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John Coletta coordinates the biomedical writing minor and environmental studies minor at UW-Stevens Point. He is a former vice president and president of the Semiotic Society of America and currently sits on the editorial board of the American Journal of Semiotics. John is also a peer reviewer for the Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment and Biosemiotics journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Coletta won a University Teaching Award in 1995. He created the biomedical writing minor roughly a decade ago, and through his work with the admissions department at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, his biomedical writing course is now regularly recommended to and taken by those incoming medical students in Madison who lack the now required upper division course in writing in the humanities or social sciences. Many of Coletta\u2019s students have been paid interns in scientific writing at the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has also supervised interns at the Portage County Department of Health and Human Services. Professor Coletta has been a pioneer on campus in interdisciplinary studies courses, teaching for two decades courses such as science literature and literature and ecology. He also created two writing awards, the Erik S. Munson Science and Environmental Writing Award and the Ron Pine Technical Writing Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John has published, by himself or collaboratively, approximately 24 refereed, national and international, articles or substantial book reviews and entries in anthologies. His published work is primarily in the fields of literature and ecology, the history and representation of ecological ideas, the origin of language and syntax growing out of the solving of complex visual puzzles by predators, and biosemiotics criticism, a field he helped to originate. Professor Coletta is also one of the few English professors nationally to have published articles in the American Biology Teacher, one on teaching color, one on teaching evolutionary ecology, and one on the structure of the natural history field guide.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2018 Award Recipient – Theresa Kaminski<\/summary>\n
In 26 years at UW-Stevens Point, Theresa has maintained an impressive and ongoing record of excellence. She has taught an impressive array of courses, received consistently glowing evaluations from students, and published three monographs, in addition to other scholarly achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the general education program, Professor Kaminski regularly taught both halves of the U.S. History survey as well as a survey of U.S. Women\u2019s History. Her upper-level offerings include Women\u2019s Rights and Feminism in the United States and Women, War, and Peace. Most recently, she developed two new courses, Sexuality in American History and The U.S. and the Two World Wars. She has regularly taught both of the core seminars of the history major \u2014 History 300 and a capstone seminar on the history of the 1960s. Theresa has also mentored many junior faculty and played a significant role in curriculum planning and assessment. Students consistently rate her courses highly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to her excellence in the classroom, Professor Kaminski has maintained an admirable level of scholarly productivity. In 2001, the university rewarded her with the University Scholar Award following the publication of her first book, Prisoners in Paradise<\/em>. In the intervening years, she has published two additional monographs, making her the department\u2019s most productive scholar.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn 2011, Theresa published her second book, Citizen of Empire: Ethel Thomas Herold, an American in the Philippines<\/em>. Four years later, she published Angels of the Underground: The American Women who Resisted the Japanese in the Philippines in World War II<\/em>. Having completed what she thinks of as her \u201cPhilippine trilogy,\u201d Theresa has begun planning a new biography of popular entertainer Dale Evans.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBeyond the 2001 University Scholar Award, Professor Kaminski\u2019s achievements have been acknowledged and supported by a number of other honors and fellowships. In 2003, the Organization of American Historians and the Japanese Association for American Studies awarded her a short-term residency to share her work at Japan\u2019s Chiba University. In 2005-06, she received a travel fellowship to conduct research for her Ethel Thomas Herold project at the University of Michigan\u2019s Bentley Historical Library. In 2012, she earned a UW System Fellowship at the Institute for Research in the Humanities, an award that recognized the scholarly importance of the then-in-progress Angels of the Underground<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Department of History and International Studies takes pride in Professor Kaminski\u2019s many accomplishments, is grateful for her example and mentorship, and believes she is very worthy of the 2018 Katz Award.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2017 Award Recipient – Robert B. Enright, Jr.<\/summary>\n
