On Friday, Dec. 1, the college recognized the 2017 recipients of its faculty and staff awards. All of the recipients were nominated by faculty, staff and students in the college. And all of the recipients were recognized because they routinely deliver excellence, whether working with students, their colleagues or the greater Kalamazoo community.
2017 recipients
Outstanding Customer Service Award
Chris Salvaggio - Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Chris Salvaggio an administrative assistant I in the School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs, where she has worked since 2014. She is known in this building for her positive attitude, willingness to help, and her warm, welcoming demeanor. She treats faculty, staff and students with the utmost respect, making a positive impression on anyone who happens to walk into the SIHP offices. To many, she is the face of the School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs. As such, she is a reliable worker, a capable colleague and a wonderful ambassador.
Professional Instructor Teaching Excellence Award
Chelsey Langley - Occupational Therapy
Chelsey Langley is a part-time instructor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. She is also a practicing pediatric occupational therapist and a co-owner of Paper Plane Therapies. Here at WMU, she teaches the pediatric curriculum and supervises graduate students at Mel Trotter Ministries. Her colleagues and students who nominated her, say that Chelsey regularly goes “above and beyond” as a fieldwork instructor, forging relationships with students and partners. She truly has a passion for her work and for helping her young patients.
Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
Donald Cooney - Social Work
Dr. Donald Cooney is an associate professor in the School of Social Work, coming to WMU as an assistant professor in 1977. Dr. Cooney has been associate director of the Lewis Walker Institute for Race and Ethnic Relations since 2008. In 2011, he was awarded WMU’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest honor given by the University to recognize faculty members for their work. He has also been a Kalamazoo City Commissioner since 1997. He teaches courses on the history of social welfare, community practice, social change, and race and culture. Dr. Cooney is active in many social justice organizations, and has a committed interest in community practice, social justice, and confronting institutional prejudice and inequality.
Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
Maureen Mickus - Occupational Therapy
Dr. Maureen Mickus came to WMU in 2006 and is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and one of the founding members of the Center for Gerontology. In 2011, Dr. Mickus was awarded WMU’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest honor given by the University to recognize faculty members for their work. She has led an interdisciplinary study-abroad program to Ireland that focuses on understanding the cultural context of aging. She has served on multiple boards, including the Michigan Society of Gerontology and Centracare-Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
Scholarship Excellence Award
Robert Bensley - Interdisciplinary Health Programs
Dr. Robert Bensley is the coordinator of the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program in the School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs. Dr. Bensley came to the college in 2016 when the community health program moved to CHHS from the College of Human Performance and Health Education. In addition to coordinating the new program at CHHS, he also manages a grant-funded, online system that is helping change health behaviors and prevent chronic disease, annually impacting feeding practices of more than 3.5% of all children under the age of five living in the United States.