2001 Award Winners

Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Most Reverend (Ph.D. '69 Classics)

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, the eighth ordinary (presiding bishop) of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, is a nationally prominent churchman, educator and author of popular books about Catholic themes. Before receiving his Ph.D. in Classics from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1969, Archbishop Pilarczyk earned a Ph.B. at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, followed by a bachelors and doctors degree in Sacred Theology from the same institution ('58, '61). He then earned a masters in Classics from Xavier University.

In his Archdiocesan capacity, Archbishop Pilarczyk was ordained as Priest of the Roman Catholic Church in 1959 and Bishop in 1974. He was the Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati from 1974 to 1982, when he was installed as Archbishop of the Archdiocese.

He has always held a strong interest in education. From 1963 to 1974 he served on the faculty of (former) St. Gregory Seminary and as its Rector. While Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati from 1974 to 1982, he was Director of Educational Services for the archdiocese. The archbishop's service to the American church includes terms as Vice President (1986 – 1989) and President (1989 – 1992) of the National Conference of Bishops. He is currently chairman of the NCCB's Committee on Doctrine.

Every private college and university in Cincinnati, including Hebrew Union College/Jewish Institute of Religion, has awarded him an honorary doctorate. To these must be added honorary degrees from Marquette University, Calumet College, Thomas Moore College and University of Dayton.

Archbishop Pilarczyk has also found time to author ten popular books, many pamphlets, and articles. His best selling book is Twelve Tough Issues: What the Church Teaches – and Why. His most recent is Believing Catholic which was published in 2000.

Dr. Patricia Hanna, BA '67, Ph.D. '72 Philosophy

Patricia Hanna received her bachelor's degree in 1967 and her doctorate in 1972 from the College of Arts and Sciences in Philosophy. Dr. Hanna joined the faculty of the University of Utah in 1972 as Assistant Professor of Philosophy, and rose to become Dean of the College of Humanities in 1991.

As Dean, Hanna added 20 faculty positions, raised the salaries of faculty and staff despite tight budgets, provided all faculty members with office computers, and initiated an academic journal support program which resulted in two new international editorships.

Dr. Hanna increased development of the College of Humanities by securing $150,000 in private funds to support Korean Language and Cultural Studies, as well as tripling the annual amount of the Dean's discretionary fund used for faculty research and travel. She has increased faculty diversity and the number of bachelor programs, as well as increasing the number of Ethnic and Women's Studies faculty.

In 1990, Dr. Hanna served as Co-Director of the Tanner Humanities Center. The center promotes humanistic inquiry and exchange by supporting innovative scholarly projects and by creating opportunities for interaction among scholars, students and lifelong learners. Hanna continued to develop the center, helping it to become one of the leading research/outreach arms of the University and increasing its endowment from $10,000 to $1.8 million. Community and Alumni relations are also a priority to Hanna. She initiated an annual Distinguished Alumni Award, as well as, expanded summer workshops for history and english high school teachers.

Dr. Hanna is currently finishing her term as dean and will rejoin the faculty, where she will hold two separate appointments, one as Professor of Philosophy and one as Professor of Linguistics.

Distinguished Scholarship of Research

Andrew Hudgins

Andrew Hudgins, the author of five volumes of poetry, Professor Andrew Hudgins ranks as one of our nation's finest poets. Professor Hudgins' work appears regularly on America's newsstands, and has made appearances in nearly fifteen major literary anthologies. In the Norton anthology of Southern Literature, Hudgins' name appears beside the names of Edgar Allan Poe, Frederick Douglas, Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty and William Faulkner. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Louis Simpson wrote, "If I had to choose one American poet I believed would be regarded as 'major' in the future, it would be Andrew Hudgins."

According to Professor James Schiff, Professor Hudgins' is not only a poet, but an "excellent editor" and "a first-class essayist, having published several dozen essays in a variety of prestigious journals." Two of his essays were listed in The Best American Essays 2000, as being among the two hundred 'most notable' essays published in America during 1999. Within the classroom, Professor Hudgins regularly teaches the English Department's poetry writing, survey of American literature, nineteenth-century American poetry, poetic forms, and modernist poetry classes. Hudgins also directs senior honor theses, masters theses and doctoral dissertations. In Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins, he has taught the sophomore, senior and graduate poetry workshops in addition to a graduate class in writing poetic forms. Hudgins has also held a variety of visiting appointments at institutions across the country such as the University of Alabama, Johns Hopkins University, and Trinity College. This award is not the first Andrew Hudgins has received. Along with many others, he is the recipient of the Rieveschl Award for Scholarly and Creative Work, the Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence for Research.

