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 ����Vlog Stories      April 29, 2025

By Shane Ryden 

Once again, ����Vlog University was recognized as a top place to work. So great in fact, that ����Vlog was ranked No. 3 of 498 on Forbes’ America’s Best Midsize Employers.

Students and alumni know what makes ����Vlog such a special place – the dedicated faculty and staff that make the campus a community.

To recognize the hardworking faculty and staff that go above and beyond daily, ����Vlog held its annual Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards on Tuesday, April 22 in the University Center Grand Room.

“This past academic year has certainly been busy,” said ����Vlog Provost Richard Starnes, who presided over the ceremony. “From welcoming one of our largest freshman classes to weathering a once-in-a-century hurricane to seeing incredible high-water marks for our work in student success and now working through the many regulatory changes, 2024-2025 has brought us many highs and lows. But through it all, I am so proud of the resilience of our faculty, staff, and students.”

Prior to announcing the university award winners, Starnes recognized this year’s ����Vlog recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award, Channa De Silva, professor in the chemistry and physics department.

The photo gallery of individual award winners can be found on .

Below is a list of the 2025 university award winners:

 

 

 

 

Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award – Katharine Mershon

Katharine Mershon, assistant professor of philosophy and religion in the College of Arts and Sciences, is an innovative educator whose coursework reflects a central focus on student well-being, both in and out of the classroom.

In building a compassionate work environment where student are made to warm-up with fun activities like the “Call for Pets” and engage with their personal feelings on difficult topics, Mershon has epitomized what ����Vlog’s professors hope to offer their students.

“Through transparency, community-building and mentorship, Dr. Merson inspires critical thinking and personal growth, helping students develop the skills and confidence to navigate both academia and life," Starnes said.

 

Star Staff Award – Regina Aton

Regina Aton, executive assistant to the dean of the College of Education and Allied Professors, uplifts everyone she works with.

Starnes shared messages from those who nominated Aton that describe how “her efforts to celebrate colleagues, encourage team building and maintain a sense of community have been invaluable.”

Another wrote that “she uplifts and energizes those around her, whether faculty, staff, or students, to create a workplace atmosphere that fosters collaboration and goodwill.”

 

 

Bright Idea Staff Award – Michael Rymell

Michael Rymell, senior associate director for operations in the Department of Campus Activities, played a crucial role in ����Vlog’s response to Hurricane Helene, leading the charge to establish vital lines of communication for students, staff and executive council during the storm. Future emergency responses will be modeled after Rymell’s inspired action.

“Mr. Rymell certainly exemplified the creative and innovative resilience that reflected the best of ����Vlog during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” said Starnes.

 

 

 

 

Judy H. Dowell Outstanding Support Staff Award – Holli Stillman

As the assistant to the Provost, Holli Stillman employs a tireless and compassionate work ethic. Stillman’s strong leadership in ����Vlog’s Summer Institute for Administrative Professionals grew the event tremendously, and her efforts to develop programming like the unbook club, ASP Wellness Wednesdays and elevate sessions have demonstrated her care and commitment to supporting fellow staff.

Starnes said of Stillman that “she reflects the spirit of serving her fellow support staff members much like Dr. Dowell envisioned.”

 

 

Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award for Administrative Staff – Alison Joseph

Alison Joseph, business system analyst in IT Applications and Services, is an exceptional communicator whose skills in data translation have aided faculty and staff across campus. From helping with program accreditation to securing grant funding, Joseph employs her expertise with a keen sense of her colleagues’ needs and her audience’s perspective.

“She more than embodies the true calling of administrative service to ����Vlog University,” Starnes said.

 

 

Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award for Faculty – Brian Byrd

Brian Byrd, professor of environmental health sciences, is a nationally recognized scholar whose research on mosquito-borne diseases has positively influenced students on campus and public health authorities across the region.

“Dr. Byrd's research not only elevates the reputation of ����Vlog University but also directly benefits the community, exemplifying the powerful role of higher education in public service,” Starnes said.

