FHSU University Communications
Highlighting Fort Hays State University’s fall convocation on Wednesday was the presentation of faculty awards. Awards included the Faculty Member of the Year, John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor, and the President’s Distinguished Scholar Award.
Faculty Member of the Year
The Faculty Member of the Year award was presented to Dr. Terry Crull, Professor of Music and Theatre. Commerce Bank provided a $1,000 stipend for Crull in recognition of this honor.
“Terry’s unwavering commitment to student success is evident in his dynamic, high-impact teaching across choral ensembles, conducting and methods courses, and general education,” said FHSU Provost Jill Arensdorf. “His leadership in regional and international performance opportunities – most recently the 2024 Jubilate, Mozart! Festival in Austria – provides students with immersive, transformative experiences that cultivate professional excellence and global citizenship.”
The faculty member of the year is selected from the past year’s recipients of faculty awards for teaching, research and scholarly activity, and service.
The 2024-25 award for scholarly activity went to Dr. Ran An, Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Dr. Matthew Smalley, Associate Professor in the Department of English and Modern Languages. Outstanding service awards went to Will Stutterheim, Instructor of Psychology, and Dr. Jennifer Bechard, Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance. Dr. Terry Crull, Professor of Music and Theatre, and Dr. Kenton Olliff, Associate Professor of Advanced Education Programs, were recognized for outstanding teaching.
John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor
Dr. Anas Hourani, Associate Professor in Computer Science, was named the John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor. The award is named after our esteemed former colleague, Dr. John Heinrichs, who was active in all research areas.
This award recognizes faculty members’ commitment, time, and energy in promoting undergraduate research. All current faculty and unclassified staff members at levels comparable to academic faculty are eligible. The awardee’s home department is provided with $500 of budget funding to benefit the recipient.
Hourani’s leadership in guiding student projects demonstrates his expertise and commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI applications. One of his students commented, “Without his help, I wouldn’t have imagined myself writing a research paper or even going on the path of artificial intelligence. In my honest opinion, nobody deserves this award more than Dr. Hourani.”
President’s Distinguished Scholar Award
Dr. Rose Helens-Hart, Associate Professor of Applied Business Studies, was announced as the 2025 President’s Distinguished Scholar. Helens-Hart exemplifies the spirit of this award through her sustained, innovative contributions to scholarship, teaching, and professional service. She has published 17 peer-reviewed articles, 12 as first author in respected journals, such as Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, advancing knowledge in business communication and talent development.
Helens-Hart will receive a $1,500 check at the President’s Distinguished Scholar program later in the academic year.
The President’s Distinguished Scholar Award was first conferred in 1989. The evaluation of each candidate for this honor is based on an analysis of their performance in research and creative activities, service, and instruction categories. Acceptable levels of performance must be demonstrated in service and instruction, with the primary focus of this award on research and creative activities.