The award, announced at the OVC Basketball Championship tournament, recognizes outstanding faculty across conference institutions for their student impact, contributions to department and university curricula, professional development, community involvement and institutional service.

鈥淢y first reaction was genuine surprise, followed quickly by gratitude,鈥� Rockwell said. 鈥淟ike most faculty, I鈥檓 often focused on the next class session, the next student meeting, or the next report, and don鈥檛 stop to think about awards. My thoughts quickly turned to my students, many of whom are balancing demanding jobs or Division I athletics with rigorous academic programs. Their perseverance embodies what this award represents.鈥�

Rockwell credits 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, especially the School of Business, with shaping her approach to teaching. Working at a university rooted in access, opportunity, and real-world relevance has reinforced her focus on ensuring each course, assignment, and experience helps prepare students for long-term success. The school鈥檚 鈥淜now Your Worth鈥� motto 鈥� the idea that every student鈥檚 education should yield a measurable return in their career and life 鈥� serves as a constant reminder that what happens in the classroom must pay dividends well beyond it.

That mindset is especially evident in how Rockwell works with student-athletes, whom she recognizes as effectively managing two full-time commitments at once. She prioritizes flexibility and proactive communication, meeting with student-athletes early in the semester to align assignment deadlines and exam dates with their travel and competition schedules, all while holding them to the same academic standards as every other student.

鈥淪tudent-athletes are not only competitors 鈥� they are emerging professionals,鈥� Rockwell said, 鈥渁nd I want them to leave here understanding that their education is an investment in themselves.鈥�

For Rockwell, that belief in student potential is inseparable from what she teaches and how she teaches it. She was drawn to law, management, marketing, and technology because of where those disciplines intersect 鈥� strategy, people, and innovation 鈥� where decisions carry immediate consequences and advantages for organizations and communities. 

鈥淏usiness law allows me to show students how legal rules shape everything from contracts and branding to real estate development and technology adoption,鈥� Rockwell said. 鈥淲e can move seamlessly from doctrine to real-world examples 鈥� analyzing influencer agreements, walking neighborhoods when we study eminent domain, or unpacking the fine print of a contract a student may someday sign.鈥�

That carries particular weight for college athletes working to reach the next level. For a student-athlete hoping to sign a professional contract, understanding the legal language is not just an academic exercise, it is preparation for one of the most important moments of their career.

For Rockwell, the award represents something larger than her own work. It affirms her efforts at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and the School of Business and connects her to a broader community of faculty across the OVC committed to the same mission. The students she teaches go on to work, lead and build in Little Rock and across Arkansas, and she sees the classroom as the starting point for that impact.

鈥淲hat keeps me motivated is seeing students transform over time 鈥� from tentative first-year or MBA students into confident professionals, graduate students, and, in some cases, future lawyers and community leaders,鈥� Rockwell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 especially rewarding to watch student-athletes and working students discover that their education is not just a requirement but an investment in themselves and in the communities they will serve.鈥�

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Anastasia Boles, professor of law, won the Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching, sponsored by the Bailey Family. Skurat Harris, associate professor of rhetoric and writing, has won the Faculty Excellence Award in Research and Creative Endeavors, sponsored by Dr. Jaafer Golzar and Renee Golzar, while Siraj, associate professor of chemistry, received the Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service, sponsored by the Chancellor鈥檚 Circle.

In the university鈥檚 newest Faculty Excellence categories, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock honored Kiel Thorlton, assistant professor of mass communication, as the second recipient of the Rising Faculty Excellence Award, sponsored by Dr. Scott Bowen, as well as Rockwell, associate professor of marketing and advertising, as the second recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award in Social Justice, sponsored by Just Communities of Arkansas.

鈥淥ur recipients’ unwavering commitment to scholarship, teaching, research, public service, and social justice has significantly enriched both our institution and the wider academic sphere,鈥� Provost Ann Bain said. 鈥淥n behalf of the university, I extend heartfelt congratulations to each award recipient, expressing gratitude for epitomizing the essence of excellence that defines our institution.”

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock annually celebrates the achievements of the top professors of the year who are making a difference in the community through their contributions in teaching, research and creative works, public service, and social justice. This is the highest honor 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock awards its faculty members. Each university-level award winning faculty member will receive a $5,000 prize.

Created in 1989, the Faculty Excellence Awards has provided a way to recognize the great work of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty for the past 35 years and is made possible through the valued contributions of the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor鈥檚 Circle, and the Bailey Foundation.

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Board of Visitors selected the university-wide winners from the 19 faculty members who were selected as the top faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year in each of the five categories in their respective colleges and the William H. Bowen School of Law.

