Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award Previous Recipients
The Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award is the highest distinction given to a faculty member by the University. The award is given annually to one faculty member who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to scholarly-creative activity, teaching, and service, bringing honor and recognition to the University. The award is given by the University of Memphis Board of Visitors and includes a $20,000 cash prize and a commemorative crystal. A University committee composed of nine faculty members will screen nominations and identify three finalists. The recipient will then be chosen from among these finalists by a selection committee composed of three members of the Board of Visitors. The award will be presented to the recipient at the Spring Faculty Convocation.
Previous Recipients
2023 Duane McKenna, PhD | Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts & Sciences
2022 Dr. Lan Wang, PhD | Dunavant Professor & Chair Department of Computer Science
2021 Beverly Bond, PhD | Professor of History, College of Arts & Sciences
2020 Dr. Irena Lasiecka | Distinguished Professor & Chair, Department of Mathematical Sciences
2019 Aram Goudsouzian, PhD | Distinguished Professor & Chair, Department of History
2018 Frank Andrasik | Distinguished Professor and Chair, Psychology
2017 Abby Parrill-Baker | Professor, Chemistry / Associate Dean, Arts & Sciences
2016 Roy Van Arsdale | Professor, Earth Sciences
2015 Albert Okunade | Professor, Economics
2014 Kenneth Ward | Professor, Public Health
2013 Gladius Lewis | Professor, Mechanical Engineering
2012 Dipankar Dasgupta | Professor, Computer Science
2011 Thomas K. Fagan | Professor, Psychology
2010 Erno Lindner | Professor, Biomedical Engineering
2009 Robyn Cox | Professor, Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
2008 Ralph Albanese | Chair, Foreign Languages & Literatures
2007 David Evans | Professor, Music
2006 Jerome A. Goldstein | Professor, Mathematical Sciences
2005 David L. Appleby | Professor, Communication
2004 Cyril F. Chang | Professor, Economics
2003 Linda A. Bennett | Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, A&S
2002 Robert A. Neimeyer | Professor, Psychology
2001 Richard H. Schelp | Professor, Mathematical Sciences
2000 Lily Afshar | Associate Professor, Music
1999 Arthur C. Graesser | Professor, Psychology
1998 Steven J. Ross | Professor, Communication
1997 Stanley P. Franklin | Professor, Mathematical Sciences
1996 Shelley White-Means | Professor, Economics
1995 William R. Shadish | Professor, Psychology
1994 Ralph J. Faudree | Professor, Mathematics
1993 Steven M. Ross | Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, & Research