Columbia College faculty gathered Wednesday, Aug. 26, for the 2026 Faculty Celebration, an annual event recognizing educators whose teaching, scholarship, service and innovation help shape the student experience and advance the College’s mission.
Held at New Hall Event Center ahead of the 2026-27 academic year, the celebration provided an opportunity for faculty to connect and celebrate their colleagues.
“You all are here at an important time for our institution as we celebrate the 175th anniversary of Columbia College,” said President Dr. Toby Arquette. “While the College continually evolves, its mission to serve modern learners and help them lead lives of purpose and opportunity remains the same. Each of you in this room is a vital piece of our present and future.”
Arquette formally welcomed Columbia College’s newest faculty members:
- Teri Bauer, Nursing
- Michelle Kemp, Management
- Celia Alpuche Keyser, Spanish
- Usama Khan, Finance
- Brent Moore, Public Administration
- Jessi Nicholson, Nursing
- Oladoyin Okunoren, Social Work
- Hannah Smith, Nursing
- Josh Stratford, Finance
- Lindsey Wagner, Social Work
- Dana Wyatt, Education/Child Development
He also recognized faculty members who earned promotions during the past year. Brittany Hagenhoff and Mohamed Aturban received tenure and were promoted to associate professor in the School of Arts & Sciences and Robert W. Plaster School of Business, respectively, while Bo Bedilion was promoted from associate professor to professor in the School of Arts & Sciences.
Five Deans’ Awards were presented during the program, recognizing excellence in teaching, service and scholarship among full-time and adjunct faculty:
- Blake Nielsen – Deans’ Award for Excellence in Teaching
- Rebekah Freese – Deans’ Award for Excellence in Service
- Manda Foster – Deans’ Award for Excellence in Scholarship
- Jonathan Davis – Deans’ Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching (In Seat)
- Marci Fiorillo – Deans’ Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching (Online)
Additionally, the celebration introduced a new honor called the Provost’s Award for Innovation, created to recognize faculty members whose ideas demonstrate creative, outside-the-box thinking. This year, it was awarded to three recipients.
Bre Cole was recognized for bringing SEA-PHAGES, a national Howard Hughes Medical Institute research program, to Columbia College, giving students opportunities to participate in authentic, discovery-driven research early in their college careers.
April Murphy-Morgan received the award for reimagining recruitment strategies and developing new approaches to connecting with prospective Social Work students. Her efforts contributed to enrollment growth.
Bryan Sappington was honored for connecting Project Management students with the professional field by taking students to a regional conference and incorporating the experience into their coursework.
The evening concluded with the presentation of the Trustees Award for Teaching Excellence, or TATE. Before the announcement, last year’s TATE recipient, Pete Monacell, shared a poignant reflection on his passion for teaching.
Without further ado, the 2026 TATE Award was bestowed upon Communication Studies Instructor Amy Enderle.
Enderle’s nomination featured enthusiastic feedback from her students, who described her as knowledgeable, energetic, kind and encouraging. One student praised her ability to make students feel welcomed and valued, while another credited her with boosting their confidence more than any teacher they had previously experienced.
“Personally, I don’t know anyone with more energy, cheerfulness and can-do spirit than Amy,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Sandy Hamar. “She spreads joy and light everywhere she goes, inside the classroom and out.”
The celebration concluded with a toast to faculty and Columbia College students nationwide.
“Here’s to our faculty who change lives and to our students who go change the world,” Hamar said.
