Dean Beverly Henry of NIU’s College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) announced the winners of the 2022 Dean’s Awards for Excellence in teaching, service, research and diversity, equity and inclusion during the all-college meeting held Aug. 16 in Wirtz Hall auditorium.

Henna Muzaffar, Allison Gladfelter, Melissa Clucas Walter and Milijana Buac were each recognized for their significant contributions and named as this year’s recipients.

“In CHHS, we celebrate the exceptional contributions our faculty make to the college, the university and the greater community,” Henry said. “Dr. Muzaffar, Dr. Gladfelter, Dr. Clucas Walter and Dr. Buac are doing great things and are deserving of this special recognition.”

Each award winner received $300, a plaque and were celebrated during the all college meeting.

The Fisher Award for Excellence in Service is given each year to a regular full-time, tenured or tenure-tracked faculty member or regular full-time supportive professional staff member. The service may involve on-campus activities but also must include off-campus professional activities at the state, national or international level that contribute to the stature and growth of the profession.

Cletus Fisher, former chair of the Department of Communicative Disorders, funded the award.

The 2022 winner is Henna Muzaffar, assistant professor of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Nominators laud her for her offering her time, talent and expertise to serve her profession and the surrounding community. Along with holding a number of leadership positions within her professional societies, and being a presenter at state, national, and international meetings, her continued work with the Northern Illinois Food Bank and local elementary schools with the CATCH program has made a valuable impact on improving food and nutrition in the community.

The Lankford Award for Excellence in Teaching is given each year to a full-time, tenured or tenure-tracked faculty member who has an excellent overall teaching effectiveness score. It is named for James Lankford, former dean of the college, who initiated the award.

This year’s winner is Allison Gladfelter, associate professor of Speech-Language Pathology.

Known to many students as “Dr. G.,” nominators call her a “gifted educator” whose dedication and energy is inspiring. She is credited for modifying materials and techniques to ensure students succeed,  and is “motivates them by providing engaging content that peaks their interests.” Frequently, “best professor I’ve had at NIU” shows up on Gladfelter’s course ratings.

The Sullivan Award for Excellence in Research is given to a regular full-time faculty tenured/tenure-track or clinical and regular full-time supportive professional staff who have at least three years of experience at NIU. Grantsmanship and collaborative efforts with students are also considered for this award that was endowed by Peggy Sullivan, former dean of the college.

The Sullivan Award winner is Melissa Clucas Walter, assistant professor of Human Development and Family Sciences.

Nominators note her significant commitment to involving students in research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She is credited for “a robust record of publication in scholarly journals” and is a lauded as an effective presenter at both national and regional conferences. Noted as being generous with her time, Clucas Walter consistently engages with students in the form of independent study along with serving as both a chair and member of master’s thesis and dissertation committees.

The Award for Excellence in Promoting Academic Equity/Diversity/Inclusion honors faculty, staff, and/or students who work collaboratively to develop strategies that eliminate learning barriers and create a culture of civility. The award recognizes creative and varied approaches to teaching and assessment to achieve equity in learning outcomes, and recognizes an individual who exemplifies the college’s strategic goal of achieving academic equity.

Milijana Buac, assistant professor of speech-language pathology (SLP), earned the 2022 award.

Nominators said she “accelerated the program’s efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion” and called her “indispensable.” Known as an enthusiastic collaborator and valuable resource to students and faculty alike, she champions the effort to increase diversity in the SLP profession.

Her commitment to diversity also includes creating a learning environment where students from majority and minority backgrounds can discuss and learn from each other to provide culturally and linguistically responsive services.

One of her students credits Buac’s students had this to say.

“I will soon be the first person in my family to have a bachelor’s degree, but now I can also say I am the first to apply and be accepted into a graduate program,” the student said. “Thank you for all of your words of encouragement, they have made a difference in my life.”