Bob is an outstanding teacher in and out of the classroom, highly committed to student success. His course evaluations are consistently high, and he has a very positive reputation among students. His success is evidenced by being awarded the University Excellence in Teaching Award in 2004. Throughout his time at UW-Stevens Point, Bob has taught a wide variety of courses, demonstrating his versatility as an educator. His particular expertise in the field of gerontology is truly beneficial to our students. Professor Enright is student-centered, striving to stay current in his classes and meet the changing needs of our student population. He developed courses to meet the Communication in the Major requirement and facilitated courses and supervised students during three semester-abroad experiences. He extends his teaching outside the classroom, with his participation in the Learning Is Forever (LIFE) Program, other community forums and at the Oxford Correctional Institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Enright also has a strong track record as a scholar. Of special significance among his publications is the book titled \u201cPerspectives in Social Gerontology.\u201d Additionally, Bob has an impressive list of refereed papers and presentations he has given on various topics over the years. He has demonstrated success in securing funding for projects through grants. He has twice been awarded a sabbatical, and was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging in which he conducted research on family members who provided care for adult victims of chronic brain disorders. Most recently, he presented at the 2016 Conference on the Small City and Regional Community on the topic of urban\/rural differences in crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bob\u2019s service record is also impressive. He provided leadership within the Department of Sociology and Social Work, through his role as chair since 2002. He has coordinated the gerontology minor since 1985 and has coordinated the sociology internship program since 2009. During his time in the department he has served on every committee. Bob has served on multiple university committees, including Faculty Senate, the University Affairs Committee and the Program Review Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Enright was extensively involved in developing a Council on Social Work Education accredited social work program at UW-Stevens Point. The development of this program involved significant changes in the curriculum and has required important personnel decisions. Bob was involved in numerous committee meetings to prepare accreditation documents, design the program, and form policy. Our department now houses two successful and interdependent majors. Our success with this initiative is owed, in part, to Dr. Enright\u2019s leadership and commitment to both disciplines represented in the department.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2016 Award Recipient – Alton “Sonny” Smart<\/summary>\n
A member of the Bad River Band of Chippewa, Sonny is the first Native American faculty member to be tenured at UW-Stevens Point. Throughout his career, Professor Smart has demonstrated excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. He is committed to our students, department, institution and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of Sonny\u2019s most significant accomplishments during his time at UW-Stevens Point has been developing an accredited social work program. He was initially hired to teach Introduction to Social Work and the generalist practice courses in the Department of Sociology, and he later spearheaded the development of a Native American and Rural Social Work minor. Developing an accredited social work major was no small task. It involved extensive curriculum and policy development, as well as collaboration with personnel across campus and in the community. Sonny demonstrated considerable leadership and skill throughout this process and was instrumental in its success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sonny\u2019s colleagues are impressed by his ability to engage with students, get them to critically think about their own views and the world around them, and consider new approaches to resolving complex issues. He is creative in his style, weaving in cultural stories and real-world examples. He takes students beyond the classroom in ways that are significant to them. For years he took students in one class to the Lac Du Flambeau Reservation for a field trip, and more recently he has taken them off-campus to demonstrate the sweat lodge ceremony. Through such activities, Professor Smart affords our students access to a world that is often restricted from the general public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sonny\u2019s contributions to his home department as well as students across campus have been significant. Over the years, he has taught a variety of courses in both sociology and social work. He is always willing to be a guest presenter in colleagues\u2019 classes. Professor Smart is known as a leading expert on campus regarding Native American culture and other diversity issues. He has further benefitted campus by serving on Equity and Affirmation Action Search and Screen, Letters and Science Advisory Committee, as well as all of the department\u2019s standing committees. He has also acted as mentor to African American, Latino, Hmong and Native American students as part of the institution\u2019s Multi-Cultural Affairs initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2015 Award Recipient – Richard Ruppel<\/summary>\n
