College of Liberal Arts and Sciences names award winners in teaching, scholarship and service

NEW PALTZ – This past year, The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at New Paltz recognized three members of the faculty for their outstanding contributions in scholarship, service and teaching. Each recipient was selected by an ad hoc committee of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Senate and announced by the dean.

Excellence in Scholarship Award

The College named Jason Wrench, associate professor, Department of Communication & Media, as the inaugural winner of this award which recognizes outstanding achievement in research, scholarship, or creative activity by a member of the College’s faculty. Wrench specializes in workplace learning and performance, or the intersection of instructional communication and organizational communication. He is the author of five books and over 20 research articles. Wrench will have his name engraved on a plaque in the lobby of Jacobson Faculty Tower and will receive $500 in professional development funds.

Excellence in Service Award

The College named Gregory Bray, lecturer, Department of Communication and Media, as the inaugural winner of this award which recognizes outstanding achievement in service activities by a member of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty. Bray will have his name engraved on a plaque in the lobby of Jacobson Faculty Tower and will receive $500 in professional development funds. Bray is chair of a committee that created a Film and Video Studies minor, which he now co-directs; he has also worked with others to create a certificate program in Digital Communication and Marketing. In addition, through his work with the Woodstock Film Festival, he has worked with his students to produce more than 50 online videos.

Teacher of the Year Award

The 2010-11 recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award is Cyrus Mulready, assistant professor of English. According to his nomination letter, Mulready is noted for his “high standards, commitment to student learning and innovative pedagogy.” His student evaluations, both quantitative and qualitative, praise Mulready’s outstanding teaching, particularly in changing their preconceptions about Shakespeare. For this honor, he will have his name engraved on a plaque in the lobby of Jacobson Faculty Tower and will receive $1,000 in professional development funds. The Teacher of the Year Award has been given annually since 1995.

During the 2011-12 academic year, all three recipients will give a talk to the campus community about their work at the College.