RADFORD – The Radford University Foundation honored five outstanding faculty and staff members during the university's Convocation on Thursday.

Each year, The RU Foundation bestows awards upon faculty and staff for their exceptional individual performances. In addition, the Foundation allows each award recipient to select an outstanding RU student to receive a scholarship in the recipient's name.

Associate professor of art Richard Bay was the recipient of the Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award. The award recognizes and rewards outstanding teaching at RU.

IN THE PHOTO: Richard Bay (second from left, in front row) after receiving the Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award Thursday. With him in the front row, from left, are his mother Helene B. Bay, Keri Beltz, the RU senior selected for his scholarship award, and her mother, Kathy Beltz. In the back row, from left, are Donna Kirk, Patty Bay, Nanette Bay Susskraut, President Penelope Kyle and Pam Morrison.

Bay joined the RU faculty in 2002. He is an energetic, engaging and inspirational teacher who is credited with the revival of RU’s art education program. Bay regularly presents at professional conferences and exhibits his art regionally and nationally. He has a strong community presence, particularly in teaching art to special-needs children.

Assistant professor of biology Mark Cline received the Radford University Foundation Distinguished Creative Scholar Award. The award was established to recognize significant original contributions to the body of knowledge in academe. It also rewards contributions that have had a significant impact on effective classroom teaching. He selected RU senior Brian Prall as his scholarship recipient . (See photo at right of Prall, on left, and Cline.)

Cline has been a member of the RU biology faculty since 2002. His research focuses on ways the brain regulates appetite. Cline has published 11 peer-reviewed articles in endocrinology and neuroscience journals in the past year and is committed to faculty and student collaborative research. All of his publications list at least one undergraduate student as a co-author. 

James Lollar, an associate professor and chair of the marketing department, was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, which was established to recognize faculty who have contributed substantial service to the university over a sustained period of time. Lollar named RU senior Jessica Webb as his scholarship recipient. (See photo at left of Lollar, on the left, and Webb).

Lollar joined the RU faculty in 1992 and won the Donald N. Dedmon Distinguished Teaching Professor Award in 2005. He has served four terms as RU faculty senate president and three terms as president of the faculty senate of Virginia.

Associate professor of psychology Jeff Willner (pictured at right) was the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Advising Award. The honor recognizes teaching faculty who demonstrate excellence in academic advising. Willner's choice to receive a scholarship was junior Rebecca Nightingale. She was unable to attend the convocation.

Willner came to RU in 1994. He serves as a faculty advisor to the Psychology Club. Willner helped developed and was the first to teach a one-credit introduction to the psychology major course, which focuses on linking curricular choices to career planning.

Loretta Estes, advising coordinator and assistant to the dean of the Waldron College of Health and Human Services, received the Distinguished Professional Advising Award. Second-year graduate student Laura Gardner was her scholarship recipient. (See photo at left of Gardner, on right, and Estes.)

Estes began working with Waldron College in 1997. She is recognized as a strong student advocate and an individual who is exceptionally helpful to faculty. Estes has developed a variety of advising materials for the college and assisted with recruitment of new students.