By performing hands-on research and collaborating on community-based solutions in his curriculum, Byrd has furthered the public’s understanding of vector-borne illness and has given his undergraduates an incredibly unique opportunity to enter the world of public health research.

 

University Scholar Award – Brent Kinser

As a professor of English studies, Brent Kinser’s avid love and respect for the humanities, particularly nineteenth-century British literature, cannot be overstated. In addition to his work at ����Vlog, Kinser is also a coordinator editor of The Carlyle Letters Online.

With dozens of scholarly contributions to his field and accolades from the Florida Historical Society and the Modern Language Association, Kinser continues to excite and engage in the classroom, inviting his students to explore and engage a vivid past in dynamic research.

“Dr. Kinser makes the case each and every day for the power of the humanities in a well-educated society,” Starnes said.

 

 

Excellence in Teaching Liberal Studies Award – Emily Naser-Hall

Emily Naser-Hall is an assistant professor of film and media studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. As an instructor, Nasser-Hall prompts students to engage with different aspects of media through active learning, lecture and discussion, empowering those in her classroom to make new connections and better understand their present.

Starnes said Nasser-Hall “elevates the experience for students who may think they are taking a Liberal Studies course to check a box for graduation, transforming it into a highlight they often don’t forget.”

 

Innovative Scholarship Award – Channa De Silva

Channa De Silva is a professor of chemistry whose research in nanotechnology, biotechnology and computational chemistry invites ����Vlog students to learn and work on a scientific frontier.

De Silva’s scholarship has invited to students into the development and creation of new metal-based nanoparticles with improved luminescent properties to someday be used in biotechnological and clinical settings.  

“Dr. De Silva’s scholarship of integration and engagement greatly impacts our students, the scientific and our society,” Starnes said.

De Silva and his students disseminate their findings nationally and internationally through peer-reviewed journal publications, presentations and public engagement activities.

 

Excellence in Community Engagement Award – Christopher Cox

Chrisopher Cox, assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Technology, is dedicated to serving the community through hands-on service-learning projects for his Construction Management students.

This year, Cox’s students got their hands dirty building storage sheds for Project FIRE, which gives firewood to low-income individuals and the elderly, constructing a loading ramp and storage shed at Haywood Pathways and developing 3-D models of Homebase to help secure a $500,00 grant for additional student housing. Students also renovated the space to include an ADA accessible bathroom, shower and kitchenette.

Eight more students accompanied Cox to Bernardsville, NC over spring break to aid in recovery efforts at Hoof and Horn farm.

“When our community is in need, Dr. Cox is often one of the first to step forward," Starnes said.

 

Student Nominated Faculty of the Year Award – Chad Hallyburton

Chad Hallyburton is a teaching assistant professor for the Environmental Health Sciences program. Hallyburton will receive a $500 award for the significance of his nomination by the student body. 

“Student nominations celebrated Mr. Hallyburton’s approachability, desire to help and passion,” Starnes said. “Mr. Hallyburton does an excellent job of engaging and supporting students.”

 

 

 

Program of Excellence Award: Academic Program – College of Health and Human Sciences

The College of Health and Human Sciences earned $15,000 and the title of 2025 Program of Excellence for their faculty and students’ incredible work during Hurricane Helene. Educators and undergraduates transformed the college into a shelter for medically fragile adults displaced by the hurricane. Their unwavering commitment to the community epitomized the values ����Vlog hopes to instill in its students.

“By stepping up to meet this unprecedented challenge, the College of Health and Human Sciences exemplified its mission of preparing future healthcare and human services professionals while making a tangible, positive impact in the community," Starnes said.

 

Program of Excellence Award: Administrative Program, Irene Welch Award – Financial Aid

The Office of Financial Aid provides tremendous support to students throughout their time at ����Vlog. Their indefatigable commitment to students’ and parents’ financial wellbeing reflects ����Vlog’s constant commitment to affordable education and community support.

“These professionals are on the front lines of support for our students every day and their efforts are often the final determinant of a student’s ability to start or finish their degree,” Starnes said.