Faculty from across the university received honors at the annual Outstanding Faculty Service Awards brunch, hosted last week by the Faculty Senate and Office of the Provost. During the brunch, two faculty members also received the Stauffer Award and the Provost’s Outstanding Faculty Service Award.

“We are very fortunate to have so many talented and dedicated faculty members among our ranks,” Provost JoAnne A. Epps said. “These colleagues are making an indelible impact through their extensive service while also contributing to our students’ success through their excellent teaching, scholarship, creative work or professional practice.”

Maurice Wright, Laura H. Carnell Professor of Music Composition in the Boyer College of Music and Dance, earned the 2016 Stauffer Award. The prestigious award recognizes a professor who demonstrates the highest level of service for the university and professional community. Wright is a prolific composer who has been funded by organizations including the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. His commissioned work is described as a synthesis of vocal and instrumental music, technology and acoustics, and drama and film.

“When serving on a faculty committee, you find out how things work at the university, and you receive information that you would not otherwise have,” Wright said.

Outside of the classroom and faculty committees, Wright has enjoyed lending his expertise to facilities projects on Main Campus.

“I've enjoyed working on buildings,” he said. Wright served on the advisory committees for the Tuttleman Learning Center and the Temple Performing Arts Center.

“I feel I left my fingerprints on both projects,” he said. “The Tuttleman Learning Center advisory committee met for two years, traveling to other schools to see how they were planning for technology, and worked with Temple’s design office to create what I think is a successful building.”

Karen M. Turner, associate professor in the School of Media and Communication, received the 2016 Provost’s Outstanding Faculty Service Award. A Lindback Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award honoree who also received the School of Media and Communication’s first Innovative Teaching Award, Turner has been active in several leadership roles on the Faculty Senate and university diversity-related committees.

“It’s great to get the award, but the fact that Provost Epps gave it to me is even more special,” Turner said of her latest accolade.

A few years ago, Epps and Turner realized that they had first met in 1972, when Turner was a high school student visiting Trinity College and Epps was her student tour guide. It was decades later at a Temple function when Epps made the connection, turned to Turner and said, “I know you!” Although Turner did not attend Trinity, she was impressed that Epps remembered her. “It’s amazing how you come full circle,” she said.

For Turner, being involved in service goes beyond awards—she believes it is a critical component of being a part of the Temple community.

“Temple is open to creative ideas, so it’s easy to provide service here, and something we should all be involved with at some level,” she said.

The 2016 service award honorees are

• Robert Bartow, LAW ’71, Beasley School of Law
• Deborah Confredo, Boyer College of Music and Dance
• Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, TFM ’96, CLA ’02, School of Theater, Film and Media Arts
• Maria Lorenz, College of Science and Technology
• Darin Kapanjie, EDU ’11, Fox School of Business
• Chihyung “Michael” Ok, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management
• Elvis Wagner, College of Education
• Vallorie Peridier, College of Engineering
• Robert Kaufman, College of Liberal Arts
• Nancy Rothman, EDU ’88, College of Public Health
• Cheryl Hyde, School of Social Work
• Scott Shore, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
• Mehran Hossaini, Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry
• Amy Caples, SMC ’85, School of Media and Communication
• Swati Nagar, School of Pharmacy
• Robert Shuman, ENG ’82, Tyler School of Art

Honoree Marc Asher Karpo, POD ’82, School of Podiatric Medicine, passed away earlier this semester. His wife Bonnie Jill accepted the award in his memory.

“This year’s honorees are exemplary role models who take on critical administrative roles that help shape the future of their departments and schools/colleges, and the university,” added Provost Epps.

More than 80 guests attended the celebration, including Board of Trustees Chair Patrick O’Connor, President Richard M. Englert and Board of Trustees member Scott Cooper.

—Hedy Taub Baker