Flavius Killebrew (left), president of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
joins Regent Ida Clement Steen and Chancellor McKinney at the Regents Awards
banquet, held in conjunction with the November Board of Regents meeting. (Photo
by Philip J. Schertz)
Board of Regents Vice Chairman Bill Jones (left) and Chairman John White
present the medallion to Regents Professor Award recipient Suzzette Chopin
of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (Photo by Philip J. Schertz)
Regents Professor Service Award recipient Billy Kniffen and his wife, Mary
Kniffen. (Photo by Philip J. Schertz)
(College Station)—Fourteen professors and administrators with The Texas A&M University System received the designation of Regents Professor or Regents Fellow for 2005-2006 during the A&M System Board of Regents meeting Nov. 31. A banquet in their honor was held that evening.
“I could ask for no better introduction to the A&M System in my new role as chancellor than learning about the contributions of these recipients and getting to know them at this banquet,” said Chancellor Michael D. McKinney at the event. “We are fortunate to have regents who understand the importance of the work being done across the A&M System and support it through this special recognition.”
Those from Texas A&M who were named Regents Professors are Linda Putnam; Mary Jo Richardson; Thomas Boutton, who has a joint appointment with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; John Niedzwecki, who has a joint appointment with the Texas Engineering Experiment Station; and Bernd Würsig of Texas A&M University at Galveston.
Others receiving the Regents Professor designation were Suzzette Chopin of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; Ronald Boyd, Sr., of Prairie View A&M University; Catherine Hawes of the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health; and William Hallmon of the Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry.
Those named Regents Fellows were Billy Parker of the Texas Engineering Extension Service; Billy Kniffen and Carol Rice of Texas Cooperative Extension; Charles Taylor, Jr. of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; and Robby DeWitt of the Texas Forest Service.
“For a country boy who grew up in Clyde, Texas, receiving this award is beyond any hopes or goals I could have set,” said Kniffen, the county extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Menard County, in west-central Texas. “It is humbling to be recognized with the other recipients and the accomplishments they have made to make this a better state, country and world to live in.”
Suzzette Chopin, a professor of biomedical sciences and director of the Office of Pre-Professional Education and Special Programs at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, expressed a similar view.
“I am honored to receive the Regents Professor Award,” she said. “By recognizing professors, the Board of Regents demonstrates its commitment to students and the new generation of scholars.”
The Board established the Regents Professor Award program in 1996 and Regents Fellows Service Award program in 1997 to recognize employees who have made exemplary contributions to their university or agency and to the people of Texas. To date, 89 faculty members have been named Regents Professors and 57 agency professionals have been named Regents Fellows.
Nominees must be full-time professors or senior-level professionals who have held that rank in the A&M System for at least five years and have produced a distinguished record of teaching, research and/or service. The chief executive officer of each university or agency nominates candidates for these designations. Nominations are reviewed by the chancellor, who then recommends them to the Board of Regents.
Awardees received a $9,000 stipend, a commemorative medallion and a certificate. 