Distinguished Service

Dr. Antony Mukkada

When Dr. Antony Mukkada retires later this year, the Biology department, college and university "will be losing a champion" according to Professor G. Douglas Winget. Mukkada, professor and former head of the Department of Biological Sciences, has been at the University of Cincinnati since 1967, After receiving his education in India, Dr. Mukkada quickly became a well-regarded teacher and researcher. It is the work he accomplished during his stay as head of the department, however, that is quite an accomplishment.

A number of undergraduate and high school programs were established out of three grants (totaling over one million dollars) which Dr. Mukkada acquired from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These programs, most of which helped high school teachers and students develop skills and excitement for science, touched participants of every age, race and background. In addition, over thirty partial and full scholarships have been awarded to undergraduate students committing to biological sciences, including one who said it has given him "the chance to study medical practices in Africa, do research in the Mojave Desert" and truly prepare for medical school. As a result of his efforts, Professor Mukkada has also strengthened research in the Department of Biological Sciences. The external review he requested of the department ultimately resulted in two Academic Challenge Awards of just under two million dollars. These grants aided cellular and molecular biology, as well as, environmental and evolutionary biology. They also led to the hiring of four additional faculty, the building of new facilities and the development.

Distinguished Adjust Performance

Lisa Newman

A nationally recognized expert in pedagogy, Lisa Newman is described by her students as "organized, dynamic, confident, challenging and fair." Her public relations courses have a waiting list of UC and Greater Cincinnati clients who wish to have her classes develop PR campaigns on their behalf. According to Mitchel Livingston, "she combines the theatrical with the practical side of marketing and utilizes 'real life' projects as a means of reinforcing the learning experience." The course is one of the most visible in the university and one of the most practically relevant for communication majors.

Outside the classroom, Professor Newman spends extraordinary amounts of time counseling and rallying for students. Her many involvements include: adviser to the undergraduate student organization in Communication, head of the departmental development team; member of advising and student appeals committees; director of undergraduate studies, member of scholarship committees, presenter at Graduate Teaching Effectiveness Workshops, and chair of the General Education faculty development committee. She currently serves as co-chair of the Just Community Education Committee and Director of the Internship Program – placing over one hundred student interns each year.

Stephen Depoe, Head of the Communication Department, believes "Department of Communication's undergraduate program has been greatly enhanced by Ms. Newman's efforts as a teacher, adviser, and program administrator."

Distinguished Teaching

Linda Przybyszewski

A popular professor, Linda Przybyszewski regularly teaches a full house in both surveys and large upper level courses. Thomas Sakmyster describes Professor Przybyszewski as a "committed, enthusiastic, innovative and inspirational educator who very much enjoys teaching and who has had a positive influence on a large number of students."

Professor Przybyszewski's strong interest in improving curriculum were major factors in the refashioning of the history undergraduate curriculum. Her teaching techniques have also been adopted by several faculty, for instance, the "one-minute-rule," where students have one minute to explain their reaction to readings. She puts students at ease by creating an environment conducive to serious discussion and intellectual debate.

Professor Przybyszewski won a course development grant from the University Council on General Education in 1994 and more recently won a Faculty Development Grant to attend workshops on constitutional history, and law and religion. She was the recipient of a national fellowship from the Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University, and a fellowship from the Virginia Humanities Center for her sabbatical year in 1999 – 2000. Her list of major publications expanded in 1999 when her book on Justice John Marshall Harlan was published.

McMicken Excellence Award

Dr. Jeannette Krause Bauer

The director of the X-ray Crystallographic Facility for the past ten years, Dr. Jeanette Krause Bauer is known as the "gypsy crystallographer" to the x-ray community. Adorned on her because of the dedication to her work, this nickname reflects the fact that Dr. Krause Bauer spends at least three months each year in Toledo collecting data and solving structures.

According to Professor William Connick, Dr. Krause Bauer has taken the UC Crystallographic Facility "from a departmental service for a few people, to a true facility that is networked around the state of Ohio, the country and the world."

