The UW College of Health Sciences (CHS) recently honored members of its faculty and
staff at the CHS Faculty/Staff Meeting and Award Reception. Among the award winners
are, front row, from left, Christine Porter, Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker, Ashley Neff
and Mary Anne Purtzer. Back row, from left, Boyi Dai, Erin Bush, Mary Burman, David
Heath, Brandi Hecker and Jared Bushman. (Mark Belcher Photo)
The University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences (CHS) honored faculty and staff
at the recent CHS Faculty/Staff Meeting and Award Reception April 25.
The college Faculty Development Committee, composed of faculty from throughout the
college, chose faculty and staff members for the awards based on outstanding contributions
to teaching, research and administrative support, including letters of recommendations
from peers and classroom/laboratory outcomes. The awards recognize excellence in faculty
development and innovative ways to help students.
One new award category added this year was the Faculty Mentorship Award, created to
acknowledge faculty whose leadership has provided mentoring for other faculty in their
professional development.
“The CHS award reception is a fantastic way to learn what our amazing faculty and
staff are doing that impacts the college, the university, public health and Wyoming
communities,” says Jeremy Vandiver, clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice
and chair of the Faculty Development Committee.
Mary Burman, dean of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing and director of the Division
of Social Work, plans to retire at the end of June. As the recipient of the Outstanding
Career Achievement Award, Burman has served as faculty for the School of Nursing since
1992; dean since 2007; and director for the Division of Social Work since 2016.
The CHS honorees are:
-- Outstanding Career Achievement: Mary Burman, dean and professor, Fay W. Whitney
School of Nursing, and director of the Division of Social Work.
-- Outstanding Teaching in Geriatrics: Erin Bush, assistant professor, Division of
Communication Disorders.
-- New Investigator: Jared Bushman, assistant professor, School of Pharmacy.
-- Outstanding Teacher: Boyi Dai, associate professor, Division of Kinesiology and
Health Promotion.
-- Meritorious Service: David Heath, project coordinator, Wyoming Institute for Disabilities.
-- Outstanding Staff (over five years of service): Brandi Hecker, accountant and staff
supervisor, Division of Communication Disorders.
-- Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary: Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker, assistant professor,
Division of Communication Disorders.
-- Outstanding Staff (0-5 years of service): Ashley Neff, senior office associate,
Division of Social Work.
-- Faculty Mentorship and Outstanding Researcher: Christine Porter, Wyoming Excellence
Chair and associate professor, Division of Kinesiology and Health Promotion.
-- Innovation in Teaching: Mary Anne Purtzer, associate dean and associate professor,
Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing.
