Metropolitan State University of Denver faculty and staff members were in full bloom Thursday at the sixth annual Roadrunners Who Soar Awards ceremony, where more than 80 employees were honored for their impact, innovation and dedication to student success. This year’s celebration embraced the theme “Blossoming Excellence: From Seed to Soar” and recognized how MSU Denver employees nurture a flourishing campus culture.
“Each year, I am moved by these nominations,” said President Janine Davidson, Ph.D. “I’m reminded that MSU Denver is a place where people genuinely care about and value each other — as colleagues and friends.”
Rowdy is dressed to the nines at the Soar event. Photo by Josh Geurink.
Celebrating excellence at every level
The evening kicked off with acknowledgment of Roadrunner Shoutout recipients, followed by the presentation of the Golich Awards — named for Provost Emeritus Vicki Golich, who originally brought the concept of a centralized awards ceremony to MSU Denver. She returned to campus Thursday to co-host the segment with Interim Provost Matt Makley, Ph.D.
Among the recipients in the Staff and Administrator Excellence category were Dave Bourassa, honored with the Administrator award; Claire Kost for Outstanding Professional Advisor; and Brenden Kendall for Outstanding Faculty Advisor.
Additional faculty members who were recognized included:
- Outstanding Mentor for Undergraduate Research: Cynthia Erickson, associate professor of Psychological Sciences.
- Open Educational Resources Champion: Benjamin Dyhr, professor of Mathematics and Statistics.
- Excellence in Online Teaching: Amy Dore, professor of Health Professions, Aging Services Leadership Program coordinator.
- Chair Excellence Award: Alexandre Padilla, chair and professor of Economics.
Student employees Mallory Gallegos and Ari Rabinovich were also honored, with the Staff and Administrator Excellence – Student award and the Student Employee of the Year award, respectively.
President’s Awards recognize leadership and service
Davidson presented President’s Leadership Awards to Andrea Smith, associate vice president of Strategic Communications, and Robert Preuhs, chair and professor of Political Science, for their visionary and strategic contributions to University success.
“Andrea is a strategic-comms guru extraordinaire,” Davidson said. “She has transformed MSU Denver’s communications infrastructure and led with clarity and confidence during critical moments — including leading the University’s response to spring 2024 protests and encampments.”
Meanwhile, Preuhs was recognized for his unwavering commitment to civic education, student engagement and public discourse.
“Dr. Preuhs is more than a faculty member; he’s a guiding force,” Davidson said. “From mentoring student leaders to organizing the ‘Ask a Professor’ pop-up series, his work connects scholarship to real-world impact, helping students become informed, active citizens.”
President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., speaks at the event. Photo by Josh Geurink.
The President’s Distinguished Service Awards went to three long-serving employees whose combined decades of behind-the-scenes excellence keep the University running smoothly:
- Gia Valente, supervisor of Health Information and Facilities Management, Health Center at Auraria.
- Jimi Webb, director of Student Services and Operations, School of Hospitality.
- Lori McKinney, senior program manager of Leadership and Organizational Engagement.
Faculty members shine in newly expanded categories
The Faculty Awards of Excellence returned with several familiar categories and two new ones. Winners included:
- Mari Foster and Carolyn McGary, Affiliate Faculty.
- Cindy Price, Full-Time Non-Tenure Track.
- David Merriam, Tenure-Track Faculty.
- Elizabeth Kleinfeld, inaugural recipient of the Scholarly or Creative Activities award.
- April Hill, honored with the Service award, including for her efforts in accessibility advocacy and STEM engagement.
The night’s biggest reveals
The biggest surprises of the night were the Soar Awards and Team Roadrunner Awards, the only categories in which winners were kept carefully under wraps.
The Team Roadrunner Awards celebrated campus groups that demonstrated collaborative excellence:
- The Early Childhood Education Faculty team for their accelerated pathway programs to train child-care educators.
- The Gina and Frank Day Health Institute team for their high-retention student-success model and equity-centered mentorship.
- The Queer Faculty and Staff Collective Leadership Council for building community, advocacy and infrastructure for LGBTQIA+ employees.
The Queer Faculty and Staff Collective Leadership Council accepts their Team Roadrunner Award.
To be recognized with a Soar Award, the evening’s grand finale, faculty and staff members must embrace and actively demonstrate the University’s CADRE values of community, access, diversity, respect and excellence.
- Ranjidha Rajan, associate professor of Computer Science, for broadening participation in STEM and building award-winning student-research pathways.
- Buffy Ribble, director of Data and Analytics, lauded for transforming data access and equity-based decision-making.
- Pamela Ansburg, professor of Psychological Sciences, who created the Psyched to Work! job-shadow program benefiting dozens of students.
- Shayla Bischoff, program manager for Undergraduate Studies, for community-building, voter engagement and global-education leadership.
Faculty, staff, and students applaud outstanding MSU Denver individuals and teams. Photo by Josh Geurink.
The evening concluded with cheers, flowers, photos and a reminder that the seeds of success planted across campus every day help the entire University and its students rise.
“Thank you for joining us here this evening,” said master of ceremonies Maxswell Satchell, Theatre student, in his closing remarks. “MSU Denver has the best and most committed employee community in higher education. Your efforts help our students to become well-rounded, critical-thinking, career-ready and life-ready graduates.”
The event was led by Human Resources in collaboration with the University Events team, with support from the Office of the President and numerous partners and volunteers across campus. Watch the Roadrunners Who Soar webpage for the full video recording of the event and a complete list of winners.
Check out additional photos from the event.
