Faculty awards announced at 2022 Honors Reception
April 26, 2022
Four Dakota State University faculty members received awards at the annual Honors Reception on April 21.
Alexander “Sandy” Davidson Award for Excellence in Advising
Dr. William Sewell, Associate Professor of English Education and Composition in the College of Arts & Sciences, was presented with the Alexander “Sandy” Davidson Award for Excellence in Advising. Sewell has one of the largest advising loads in the College of Arts and Sciences and has a caring and approachable method of advising those students.
The award is sponsored by Davidson’s children, Scott and Jenny Weatherill, and Brian and Barb Harmdierks. It remembers Davidson’s work as Dean of Students and Director of Counseling. He retired from Dakota State in 1985 but remained active on campus and in the community until he passed away in 2006.
Merrill Hunter Award for Excellence in Research
The Merrill Hunter Award for Excellence in Research was presented to Dr. Andrew Sathoff. Assistant Professor of Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences, Sathoff has developed a significant research relationship with Mustang Seeds and involved his students in that research. He also continues supporting the DSU sub-award of the EPSCoR grant.
The Hunter family sponsors the award to honor Merrill, long-time Madison newspaper publisher, veteran, and former president of the DSU Foundation. He was serving as president of the DSU Foundation at the time of his death in 1990.
DeWayne Mork Award for Excellence in Service
Dr. Jack Walters was honored with the DeWayne Mork Award for Excellence in Service. He is a Professor and Coordinator for the Master of Business Administration Program in the College of Business and Information Systems. Dr. Walters has served as chair of the EDI Committee and Institutional Review Board and served as a member of the University Honors Committee and Graduate Council along with other committees throughout his time at DSU. He is active in his committee service and he strongly encourages others to become involved.
Mork was a long-time Madison businessman, philanthropist, and community leader. One significant honor he and his son DeLon received included the South Dakota Retailer of the year award in 2004 for the family-run Dairy Queen.
Ernest Teagarden Award for Excellence in Teaching
The Ernest Teagarden Award for Excellence in Teaching was presented to Mr. Andrew Kramer, an instructor at The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences. Kramer goes out of his way to make his classes engaging for students and is successful. He also works with different cyber clubs and encourages students to use new technologies not just for competition but in the classroom.
The award honors Teagarden, a professor emeritus of business at DSU. Teagarden served as Chair of the Social Science and Business Education Division and later of the Division of Business, Industry, and Public Administration; he passed away in 2007. This award is sponsored by the DSU Foundation.