In 2025, the Regents named 17 Faculty of the Year and three Staff of the Year from across the state universities. This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of faculty and staff at state universities to teaching, student success, research and Kansas communities.
2025 Faculty and Staff of the Year Bios
|
2025 Faculty of the Year |
|||
|
Institution |
Tenured |
Tenure-Track |
Non-Tenure Track |
|
FHSU |
Dr. Lexey Bartlett, Professor of English |
Dr. Jennifer Bechard, Assistant Professor of Pedagogy, PK-12 Teaching & Coaching |
Dr. Linda Mayer, Instructor of Education, English as a Second Language |
|
KSU |
Dr. Gabe Kerr, Professor of Math |
Dr. Logan L. Britton, Assistant Professor in Agricultural Economics |
Chad Bailey, Instructor in Electronic and Computer Engineering |
|
KU |
Dr. Vitaly Chernetsky, Professor in Slavic, German, & Eurasian Studies |
No nomination |
Dr. David O. Johnson, Associate Teaching Professor in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science |
|
KUMC |
Dr. Sufi Thomas, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology |
Dr. Dinesh Mudaranthakam, Assistant Professor in Biostatistics and Data Science |
Dr. Laurie Steen, Clinical Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy Education |
|
PSU |
Dr. Karen Johnson, Professor of Nursing |
Dr. Megan Westhoff, Assistant Professor in Communication |
Dr. Kristopher Mijares, Instructor of Chemistry |
|
WSU |
Dr. Lisa Parcell, Associate Professor of Communication |
Dr. Erin O'Bryan, Assistant Professor of Communications Sciences & Disorders |
Marco Hernandez, Assistant Teaching Professor of Print Media |
Kansas Board of Regents Faculty of the Year nominees are selected by the faculty senates at the state universities and awarded by the Regents. Each faculty senate may submit a tenured faculty member and a tenure-track faculty member as a nominee.
Staff of the Year Awards
|
2025 Staff of the Year Award |
|
|
Institution |
Staff Nominee |
|
KSU |
Richard Becker, Director of Infrastructure Security Architecture |
|
PSU |
Jamie Rink, Director of Student Financial Assistance |
|
WSU |
Dr. Christopher Leonard, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services |
Kansas Board of Regents Staff of the Year nominees are selected by the staff senates at the state universities and awarded by the Regents. Each staff senate may submit a nominee to the Board.