Recently retired as chair of the Department of World Languages and Literatures, Richard has been a dedicated teacher, both respected and liked, by the many German students he has taught during the past three decades. During his career he has taught nearly every course in the German curriculum, having focused on language, literature and culture. He is viewed as a rigorous professor who seeks to challenge his students to do the very best they can, yet in the end he is known for awarding them fair grades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Richard believes that German is a window to another world. He encourages his students to use the language as a key to unlocking another culture, another way of viewing the world and oneself. Critical thinking and cross-cultural and interdisciplinary thinking is as central to his classroom as language learning. One simply has to learn how to do this all in German. As an adviser, he has travelled that extra length to help his German students \u2014 and as chair all students of World Languages \u2014 to succeed. He has written hundreds of letters of recommendation for his students, sending them off to graduate school, medical school, veterinary school and dentistry school. He has been adviser to the German Club since 1985.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is perhaps most broadly known for his longtime service on the University Personnel Development Committee, on which he served for 14 years and chaired seven times. He was also a Faculty Senator for 12 years and served on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for seven years. He chaired the University Awards Committee for two years. He was a member of the Graduate Council for two years. He has served on the Phi Kappa Phi Executive Board since 2002 and is currently its president for the second time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Richard has also been an adviser to the UWSP Ski and Snowboard Club for the past 12 years and has accompanied them on every January ski trip to various resorts in the Rockies. Through it all he became the respected face of the Department of Foreign Languages, now World Languages and Literatures. Across the campus, everyone in every college, including all the deans, know Richard personally and identify him with World Languages, for whom he has been a persevering advocate. It is hardly a surprise that Richard received the University Service Award in 2011.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2014 Award Recipient – Sol Sepsenwol<\/summary>\n
Emeritus professor of biology Sol Sepsenwol has been a faculty member at UW-Stevens Point since 1978. After receiving both his bachelor\u2019s degree and Ph.D. in Physiology at the University of Chicago, he worked at the Illinois Institute of Technology and Northwestern University Medical School. He was originally hired at UW-Stevens Point as a human physiology professor, but now also teaches upper-level Biology classes that he has developed ranging from electron microscopy to human reproduction. Sol has served as an advisor to the UWSP Pre-Medical Society since 1980, as UWSP coordinator for the Goldwater Excellence in Science Scholarships since 1994, and co-directs the electron microscope lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His research on the sperm cell of an intestinal parasite has earned him four research grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health to support his work. Additionally, his research is cited in dozens of publications and papers. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2013 Award Recipient – John C. Blakeman<\/summary>\n
John came to UW-Stevens Point in 2003 after earning his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Virginia and teaching at Baylor University. His classroom teaching includes courses in constitutional law, civil rights, religion and politics, and European politics. John\u2019s book The Bible in the Park: Federal District Courts, Religious Speech and the Public Forum was nationally recognized as an in-depth study of First Amendment cases concerning religious speech and expression in public places. His newest book, The U.S. Supreme Court and New Federalism: From the Rehnquist to the Roberts Court has been equally well received. John\u2019s frequent scholarly papers and presentations have earned him a considerable following among students of the courts. He has also served as department chair the past six years.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2012 Award Recipient – Sarah A. Kent<\/summary>\n
Department of History<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2011 Award Recipient – Richard Barker<\/summary>\n
Department of Foreign Languages<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2010 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Susan Brewer, Department of History<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Jeana Magyar-Moe, Department of Psychology<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2009 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 \u200bPadmanabhan Sudevan, Department of Psychology<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Eric Singsaas, Department of Biology<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2008 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Marcia Parker, Department of Foreign Languages<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 William Lawlor, Department of English<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2007 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Gary Itzkowitz Department of Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Dennis Riley, Department of Political Science<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2006 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Jan Seiler, Department of Foreign Languages<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Erik Wild, Department of Biology<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2005 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Valentina Peguero, Department of History<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Robert Wolensky, Department of Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2004 Award Recipient – 3<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Jim Canfield, Department of Political Science<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Steve Taft, Department of Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Justus