Honors, Awards, Chairs and Professorships Available to Faculty
Piper Professors
Fifteen awards are made annually to professors across Texas for superior teaching at the college level. Awards are made to nominees submitted by each college or university in the State of Texas. Application by invitation only, based on recommendation of the nominating University.
Piper Professors from the College of Liberal Arts include Emmie Craddock, History, 1962; Robert A. Galvan, Modern Languages, 1968; Thomas L. Brasher, English, 1970; Daniel E. Farlow, Political Science, 1975; Clarence C. Schultz, Sociology/Anthropology, 1976; Robert W. Walts, English, 1982; Michael Hennessy, English, 2001; Paul Cohen, English, 2003; Byron Augustin, Geography, 2005; Chris Frost, Psychology, 2006, Brock Brown, Geography, 2008, Kenneth Margerison, History, 2013.
Application Information / Form
Presidential Awards
The Texas State Faculty Awards Program makes selections annually for Presidential Awards recognizing Excellence in Service, Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, and Excellence in Teaching. Awards at both the Professor/Associate Professor and Assistant Professor/Lecturer levels honor superior service and models of excellence and inspire faculty to develop and improve scholarly/creative activities, teaching skills, and service.
Application Information / Form
Presidential Seminar
The Presidential Seminar highlights and recognizes superlative research, creative work, or other scholarly efforts undertaken by Texas State University faculty members. Projects are to be in process or completed within the last two years. The person selected to deliver the Presidential Seminar will present his/her work to the University community and be recognized for significant accomplishment.
Application Information / Form
Distinguished Professor/ Professor Emeritus
The title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus is awarded only to extraordinary faculty members who are retiring or who have already retired to recognize their exemplary service to Texas State. Because of the special nature of this designation, normally no more than three individuals will be named as Distinguished Professor Emeritus in any year. In many years, no such recognition may be given (see PPS 6.01).
Application Information / Form
Excellence in Diversity Awards
The Excellence in Diversity Awards program recognizes and honors university community members for exceptional commitment to diversity at Texas State University by promoting the university’s diversity goals. The Diversity Awards program will bestow three diversity awards this year including one individual faculty member award, one individual staff member award, and one team award.
Application Information / Forms
Alumni Teaching Award
Through this award the Texas State Alumni Association recognizes, encourages, and rewards superior Texas State classroom teachers. Texas State professors, lecturers, associate professors, assistant professors and instructors are eligible.
Application Information / Form
Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities
This three-year professorship, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, offers the opportunity for its holder to engage in projects that promote the humanities at Texas State and surrounding communities. Email invitations for nominations are sent in the fall prior to the next three-year tenure. Dr. Robert Tally is the NEH Distinguished Professor from 2018 to 2021.
Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Chair in Geographic Education
This endowed chair, the only one in Geographic Education in the nation, is currently held by Dr. Richard G. Boehm.
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Hobby Chair in Public Service
This endowed chair is held by Dr. Howard Balanoff, Director of the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service.
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Jones Professorship in Southwest Studies
As part of a National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant, the Houston Endowment funded the Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Southwestern Studies. The Jones Professor of Southwestern Studies team-teaches the Southwestern Studies courses with the faculty of the Center for the Study of the Southwest, helps organize and present symposia, and assists the Center with other regional projects related to the professor’s discipline. Dr.Geneva M. Gano, English currently holds this position.
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Jerome H. and Catherine E. Supple Professorship in Southwest Studies
This endowed chair is held by Dr. John Mckiernan-González, Director of the Center for the Study of the Southwest.
Muriel Muir Mentoring Award
The awards will be given to persons who provide exceptional support of and show exceptional commitment to assisting less experienced individuals in becoming more proficient in professional activities. The awardees will be recognized as role models in providing advice, guidance, and information which fosters the growth and development of co-workers and/or students. Two awards will be presented each year, one to a faculty member and one to a staff member.
Application Information / Form
Dean’s Golden Apples and Excellence Awards
Each year the Dean of Liberal Arts distributes awards to recognize and encourage Liberal Arts faculty for their achievements in scholarly / creative activities, teaching, and service. Golden Apples are awarded to faculty nominated for Presidential Awards (see above) and receiving the highest votes at Liberal Arts Council during the nominating process.