鈥淚 want to give a special thank you to the Board of Visitors,鈥� Bain said. 鈥淲e very much appreciate their dedication to this and the positive comments we鈥檝e seen from them about the dedication of our faculty members.鈥�

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

Anastasia Boles is a professor of law at the William H. Bowen School of Law and co-director of Bowen鈥檚 Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform. She has been noted by fellow faculty, students, and alumni as an example of the teacher-mentor model. Boles鈥� background is in large law firm litigation, and she brings her civil litigation experiences to her classes and incorporates culturally proficient legal instruction into her courses.

鈥淧rofessor Boles exemplifies the qualities that this award recognizes,鈥� Bowen Dean Emerita Theresa Beiner said. 鈥淪he is a master teacher; an innovative teacher who incorporates culturally proficient legal instruction in her courses, creating a more inclusive and engaging experience for all of her students; and a mentor to the students in her classes as well as those who participate in her projects in Bowen鈥檚 Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform.鈥�

Unlike most law classes, which use the Socratic method, Boles uses a panel system to call on students. This allows students to know what day they will be questioned in class and helps build student confidence.

鈥淚 am extremely honored and humbled to win this award,鈥� Boles said. 鈥淥ur students at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock are so talented. My goal as a Bowen law professor is to help them develop the lawyering skills necessary to become competent, equity-informed, and culturally competent leaders. Many students come to law school wanting to change the world, so I focus on keeping my classes interactive, grounded in social context, and full of opportunities for formative assessment.鈥�

Boles received a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. (double major) in political science and sociology from Stanford University.

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Heidi Skurat Harris is an associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing. With a decade of experience at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Harris has made significant impacts in the research field.

Her research areas of online instruction and online writing program development allow her to use her research data to improve her teaching and advising. She is also a recognized national expert on online writing instruction, editing the Bedford Bibliography of Research in Online Writing Instruction and co-authoring important works such as 鈥淢ultimedia in the College Classroom: Improve Learning and Connect with Students in Online and Hybrid Courses.鈥� She developed 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Graduate Certificate for Online Writing Instruction, the only certificate of its kind in the nation.

鈥淚 am deeply passionate about online education and continually strive to enhance the student experience,鈥� Skurat Harris said. 鈥淲hether in the classroom or engaging with students online, I am committed to fostering meaningful interactions that remind students of the human connection behind the screen. When working with online students, it’s especially important to be present in the classroom and interact with students so they know there is a human behind the screen that cares about them.鈥�

Her experiences in teaching and advising online students drive her research agenda. In the last five years, Skurat Harris has published four book chapters, 12 journal articles, a bibliography, and two co-edited books. Her research further appears in books such as 鈥淔oundational Practices in Online Writing Instruction鈥� and in some of the top journals in the field, including Technical Communication Quarterly, Computers & Composition, and Communication Quarterly.

Skurat Harris received her Ph.D. in English and an M.A. in English from Ball State University, an M.A. in writing from Missouri State University, and a B.A. in English from the College of the Ozarks.

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

Dr. Noureen Siraj is an associate professor of chemistry at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. She is involved in numerous organizations within and outside the university. At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, she serves on the Awards Committee in the Chemistry Program, the Chemical Safety Committee, the Faculty Senate Honors and Awards Committee, and the Student Research and Creative Works Committee. Outside the university, she serves as a grant proposal reviewer for many state and federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and NASA.

Since 2020, she has served as the Chemistry Olympiad Coordinator for the American Chemical Society. The Central Arkansas American Chemical Society honored her with two prestigious awards in 2023 – Central Arkansas Professor of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

Siraj has played a significant role in the community by helping build pathways to STEM careers for underserved children in Little Rock, as well as encouraging students, especially female students, to follow their STEM-related interests. Over the past five years, Siraj has mentored 22 middle and high school students for their science fair projects, three of whom have won awards at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

鈥淚t feels wonderful to be recognized for the efforts I鈥檝e been putting in with students for many years,鈥� Siraj said. 鈥淚 try to do my best to provide students with as many opportunities as possible. I have seen many undergraduate students in Arkansas who don鈥檛 know the future of STEM majors during their studies. I work with my students very closely so that they can see the big picture and the opportunities that await them. I am very proud that some of my minority and first-generation college students who have graduated are now working at national laboratories and making a big difference for their families and in the world. I have received many blessings in my life, and I enjoy public service activities because I want to share my blessings with others.鈥�

She received a Ph.D. in chemistry from Graz University of Technology in Austria and a bachelor鈥檚 degree and master鈥檚 degree in chemistry from the University of Karachi in Pakistan.

Faculty Excellence Award for Rising Faculty

Kiel Thorlton, assistant professor in the School of Mass Communication, joined the university in 2020 and has become well known for his film work and mentoring students.

Thorlton鈥檚 film work includes writing, directing, and co-producing a feature film called 鈥淎 Place Called Home鈥� and writing episodes for the animated series, 鈥淕abriel and the Guardians.鈥� He is currently in preproduction on a second feature film, 鈥淭he Invisible,鈥� where he serves as writer, director, and co-producer.

