UNC Hussman faculty and staff honored with awards for excellence in teaching and service 

The UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media continued its tradition of recognizing excellence in teaching, service and innovation by faculty and staff with awards announced at the close of the 2024-25 academic year. 

Every year, the school selects winners for its Staff Excellence Award, Val Lauder Award in Teaching, Richard Cole Service Award, David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award and the Edward Vick Prize for Innovation in Teaching. 

“Each of this year’s honorees embodies the spirit of collaboration, innovation and care that makes our school such a special place,” said Raul Reis, dean of UNC Hussman. “Their contributions — whether teaching, mentoring, serving students or working with colleagues — make a lasting difference in our community.” 

Staff Excellence Award

Assistant Director of Graduate Studies Casey Hart and Assistant Director of Career Services Heather Stevenson earned 2025 Staff Excellence Awards. The award recognizes teamwork, creativity, commitment, flexibility and a positive attitude.  

Hart oversees various administrative functions of the school’s graduate programs, leads program marketing and coordinates the delivery of online course content. He also manages special projects and contributes to program strategy and student support. 
 
A nominator described Hart as the backbone of the school’s Master’s in Digital Communication program — writing that he “always goes above and beyond, at all hours, to make certain everyone in the program gets whatever they need whenever they need it. Truly a joy to work with.” Another nominator added, “In one word, Casey is conscientious. Always. He graduated from the program and is a walking statement of the school brand.” 

Stevenson has served as assistant director of career services since 2022 and is dedicated to helping students find success by providing support for their resumés and cover letters and facilitating connections and mentorship opportunities with UNC Hussman alumni and friends. 
 
Stevenson was nominated for her invaluable “teamwork, leadership and unwavering support for students.” One nominator wrote that she deserved recognition for her positive attitude, work ethic and commitment to fostering a collaborative work environment. 

Val Lauder Award in Teaching 

Stephen McConnell was honored with the Val Lauder Award in Teaching, which recognizes a non-full-time faculty member for excellence in teaching. He has been an instructor at the school since 2023, teaching digital storytelling and media ethics. He is also a faculty member at New York University. 

The award is named for a trailblazing journalist and dedicated former UNC Hussman instructor who taught in the school for many years. 

A former investigative reporter, McConnell focuses on empowering students’ self-belief in conversation with learning media skills, knowledge and techniques. He is driven to help students achieve breakthroughs in their skills and abilities.

One nominator wrote that he promotes a craft mindset in which mistakes are valued as learning opportunities — helping students understand that what may seem impossible can become achievable through reflection, patience, focus and consistent improvement.

Richard Cole Service Award

Assistant Professor Lee McGuigan and Professor Rhonda Gibson were each recognized with a Richard Cole Service Award that goes to one junior and one senior faculty member who work to create a collaborative culture within the school. The award honors Dean Emeritus Richard Cole, who led the school from 1979-2005.  

McGuigan, who studies the history and political economy of advertising, media and information technology, joined UNC Hussman in 2021. A nominator wrote that he “embodies the positive and friendly spirit of our school with a laid-back demeanor and sharp wit that makes him a critical part of our program.” 

Gibson, who has served the school in various academic and administrative roles, was praised by a colleague for her “sincere commitment to service for over three decades that has enhanced the visibility and prestige of our school and our university.” 

David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award 

Professor Patrick Davison was recognized with the David Brinkley Teaching Excellence Award that honors excellence in teaching and a commitment to helping students inside and outside the classroom. 

The award is named for the legendary broadcast journalist who was inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame in 1989. 

Davison, a two-time Fulbright award winner, has led more than 25 student teams across the world to develop international multimedia projects. 

One nominator wrote, “As director of documentary projects, he has led award-winning international projects. These projects require that students experience a new environment, culture and language while creating strong, culturally relevant journalism.”  

One of his students shared that “he challenged me to push beyond my boundaries and never settle for less than my best. He spent countless hours with me in his office, outside of class time, working on photo story edits, cover letters and internship applications.” 

Edward Vick Prize for Innovation in Teaching 

Associate Professor Trevy McDonald, Associate Professor Amanda Reid and Professor Tori Ekstrand were each honored with the Edward Vick Prize for Innovation in Teaching that recognizes creativity and innovation in teaching that meaningfully enhances student learning experiences. 

The award is named for Edward Vick, a 1966 graduate of the school and an innovative advertising executive who was inducted into the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame in 1996. 

McDonald has taught media and communication courses at the school since 2010 and was praised by a nominator for her “approach to teaching critical topics with practical techniques,” calling it “an outstanding pedagogical model recognized by students and colleagues alike.” 

Reid joined UNC Hussman in 2018. She teaches media law courses at the school; serves as an adjunct professor at the UNC School of Law; and is a faculty co-director for the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy. A student nominator for Reid wrote, “She uses dynamic lectures, hilarious and hard-to-forget metaphors, and class-wide activities to break down complicated topics into digestible segments.”

A media law and free expression scholar, Ekstrand has taught at the school since 2012 and was praised for developing a timely new course that explored the regulatory and ethical implications of artificial intelligence — and for designing it in ways that invited participation among a wide range of students, scholars and professionals. 

Congratulations to all the award recipients for their exceptional contributions to the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.