Since her first days at UC, Dr. Krause Bauer has increased, by six times, the number of molecular structures to be determined at the facility. She spearheaded UC's involvement in the formation of the Ohio Crystallography Consortium (OCC) and was the first visiting researcher to collect diffraction data from this facility. Her efforts with the OCC have led to fifteen publications with another ten currently in preparation.

Dr. Krause Bauer was selected as one of only fourteen staff crystallographers to participate in the Service Crystallography at Advanced Photon Sources (SCRAPS) program, housed at Argonne National Laboratory. She is now participating in a second newly funded OCC Advanced Diffraction Studies Consortium (ADSC), housed at Youngstown State University.

Laura J. Johnson

A double major in anthropology and political science, Laura Johnson is described by her anthropology professors as "a model for all who have aspirations to be of service to the Cincinnati community."

She also has "a fierce commitment to fairness, and speaks up on matters relating to social inequality and prejudice." In addition to her studies, paying her own way through college, and caring for her disabled father, Laura still manages to set aside time for volunteer work. She feels a strong responsibility to her local community, and as such, has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, tutored at-risk students, and worked to increase voter registration among Greater Cincinnati's low-income and minority citizens. For the past year and a half, Laura has also worked as a field manager with Ohio Citizen Action, a local environmental, nonprofit organization. She carried out a door-to-door campaign to reduce environmental air and water pollution in neighborhoods of varying economic levels. By helping empower local residents, and increasing their participation, she has contributed significantly to social change in Cincinnati. Next year, Laura intends to finish her anthropology and political science coursework, as well as an honors thesis in political science. She intends to continue her education with graduate work in planning.

Amy Lamotta

With a 4.0 in her English Literature major, and a 3.94 GPA overall, Amy Lamotta has been the recipient of numerous academic awards including the University Honors Scholarship and the Pilhashy Book Award and partial scholarship.

Amy is also a two-time recipient of the English Department's Ricking Scholarship. She is a member of Lambda Lambda Delta and the Golden Key National Honor Society. Her writing is described as "exploratory, interesting, inventive and individual," as well as having "rich, surprising and palpably real imagery." Her professors believe one of her greatest strengths is her intellectual curiosity, and that Amy approaches reading, writing, and critiquing of poems as an artist should. One even believes Amy's work is already highly publishable. After graduation, Amy would like to earn her MFA in creative writing poetry and then continue on to earn her Ph.D. in literary studies. She would eventually like to teach both creative writing poetry and literature at the college level. Amy believes a reciprocity exists between a professor and student, such that professors not only teach students, but learn from them.

Gari Nelson

As a mother of three, Gari Nelson is concerned with her children's education as well as her own. Gari is a third-year African American Studies major who hopes to become an inner-city educator and principal one day. Her professors say she is "one of the most dedicated and hardworking students" they have ever had, and "she displays a commitment to and passion for African American Studies that has served as motivation for younger students."

Gari's maturity and serious approach to academic pursuits have impressed all in the African American Studies Department who have taught her. Giving back to her community is very important to Gari. She hopes to earn a masters in education, eventually creating programs that foster growth and spark the imaginations of low-income students. She also wants to arm small children with the history of Blacks in America. Gari believes that with this information, children will determine for themselves where they come from, and more importantly, where they will be in the future. A member of the Dean's list three times, Gari is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, has received numerous scholarships and been honored by her church and community.

Anna Moncrief

If the university permitted grades higher than an "A," Anna Moncrief would have received it, says her Spanish professor. Described as enthusiastic and bright, this Communication and Spanish double major carries a 4.0 in her major, and a 3.8 overall GPA, and formerly was a member of UC's Women's Varsity Soccer.

Anna's career goals have been honed since she was a freshman. Anna always knew she wanted to be involved in public relations, but didn't really know how she could utilize her Spanish skills. Interning with the United Way has given her the opportunity to work with less fortunate Hispanics by identifying agencies which help Hispanic people in the Cincinnati area. Recently traveling to Spain to take part in recreating a historic pilgrimage didn't even keep her from her community work. She continues to work at UC's Ethnic Programs and Services office and volunteers with a work resource center, a local elementary school and Habitat for Humanity. Anna intends to finish her collegiate career with continued academic excellence and be the first of her family to graduate with honors.

