Award Description

Mentoring offers a vital contribution to academic and professional success. At UNT, we are committed to providing a culture of mentoring excellence in all areas that impact academic life. The Ulys & Vera Knight Mentor Awards recognize faculty members who demonstrate sustained excellence in mentoring undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or other faculty. Mentoring may include support and guidance in the areas of teaching, research, service, academic achievement and/or professional development. Faculty members who have initiated departmental or university-wide mentoring programs or created student and/or faculty development programs are eligible for this recognition. In 2025, two awards will be given, each with an engraved commemorative gift and a one-time payment of $1,500:

  • The Ulys & Vera Knight Faculty Mentor Award, recognizing excellence in mentoring other UNT faculty members; and
  • The Ulys & Vera Knight Student Mentor Award, recognizing excellence in mentoring UNT students. 

Eligibility

  • Must have served the University of North Texas for a minimum of three (3) years.
  • Must be a full-time professional faculty or tenure-track/tenured faculty member in good standing at the time of the nomination.
  • Must demonstrate continued commitment to faculty-to-faculty and/or faculty-to-student mentoring.

Nomination Procedures

A faculty member who meets the above criteria may be nominated by any UNT faculty or university employee with in-depth knowledge of the accomplishments of the nominee. Nominators should inform nominees that they are being nominated and may solicit their assistance in preparing the nomination materials. Self-nominations will also be accepted. 

Submission Process

All nominations should be submitted using the nomination portalIf you have any questions please contact us at Faculty.Success@unt.edu or 940-565-3987.

Selection Process

An award selection committee will represent the faculty at large and the Faculty Senate Mentoring Committee. The Vice Provost for Faculty Success serves as the non-voting chair of the committee. 

Deadline

All completed nomination packets must be received by Faculty Success by 5 p.m. October 9, 2025. See the Call for Nominations for details.

Award Recipients

YEAR FACULTY MEMBER DEPARTMENT
YEARYEAR

2024-2025

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Samantha Bergman

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Behavior Analysis

YEARYEAR

2023-2024

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Jannon Fuchs

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Biological Sciences

YEARYEAR

2022-2023

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Brian Richardson

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Communication Studies

YEARYEAR

2022-2023

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Sushama Dandekar

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Chemistry

YEARYEAR

2021-2022

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Alexandra Ponette-González

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Geography and the Environment

YEARYEAR

2020-2021

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Mariela Nuñez-Janes

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Anthropology

YEARYEAR

2019-2020

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

William "Bill" Acree

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Chemistry

YEARYEAR

2018-2019

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Kimi Lynn King

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Political Science

YEARYEAR

2017-2018

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Raina Joines

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

English

YEARYEAR

2016-2017

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Yolanda Flores Niemann

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Psychology

YEARYEAR

2015-2016

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Teresa Golden

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Chemistry

YEARYEAR

2014-2015

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Jennifer Callahan

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Psychology

YEARYEAR

2013-2014

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

John Ishiyama

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Political Science

YEARYEAR

2012-2013

FACULTY MEMBERFACULTY MEMBER

Bertina Combes

DEPARTMENTDEPARTMENT

Educational Psychology