Bradley honors faculty and staff members during Founder's Day observance

Peoria, Illinois . . . October 3, 2003 . . . Five Bradley faculty and staff members were recognized this morning for their achievements in teaching, scholarship, and service during the annual Founder's Day Convocation at the University. The awards and their recipients follow.

Putnam Award for Excellence in Teaching
Dr. Fred Fry
Professor of Business Administration

Recognition of excellence in teaching became a tradition at Bradley in 1957 when Charles A. Putnam established this prestigious award.

Dr. Fry is the author or co-author of five books and numerous published articles and papers. His textbook is so successful that he and his co-authors are now working on the third edition. He is the academic liaison to the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship and faculty advisor to the collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization and Habitat to Humanity. He received bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Oklahoma State University. He was cited for his innovation in curriculum design and his indefatigable pursuit of the goal of growing the entrepreneurship focus in the college.

Samuel Rothberg Professional Excellence Award
Oscar Jay Gillespie
Associate Professor of Art

The Samuel Rothberg Professional Excellence Award, given each year at Founder's Day, recognizes outstanding achievements in research and creativity by a senior faculty member. Recipients are expected to make original contributions to their field and submit the contributions to the critical appraisal of their professional peers.

Gillespie has participated in more than 150 invitational and juried exhibitions nationally and internationally since1983. His work has been included in important exhibition catalogs and publications such as Contemporary American Printmaking and has been selected for numerous permanent private and publication collections. He is a sought after visiting artist, having given lectures across the country. Mr. Gillespie received a bachelorÕs degree from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Arizona State University. Prior to coming to Bradley he was an instructor and adjunct faculty member at Northern Arizona University. He was the founding coordinator and printer of the Cradle Oak Press at Bradley, director of three Bradley National Print and Drawing Exhibitions, and curator of the Bradley University Permanent Collection.

Caterpillar Inc. New Faculty Award for Scholarship
Dr. Sherri Morris
Associate Professor of Biology

The Caterpillar Inc., New Faculty Achievement Award for Scholarship and the New Faculty Award Achievement for Teaching is awarded to a full-time tenure-track faculty member who has not yet attained tenure status.

Dr. Morris has amassed an impressive record of research accomplishments that includes 7 articles or book chapters published, all in peer-review venues, with an additional two papers in review with top scientific journals, since arriving at Bradley just three years ago. She has been primary investigator or co-primary investigator on four externally funded research grants totaling close to $600,000. She has redesigned the Ecology course to include investigative, hands-on labs and actively involves undergraduate and graduate students. She received bachelor's and masterÕs degrees from San Diego State University and a Ph.D. in plant biology from The Ohio State University.

Caterpillar Inc. New Faculty Award for Teaching
Dr. Jennifer Robin Dykes Burgess
Assistant Professor of Business Management

Since arriving at Bradley in 2002, Dr. Burgess has redesigned the Human Resource Management course, designed an advanced human resource management course for those planning to enter the field after graduation, served as a faculty advisor to the student chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management, and has maintained an active and productive research agenda resulting in four journal publications. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa and a PhD. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee.

Francis C. Mergen MemorialAward for Public Service
Nathan Thomas
Director of Greek Life

The Mergen Award is given annually to a member of the Bradley faculty, staff, or administration who has distinguished herself or himself in the area of public service. The award was established in 1973 in memory of Dr. Mergen, who had been director of the department of industrial engineering.

Nathan Thomas has volunteered extensively in the community and beyond. He has served the Heart of Illinois United Way as a campaign cabinet member for two years as well as a volunteer training coordinator and special events coordinator. He has been active with the YMCA Youth Basketball program as both a coach and referee. Outside the central Illinois area he has served as a judge for the State of Illinois History Fair for six years and serves as a foundation advocate for the Phi Delta Theta Educational Foundation. He is an active member of the Mid-American Greek Council Association and has given conference presentations on leadership on campuses throughout the Midwest. Thomas holds a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University and an M.B.A. from Eastern Illinois University.