California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) honored five faculty members during the 2019 Faculty Awards Reception on April 18 for their excellence in teaching and research, their contributions to university governance and development, and for the role non-tenure track faculty play in student achievement.
During the reception, which took place in the Loker Student Union, 40 of their colleagues were also celebrated for five to 35 Years of Service to the university. The recipients and their Years of Service are listed below.
2019 Faculty Award Recipients:
Orie Berezan, assistant professor of management and marketing, was honored with the Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award. The award acknowledges that research, scholarship, and creative activity are essential components of the university’s mission and recognizes that these professional activities provide intellectual stimulation and motivation for student learning.
As an educator, Berezan was celebrated for blending aspects of his research with his curriculum to enable student engagement and with his student mentorship for research-based independent studies. As an author and researcher, Berezan has published his work in top marketing, tourism, and hospitality journals in the U.S., including the Journal of Business Research and Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. His recently published book, Marketing and Humanity: Discourses in the Real World, has been recognized as a good representation of what Berezan wants to achieve with his research—to make a difference. His expertise is also put to good use when he represents CSUDH during international conferences.
Elvira Teller, lecturer of information systems and operations management, is this year’s recipient of the Catherine H. Jacobs Outstanding Faculty Lecturer Award. The distinction recognizes an individual who has demonstrated excellence in teaching effectiveness and acknowledges the role non-tenure track lecturers play in the success of CSUDH students and the campus community as a whole.
For Teller, teaching at CSUDH is a “privilege.” As a lecturer and lifelong learner who teaches both in the classroom and online courses, she values the feedback of others and is diligent about keeping current on the subject matter she teaches, with pedagogical knowledge and techniques, and learning new and effective teaching methods to engage students. Teller also encourages feedback about her teaching and sees student evaluations as an effective way in keeping abreast of their expectations and to improve and enhance their learning.
Katy Pinto, assistant professor of sociology, has received the Presidential Outstanding Professor Award. Created to recognize excellence in teaching, the award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in all areas of faculty performance, who is a respected educator and expert his or her field, and is an outstanding member of the university and the community.
While teaching, Pinto challenges her students to think critically about society and their experiences within it. When not in the classroom, she is often found mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in skills that prepare them to achieve at CSUDH and in graduate school. Much of this is done in her Social Problems Research Lab, where her students are provided space to conduct research that positions them well for future endeavors. Pinto routinely includes students in her research activities, and many have gone on to present their work at the Pacific Sociological Association’s annual meetings.
Mark Carrier, professor of psychology, has been honored with the Excellence in Service Award, which recognizes faculty contributions to university governance and development. The award also acknowledges that service and partnership, both on and off campus, is an essential component of CSUDH’s mission.
Carrier has a long history of engaging with his student and colleagues in cutting-edge psychological research and is recognized as a passionate and sought after student mentor. He served as chair of the Psychology Department for several years and has participated in numerous student- and service-related activities. Carrier was chair of the University Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, served as the university’s Director of Assessment, and he co-chaired the WASC Senior College and University Commission Steering Committee that succeeded in reaffirming the CSUDH’s accreditation. Carrier has also represented CSUDH internationally in the media for research in applied cognitive psychology that he and his colleagues conduct with students in the George Marsh Applied Cognition Laboratory.
Corina Benavides-Lopez, assistant professor of Chicana and Chicano studies, has been presented the Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teacher Award, which recognizes faculty who manifest in their teaching an understanding of broad areas of knowledge, and whose teaching is not only exemplary and demonstrates an active interest in student progress, but also seeks new and creative ways to engage them.
As a member of CSUDH’s faculty, Benavides López is well respected for her efforts in supporting the academic success of first-generation college students and their pursuit of graduate school. She serves on the Undocumented Student Ally Coalition, and has been recognized for her support of LGBTQIA2+ students and the Día de los Muertos program.
Benavides López presents her research nationally at meetings hosted by the National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies, the Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social, and the American Educational Research Association. She is also a well-published writer, with her work appearing in such publications as Contemporary Justice Review, The Social Justice Review, and the Association of Mexican Americans Educators Journal.
2019 Faculty Service Awards
College of Arts and Humanities
5 Years of Service
- Corina Benavides López
- Ryan Bowles Eagle
- Brian Gregor
- Jane Lee
15 Years of Service
- Kate Fawver
- Ivonne Heinze Balcazar
- Patricia Kalayjian
- Helen Oesterheld
- Sheela Pawar
20 Years of Service
- Lorna Fitzsimmons
- Benito Gomez
- Donis Leonard
College of Business Administration and Public Policy
5 Years of Service
- Hugo Asencio
- Orie Berezan
- Rui Sun
10 Years of Service
- Li-Lin Liu
20 Years of Service
- Mohammad Eyadat
College of Education
10 Years of Service
- Carol Sullivan
15 Years of Service
- Gwen Brockman
- Lilia Sarmiento
College of Health, Human Services, and Nursing
5 Years of Service
- Scott Cheatham
- Catherine Earl
- Michael Laurent
- Mary Medina
- Phu T. Phan
10 Years of Service
- Kathleen Chai
20 Years of Service
- Michael Ernst
College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
5 Years of Service
- Heather Butler
- Jeb Middlebrook
- Salvatore Russo
- Bin Tang
10 Years of Service
- Kenneth R. Rodriguez
- Annie Wilson Whetmore
15 Years of Service
- Mohsen Beheshti
- Kara Dellacioppa
20 Years of Service
- Louis Mark Carrier
- Ralph Saunders
25 Years of Service
- Janine Gasco
35 Years of Service
- George Jennings
Office of Student Affairs
5 Years of Service
- Kathleen Johnson