鈥淚 am so thankful to receive this award because there are some really talented people in the rising faculty pool. In the classroom setting, I try to emphasize working with my students outside of the classroom as much as possible,鈥� said Thorlton, adding that he was headed straight to the set to help a student with his capstone project. 鈥淭here is a lot that can be learned outside the classroom when you have the opportunity and take the initiative to learn new skills.鈥�

Additionally, he is also the coordinating producer for ESPN+ and manages a student crew responsible for over 100 broadcasts a year. Thorlton received a M.F.A in film & television from Regent University and a B.A. in mass communication and theatre from Campbellsville University.

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The university-level Faculty Excellence winners will be announced at the April 4 ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the Schueck, McCarty, Lexicon Inc. Auditorium in the Engineering and Information Technology Building.

More information on the CBHHS winners and excerpts from their nomination letters are below:

Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Zhao is an assistant professor of management at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Zhao has published seven peer reviewed journal articles, five of which were co-authored with other 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty members. Her research explores international business and strategic management areas and produces insights on complex topics such as corporate social responsibility and multinationality.

The influence of Zhao鈥檚 work is reflected in the 111 citations it has received from scholars around the world. She has been invited to review for eight prestigious international journals and three major international conferences on 31 occasions. Zhao鈥檚 peers hold her to a high esteem, as evidenced by her election as the representative-at-large for the teaching community of the Strategic Management Society.

As a teacher, Zhao is determined to provide an excellent experience to students by integrating real-world business scenarios into her curriculum. She ensures that students have practical application skills in addition to the theoretical knowledge that is built into the curriculum. She has also integrated her own research in the classroom, giving students an opportunity to get a more comprehensive understanding of business strategies and ecosystems.

Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service

Dr. Flowers is an assistant professor of social work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, as well as the chair of the diversity committee. Flowers has demonstrated dedication to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the social work program. As chair of the diversity committee, she led a review of the program鈥檚 curriculum, identifying areas where DEI could be strengthened. The study revealed a lack of diverse perspectives, which led Flowers and her peers to advocate for and implement recommendations to ensure more diverse perspectives in the curriculum, better preparing students to serve diverse populations as social work practitioners.

Flowers has also been involved with the Association of Social Work Boards Practice Analysis Task Force from 2021-2023. As a member of this task force, Flowers advocated for the national licensed master social work exam to be unbiased and fair for all students.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Flowers has also demonstrated her dedication to public service through her 鈥淏ags of Love for the Homeless鈥� project, where she coordinated with other faulty, staff, and students in the social work program to assemble 60 hygiene bags for unhoused individuals in Little Rock and the surrounding areas.

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

James is a senior instructor of interpreter education at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, as well as the

Office of Special Education Programs project director. During his time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, James has had an incredible impact on student success and on the Interpreter Education program. His students have gone on to work in the White House, in multiple federal departments, and in public and private schools nationwide.

James has a far-reaching reputation as a leader in interpreter education. Each year, James teaches seven different courses. In the classroom, James creates a learning environment that prioritizes hands-on learning and aims to bridge the gap from school to work. One way he does this is by producing simulations for Interpreter Education Program (IEP) students that mimic situations they would experience in the profession once they graduate. James has proven a dedication to learning new skills and consistently adapting and improving his teaching style to produce qualified interpreters.

Faculty Excellence Award for Social Justice

Dr. Rockwell is an associate professor of marketing and advertising at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. During her time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Rockwell has demonstrated her dedication to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of academic life.

As a teacher, Rockwell goes above and beyond to make each student feel heard and valued. She incorporates diverse perspectives into her curriculum and challenges students to examine issues of inequality and injustice to inspire them to become agents of positive change.

Additionally, Rockwell serves marginalized communities and vulnerable populations by amplifying their voices and advocating for their rights. She has served at programs such as the Junior League of Little Rock, Arkansas Children鈥檚 Hospital Auxiliary, and the Arkansas Bar Association Board of Trustees. Rockwell has shown her commitment to serving others and opening doors of opportunity through her volunteer work, community partnerships, and advocacy campaigns.

Faculty Excellence Award for Rising Faculty

Dr. Lee is an assistant professor of social work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, as well as the coordinator for the graduate social work program. In her three years at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Lee has excelled in teaching, research, and service.

In the spring of 2023, faculty unanimously voted for Lee to be the Master of Social Work (MSW) program coordinator. Lee has excelled not only in that position, but also as a teacher. Lee鈥檚 passion and productivity in the classroom stand out, and she has demonstrated an ability to make difficult courses like statistics more manageable and relatable for students. She takes great care to ensure that each of her students is equipped with an understanding of each concept she teaches. Students have recognized her dedication to their learning and often request to be in her sections of the courses.

Lee has five peer reviewed publications and one manuscript currently under review. She has given presentations at international conferences and has been awarded internal funding from the School of Social Work.

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