied with well-known medievalist Brian Tierey and spent a year conducting his dissertation research in Oxford, Vienna and several cities in the former Czechoslovakia. In 1970, he was appointed assistant professor of history at SUNY Geneseo, and in 1984 was named Distinguished Teaching Professor.
2004
2004 Award Finalist Yale University, Religious Studies
2004 Award Finalist Yale University, Religious Studies
Dr. Harry Stout, Jonathan Edward Professor American Religious History at Yale University, is the author of several books, including “The New England Soul,” a Pulitzer Prize finalist for history and “The Divine Dramatist: George Whitefield and the Rise of Modern Evangelicalism,” which received a Pulitzer Prize nomination for biography as well as the Critic’s Award for History in 1991. He co-authored with Nathan Hatch “A Religious History of America” and co-edited with Jon Butler “Readings in American Religious History” and also served as co-editor of “Dictionary of Christianity in America,” which received the Book of the Year Award from “Christianity Today” in 1990.
2004 Award Finalist Yale University Divinity School, Religion
2004 Award Finalist Yale University Divinity School, Religion
Nicholas Wolterstorff has been a prominent contributor to the analytical philosophy of religion. His work ranges across metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, the history of philosophy, theology and aesthetics and the philosophy of religion. He received his bachelor’s degree from Calvin College and his master’s degree and doctorate from Harvard University. Before joining the faculty of Yale in 1989, he taught at the Free University of Amsterdam, the University Notre Dame and Calvin College.