Justin Peter

A college student with his entire life mapped out is a rare find. Justin Peter not only has the remainder of his collegiate career planned, but set goals for the rest of his life. This history major/geology minor intends to pursue a masters of history, and much more, after graduation. It is an understatement when Justin's professors describe him as "a student who personifies what a liberal education is all about."

Justin's interest in history has motivated him to not only maintain excellent grades, but specialize in the study of war and society. He was presented with the task of tracing the history of a divisional unit through World War II by his history professor. Justin decided to add a personal touch to the project. He chose to trace a division where his great uncle served and died. With little information to rely on, and many hours spent researching, Justin was able to pinpoint the location of his great uncle's death to within one square mile. Along with his analysis of documents and explanation of historical themes, Justin's written work is described as "exemplary." This will no doubt come in handy after graduate school as Justin intends to obtain a Law degree become a prosecutor in the legal field. He may even run for a political office one day. Justin's plans will eventually return him to university life where he would like to teach history while acquiring his doctorate. As one of his geology professor notes: Justin is, indeed, a true scholar.

Elisabeth Masterson

When Elizabeth Masterson began classes at the University of Cincinnati, she was a senior in high school. The Post Secondary Education Option Program at her high school allowed Elizabeth to begin college while finishing high school with honors. After graduation Elizabeth was forced to postpone her studies for financial reasons. Four years later, Elizabeth got herself back in classes and is now a junior majoring in psychology.

Her professors describe her work as analytical, well-written and creative. Last year she was accepted into the honors program, and earlier this year was inducted into the Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society. In addition to maintaining a high grade point average (3.9+), Elizabeth attends graduate statistics classes and works as a teaching assistant for undergraduate statistics classes. She has also worked as a research assistant for the department. Her strong research skills were partially developed at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), her part-time job for the past five years. Elizabeth has been a research assistant for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) agency, working twenty hours a week. She is now responsible for organization and maintenance of the research library in the Health-Related Energy Research Branch. Elizabeth intends to pursue her masters in Counseling or a Ph.D. in Psychology at UC.

Carl McTague

Carl McTague is the recipient of the first Richard E. Greenholz scholarship ever to be awarded. The fund supports majors in economics, english and comparative literature, history, languages and literatures, philosophy, political science or mathematical sciences.

Carl is truly a renaissance man. Triple-majoring in Mathematics, Musical Composition and Biomedical Engineering, Carl was also accepted as a member of the engineering and medical school dual admissions program. Last year as a freshman, he took a senior course in abstract algebra. This year, he is taking a graduate course in complex analysis. Considered by one of his mathematics professors to be "absolutely brilliant," he spends several hours a week in orchestra practice and has been described by some to be "the best undergraduate in 30 years" to have attended the University of Cincinnati. This quarter Carl began an independent study of the principles of the theory of computation. He will spend this summer interning in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at the Santa Fe Institute – the leading center for the study of complex systems. While there, he will attend summer school for post doctoral and graduate students. Carl hopes his academic success will one day lead him to developing the tools needed to find a cure for cancer.

Robin Endelman

A doctoral student in the field of Quantum Groups, one of the fastest growing new fields in mathematics, Robin Endelman "is among the two best students" Professor James Osterburg has seen at the University of Cincinnati in the last twenty-nine years. Endelman received her bachelor's in mathematics from the University of Maryland and her master's from Virginia Tech. She joined the doctoral program in 1997 and with the support of a Taft Advanced Graduate Fellowship this past year, Robin was able to make substantial progress in her research. She has only to complete her dissertation to graduate.

Outside of her own research, Robin co-authored an article on the degeneration of solutions of the constant Yang-Baxter equation with Mathematics Professor Timothy J. Hodges. She helps other graduate students with algebra, lectures to the Quantum Groups Seminar, and helped the Department of Mathematical Sciences develop a department-wide uniform calculus final exam. Over the past few years, she attended a number of workshops in her field including one at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and another supported by the University of Illinois. She attended a conference on "Lie Algebras and Related Topics" this spring at the University of Wisconsin and plans on attending the "Poisson Structure and Quantum Groups" workshop being held at UC this summer. Because of her enthusiasm for teaching and research, she would like to join the academic community upon completing her Ph.D.. She looks forward to joining an environment which embraces a broad view of life and learning, encouraging independent thought and intellectual inquiry.