College of Arts and Letters

A shining example of an engaged faculty member who has also built an international reputation for her glass art, Katherine Gray has been named Cal State San Bernardino’s 2020-21 Outstanding Professor.

In being chosen for the honor, Gray, a professor and associate chair of the Department of Art and Design, also becomes the John M. Pfau Endowed Professor, named for the university’s first president. Gray is also a distinguished glass artist, whose work has been on display in a number of museum exhibitions and is the resident evaluator on the Netflix hit show “Blown Away,” now in its second season.

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Celebrated for her effective blend of kindness and rigor as an instructor, along with making notable contributions to campus culture, Cal State San Bernardino lecturer of Korean Bomi Hwang has been named the university’s 2020-21 Outstanding Lecturer.

Hwang, a CSUSB alumna, was surprised with the news April 7 at the start of a virtual meeting of Korean Language and Culture in the College of Arts and Letters as CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales and about 70 colleagues joined via Zoom screen to honor her.

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Outstanding Professor in Teaching and Instructional Related Activities: 
Alexandra Cavallaro, English

Outstanding Professor in Research, Scholarly or Creative Contribution:
Ed Gomez, Art & Design

Outstanding Professor in Service: 
David Marshall, English

Outstanding Lecturer: 
Steven King, Art & Design

On Oct. 1, 2020, as part of its ongoing CAL Talk series, the College of Arts and Letters presented Arts and Humanities in the Age of the Pandemic, a faculty panel discussion examining COVID-19’s impact and the critical role of creative and humanistic practices in fomenting social connectedness and cultural life.

An upcoming construction and renovation project will add two new buildings to campus, including a new Performing Arts Center and an academic building that will serve as an anchor to the College of Arts and Letters. The project also will renovate the existing Performing Arts Building for future expansion.

The California State University Board of Trustees approved the schematic design at its Sept. 23, 2020 meeting. The project currently is scheduled to open during the 2024-25 academic year.

On Nov. 19, 2020, five recently tenured or promoted CAL faculty members shared details about their work and research via Zoom.

Following an introduction by Dean Rueyling Chuang, Prof. Johanna Smith from the Department of Theatre Arts facilitated presentations by Dr. Maria Garcia-Puente, World Languages and Literatures; Prof. Ed Gomez, Art and Design; Dr. Liliana Conlisk Gallegos, Communication Studies; Dr. Julie L. Taylor, Communication Studies; and Dr. Dany Doueiri, World Languages and Literatures.

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During a surprise ceremony June 5, English professor Parastou Feizzaringhalam, affectionately known as Dr. Feiz, was named the recipient of the 2019-20 Golden Apple Award, the highest award for teaching at Cal State San Bernardino.

“You are receiving this award based on the exceptional and vast teaching record here at CSUSB,” President Tomás D. Morales said in honoring Feiz during a Zoom meeting filled with administrators, faculty and staff.

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When Communication Studies professor Ahlam Muhtaseb entered a Zoom conference June 11, she was expecting to discuss teaching.

Instead, she was surprised with the 2019-20 Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activities Award, which recognizes outstanding scholarship that has made and continues to make a significant impact on society.

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Bibiana Díaz, associate professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages and Literatures, was surprised on June 11 via Zoom with the 2019-20 Outstanding Faculty Advisor award.

President Tomás D. Morales announced she was receiving the prestigious honor, explaining that it was well-deserved for “her passion, commitment and dedication to student success providing career and life guidance.”

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• Ed Gomez (Art and Design)
• Julie Taylor (Communication Studies)
• Liliana Conlisk Gallegos (Communication Studies)
• Mariam Betlemidze (Communication Studies)
• Maria Garcia Puente (World Languages and Literatures)
• Dany Doueiri (World Languages and Literatures)
• Yumi Pak (English)

Ed Gomez, Art and Design

Thomas Girshin, English

Kevin Zhang, Music

Jose Cordoba De La Barrera, World Languages and Literatures

Eric Bayruns-Garcia, Philosophy

Kaitlyn Creasy, Philosophy

Nicholas Bratcher, Music

Jennifer Andersen, English

Eric Bayruns-Garcia, Philosophy

Yumi Pak, English

Michelle Fuller, the college’s budget and administrative analyst, was honored with the university's 2020 Distinguished Service Award, Academic Affairs division.

Kelli Cluque (Coyote Radio & Advertising) and Felipe Jimenez (Art and Design) each received the Team Achievement Award for assisting with this year’s Employee Development Days.

The staff of RAFFMA (Eva Kirsch, Michael Beckley, Miranda Canseco, John Fleeman, Diego Irigoyen, Bryan Kraemer and Laura Munoz) also received the Team Achievement Award for the RAFFMA @ Home initiative.

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