UNC J-school faculty and staff honored with annual awards

Three UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media faculty members and two staff members were recognized with awards during the school’s 2014 spring commencement ceremony May 11 at Carmichael Arena.

Edward Vick Prize for Innovation in Teaching

Associate professor Lois Boynton, who leads the public relations specialization, received the 2014 Edward Vick Prize for Innovation in Teaching. The award recognizes a faculty member whose creativity and innovation in teaching over the past academic year most meaningfully enhanced his or her students’ learning experiences.

In fall 2013, Boynton developed and taught the revamped JOMC 101: “The Media Revolution: From Gutenberg to Zuckerberg” with Dean Susan King to nearly 300 students. In spring 2014, she was chosen by the UNC Class of 2014 to deliver the Last Lecture.

The award comes with a $10,000 prize. It is named for Edward Vick, a 1966 graduate of the school and one of the most creative and innovative executives in the advertising world in the last two decades of the 20th century. He retired as CEO of Young & Rubicam, a worldwide leader in marketing communications, in 2001.

David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award

Associate professor Barbara Friedman and assistant professor Dana McMahan were honored with the David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award.

Friedman, who teaches courses in media history, was cited for going beyond the call of duty on behalf of graduate students, helping them with funding to attend academic conferences. She also was cited for establishing graduate student writing groups and for advising The Siren, a student-produced publication at UNC-Chapel Hill that promotes a feminist perspective on issues surrounding gender, identity, sexuality and human rights.

McMahan, who teaches advertising courses, was cited for her enthusiasm for teaching and her groundbreaking experiential undergraduate courses that lie at the intersection of entrepreneurship, marketing and design.

The David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award recognizes a faculty member for excellence in teaching at any level — undergraduate and/or graduate — and for commitment to helping students inside and outside the classroom. 

Staff awards

Special projects editor Morgan Ellis was honored with the school’s Staff Excellence Award, drawing multiple nominations from faculty and staff. He was cited him for routinely and cheerfully stepping beyond his job responsibilities and expectations to help colleagues. “Morgan seems to be the go-to guy for just about anything,” one nominator wrote. “Folks trust him with their most important projects.” Another described him as “the school’s jack-of-all-trades” who “is extremely knowledgeable, resourceful, pleasant and dependable.”

Rachel Pittman, executive assistant to the dean, won the Star Heel Award. Faculty and staff nominators described her positive attitude, sense of humor and willingness to take responsibility for solving problems. “If she’s in charge, you know the job will be done well, in a timely fashion, and with a terrific attitude,” wrote one nominator. Another called her “an absolute treasure for the J-school” who “sets a terrific tone for others.”

Pictured: Barbara Friedman, Susan King, Dana McMahan and Heidi Hennink-Kaminski.