PO Box 19120 • Arlington, TX 76019
Phone: 817-272-3365 • Fax: 817-272-3355
Assessment Recognition Program
Assessment Recognition Award for Faculty and Staff
The University of Texas at Arlington’s assessment recognition program acknowledges continuous improvement in academic programs, student support, and administrative support services. Each year since 2019, achievement in assessment at UTA is honored in three categories:
- Notable participation in the assessment process
- Outstanding uses of assessment results for improvement purposes
- Individual achievement in assessment (the Outstanding Assessment Practitioner award)
The Outstanding Assessment Practitioner Award is given to one UTA faculty member and one UTA staff member annually who has served as a leader and advocate for student learning outcomes assessment on campus. In each category, runners-up are also honored.
Outstanding Assessment Practitioners go above and beyond the Unit Effectiveness Process (UEP) assessment-related requirements of their job to continuously improve and promote teaching and learning via outcomes assessment and promulgate good practice within their program/department and broadly across programs and the institution.
Winners are nominated and selected by a panel of faculty and staff reviewers using an established criteria and rating rubric. Honorees in the Notable Participation and Outstanding Uses of Assessment Results for Improvement are selected based on a review of available data by IER staff.
2025 Assessment Recognition Awards
Correy Retzloff
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Winner
Dr. Retzloff is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Management.
*George Benson (Associate Dean Business) accepts the award on behalf of Correy Retzloff.
Ivy Hauser
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Runner Up
Dr. Hauser is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics and TESOL.
Michael Eaddy
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Winner
Dr. Eaddy is a Staff Psychologist in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services.
Morgan Hutto
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Runner Up
Hutto is an Employee Engagement Specialist in the Division of Student Success.
*Ashley Purgason (Vice Provost) and Liz Richter (Senior Director) accept the award on behalf of Morgan Hutto.
2024 Assessment Recognition Awards
Timothy Ponce
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Winner
Dr. Ponce is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of English, College of Liberal Arts.
Taylor Kessner
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Runner Up
Dr. Kessner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education.
Beth Fleener
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Winner
Dr. Fleener is the senior teaching innovation research associate in the Office of Provost (Center for Research in Teaching and Learning Excellence - Faculty Success).
Amoon Austin
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Runner Up
Austin is a Data Analyst II in the College of Business.
2023 Assessment Recognition Awards
Heather Philip
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Winner
Dr. Philip is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing, College of Business.
Tara Brown
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Runner Up
Dr. Brown is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics, College of Business.
Relius Johnson
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Winner
Dr. Johnson is the director of New Maverick Orientation in the Division of Student Affairs.
James Umphres
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Runner Up
Umphres is an Instructional Technology Specialist in the Department of Global Education Outreach.
2022 Assessment Recognition Awards
Andrew Clark
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Winner
Dr. Clark is a Professor in the Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts.
Grace Esimai
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Runner Up
Dr. Esimai is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, College of Business.
Brittany Usman
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Winner
Ms. Usman is an Instructional Designer, UTA Global Education and Outreach.
Julie Gray
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Runner Up
Dr. Gray is a Coordinator in an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work,
2021 Assessment Recognition Awards
Erika Pribanic-Smith
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Winner
Dr. Pribanic-Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts.
Timothy Ponce
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Faculty Runner Up
Dr. Ponce is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, College of Liberal Arts.
Jennifer Luken-Sutton
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Winner
Ms. Jennifer Luken-Sutton worked at TRiO Support Services and IDEA Grant Division of Student Success.
Relius Johnson
Outstanding Assessment Practitioner—Staff Runner Up
Dr. Johnson is the director of New Maverick Orientation in the Division of Student Affairs.