TSUS names 6 from Texas State as 2020 Regents' Award recipients

The Texas State University System Board of Regents has named six Texas State University representatives recipients of the 2020 Regents’ Awards.

The Regents Awards recognize outstanding faculty, staff and students from the seven TSUS member institutions. Duane Knudson, Department of Health and Human Performance, and Patricia Shields, Department of Political Science, received the Regents' Professor Award. Ann Burnette, Department of Communication Studies, Celeste Domsch, Department of Communication Disorders, and Rachel Romero, Department of Sociology, received the Regents' Teacher Award. Dr. Emilio Carranco, chief medical officer and director of the Student Health Center, received the Regents' Staff Excellence Award.

The board approved the honors during its quarterly meeting Aug. 14 at Sam Houston State University in Conroe.

The Regents’ Professor designation honors outstanding members of the system’s professoriate who have achieved excellence in teaching, research, publication and community service, while demonstrating an unwavering dedication to their students and university. Knudson and Shields are the 17th and 18th TSUS Regents’ Professors to be honored at Texas State.

The Board of Regents annually recognizes exceptional teachers from TSUS member institutions with the Regents' Teacher Award. Regents' Teachers are selected based on their outstanding performance as educators, contributions to the development of courses and use of innovative teaching methods, among other criteria. Winners maintain the title of "Regents' Teacher" for the duration of their service within TSUS. Burnette, Domsch and Romero are the fifth, sixth and seventh recipients from Texas State.

Carranco is the third Regents' Staff Excellence recipient from Texas State. The Chancellor of the Texas State University System annually selects an exceptional staff member from one member institution to receive the Regents' Staff Excellence Award. The award recognizes staff who excel in six areas: commitment to the university and its mission; job competency; collegiality; duration of service; community involvement; and exceptional achievement.