F. Paul, Dean of College of Letters and Science, Department of History<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2003 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Gail Skelton, Department of Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Jianwei Wang, Department of Political Science<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2002 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Hamid Hekmat, Department of Psychology<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Donald L. Showalter, Department of Chemistry<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2001 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 C. Marvin Lang, Department of Chemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Edward J. Miller, Department of Political Science<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2000 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 Jake K. Reed, Department of Chemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 Lawrence Weiser, Department of Business and Economics<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n1999 Award Recipient – 2<\/summary>\n
\u2013 C. Edward Gasque, Department of Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 James Stokes, Department of English<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
University Award Recipients<\/h2>
UW-Stevens Point recognizes outstanding faculty and academic staff members across campus with the annual University Awards and the annual Classified Employee Awards. Recent faculty, academic staff and classified employee award winners from COLS are recognized below. <\/p><\/div>
\n
2025-2026 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service Award
<\/strong>James Berry, English <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>Sarah Orlofske, Biology
Ann Herda-Rapp, Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Scholar Award<\/strong>
David Chunyu, Sociology and Social Work
Katie McGarry, Chemistry and Biochemistry<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2024-2025 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service Award
<\/strong>Brian Barringer, Biology <\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong> Nate Bowling, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Margaret Kubek, Sociology and Social Work
Sean Mooney-Leber, Psychology<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Scholar Award<\/strong>
Joshua Horn, Philosophy and Religious Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\nAcademic Staff Spirit of Community Service
<\/strong>Amanda Gilman<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2023-2024 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service Award
<\/strong>Jennifer Collins, Political Science<\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>Lindsay Dresang, Biology
Heather Molenda-Figueira, Psychology
Ryan O\u2019Leary, Philosophy and Religious Studies
Neil Prendergast, History and International Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Scholar Award<\/strong>
Maggie Bohm-Jordan, Sociology and Social Work
Joe Mondloch, Chemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Service Award
<\/strong>Valerie Barske, History and International Studies
Paul Whitaker, Biology<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2022-2023 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service Award
<\/strong>Sarah Orlofske, Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>David Chunyu, Sociology
Amanda Jonsson, Chemistry
Ellen Meier, Psychology<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Scholar Award <\/strong>
Nate Bowling, Chemistry
Qiang Sun, Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Service Award
<\/strong>Jess Bowers, Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2021-2022 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>Jeana Magyar, Psychology
Erica Ringelspaugh, English<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Scholar Award<\/strong>
Adriana Durbala, Physics and Astronomy
Sarah Orlofske, Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Service Award
<\/strong>Robert Sirabian, English<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2020-2021 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service Award
<\/strong>David Barry, Sociology<\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>Lauren Gantz, English
Kate Kipp, Sociology and Social Work
Erin Speetzen, Chemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Scholar Award<\/strong>
Chris Diehm, Philosophy and Religious Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Service Award
<\/strong>Jennifer Collins, Political Science
Kathyrn McGarry, Chemistry<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2019-2020 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service Award
<\/strong>Nathan Bowling, Chemistry<\/p>\n\n\n\nExcellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>Jess Bowers, Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n\n\n\nJoshua Horn, Philosophy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jerry Jessee, History and International Studies<\/p>\n\n\n\n
University Scholar Award<\/strong>
David Barry, Sociology and Social Work
Krista Slemmons, Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\nUniversity Service Award
<\/strong>Mary Bowman, English<\/p>\n\n\n\nCarolyn Rolfson Sargis Award
<\/strong>Pat Kleman, College of Letters and Science<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n2018-2019 University Awards<\/summary>\n
Excellence in Teaching Award
<\/strong>Maggie Bohm-Jordan, Sociology and Social Work<\/p>\n\n\n\nKrista Slemmons, Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\n
University Scholar Award
<\/strong>Justin Rueb, Psychology<\/p>\n\n\n\nRoss Tangedal, English<\/p>\n\n\n\n
University Service Award