Teamwork, Shared Values Highlighted in 2018 State of the University and Faculty Awards

• By Melissa Whitfield
• December 27, 2018

Texas Tech University System Chancellor and TTUHSC President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., emphasized the importance of shared values and recognized faculty members for their achievements at the 2018 State of the University Address and Faculty Convocation Nov. 27.

Those values—one team, kindhearted, integrity, visionary and beyond service—make TTUHSC strong, secure and robust, Mitchell told the assembly.

“Everything evolves, especially in health care,” Mitchell said. “So we have to be thinking about training the students of tomorrow, training the researchers of tomorrow, answering the questions of tomorrow and constantly thinking towards the future. Students are coming here to learn to engage with colleagues in research and with patients at a time when patients are not doing well. It is an honor and huge responsibility.”

He added that it’s easy to get calcified in an environment with 5,000 people in a university setting and with 5,000 students, but noted that students are watching our behavior. “Our day-to-day behavior impacts our fellow TTUHSC family members. We are also training young folks about the things related to professional lives in medicine that they’re not going to learn in textbooks. Our students need our guidance.”

Mitchell concluded his speech by stressing teamwork.

“We’re all far better together than when we’re apart from one another. Together, we’ve been able to achieve a great deal of wonderful things and I look forward to achieving more as time goes forward,” he said.

After Mitchell closed message, he presented the 2018 Presidential Award Recipients.

President’s Excellence in Teaching Award

Alan Peiris, M.D., Ph.D. 

President’s Team Teaching Award

Brian Irons, Pharm. D.

Lisa Chastain, Pharm. D.

Krystal Edwards, Pharm. D.

Molly Minze, Pharm. D.

Robin Black, Pharm. D.

Courtney Duval, Pharm. D.

Ashley Higbea, Pharm. D.

Rebecca Schoen, Pharm. D.

President’s Excellence in Research Award

Vadivel Ganapathy, Ph.D.

President’s Early Career Investigator Award

Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D.

President’s Outstanding Clinician Award

John Griswold, M.D.

President’s Excellence in Community Engagement Award

Teresa Baker, M.D.

President’s Award for Interprofessional Teamwork

Donna Paris, MSN, R.N.

Heather Guest, MSN, R.N.

Debra Winckler, MSN, R.N.

Aaron Duebner, MSN, R.N.

Gayle Stegall, MSN, R.N.

Stacie Alvarez, MSN, R.N.

Nancy Ochs, MSN, R.N.

Kayley Simmons, Pharm. D.

Becky Fox, Pharm. D.

Terran Keidl, BSN, R.N.

Chephra McKee, Pharm. D.

Bethany Ibach, Pharm. D.

Mary Klein, Pharm. D.

University Distinguished Faculty Awards

Thomas Hale, Ph.D.

Sharmila Dissanaike, M.D.

Dale Dunn, M.D., MBA

Terry McMahon, M.D.

Kendra Rumbaugh, Ph.D.

Kevin Pruitt, Ph.D.