AMUW Faculty Achievement Award

Nora Finnigan Werra Faculty Achievement Award

The Association of Marquette University Women awards the Nora Finnigan Werra Faculty Achievement Award annually to honor and recognize a woman faculty member who has excelled in her research, teaching and service to Marquette and to the community, and has mentored students and other faculty. The AMUW Leadership Council handles management of this award, in partnership with the Center for the Advancement of the Humanities.

The award is named for Nora Finnigan Werra, friend of Marquette, whose many relatives attended the university. “It was an honor to endow this very important award,” Werra said. “I believe that it not only recognizes outstanding women faculty but also tells others within the university and the community that women faculty are recognized and valued. It also shows those interested in teaching at Marquette that the university is a great place to work!”

The call for nominations can be found HERE.

Award Selection Process

Eligibility

A woman Associate Professor or Professor will be eligible for this award. Nominees need to be employed full-time, and have given at least 7 years of service to Marquette.

Nomination Process

Solicitations for this award will normally be sent out in the fall of each year. Nominations will be solicited from full-time faculty.  Only one ballot is required to start the nomination process.  Self-nominations will not be accepted.  The Center for the Advancement of the Humanities will request a letter of support from the top 5-10 candidate’s deans/chairs and the candidate’s curriculum vitae.  This letter should support the candidate’s level of excellence achieved in her research, teaching, service to Marquette and to the community, and her mentoring of students and other faculty.  No one serving on the Selection Committee may be nominated for this award.  A Professor/Associate Professor is eligible to win this award once in a lifetime.  The recipient will receive the award in late April at the Association of Marquette University Women and the Institute for Women’s Leadership Awards Conferral.

Selection Committee

The chair of the Selection Committee will be the non-voting, AMUW liaison.  The Selection Committee (not including the chair) will be comprised of 5 voting members, men and women, who will follow the guidelines established for this award.  Membership for the Selection Committee, including the chair, will be as follows: three senior Marquette faculty from different colleges (serving one 1-year term) and two representatives from AMUW (serving one 2-year term).  Terms shall be staggered. The past award recipient will serve a term on the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee faculty members will be chosen by the Center for the Advancement of the Humanities, and the AMUW members will be selected by the AMUW Leadership Council.

2023-2024 Winner

AMUW Award SuJean Choi

Dr. SuJean Choi is a scientist who focuses on training and mentoring future generations of scientists and students of science. In addition to mentoring students, she maintains a leadership role in developing and directing the interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate program at Marquette and serves as associate dean for research in the College of Health Sciences. Most recently, she has developed a Master of Biomedical Sciences program that will launch this summer. At Marquette, SuJean is a principal investigator for the NIH-supported U-RISE program, which provides financial and professional development support for underrepresented undergraduates to engage in hands-on research experiences and facilitate their transition to a graduate program in order to pursue a Ph.D. in science.

 

Past Winners

See the list of past recipients of the Nora Finnigan Werra Faculty Achievement Award.

Past Winners

2022-2023

Dr. Louise Cainkar

Social and Cultural Sciences

2021-2022

Dr. Michelle Mynlieff

Biological Sciences 

2020-2021

Dr. Theresa Tobin

Philosophy

2018-2019

Dr. Anne Pasero

Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

2017-2018

Dr. Ruth Ann Belknap

Nursing

2016-2017

Dr. Jane Peterson

Social and Cultural Sciences

2015-2016

Dr. Sandra Hunter

Exercise Science

2014-2015

Dr. Paula Papanek

Exercise Science

2013-2014

Dr. Kristy Nielson
Psychology

2012-2013

Dr. Roberta Coles

Social and Cultural Sciences

2011-2012

Dr. Leona VandeVusse

Nursing

2010-2011

Dr. Rosemary Stuart

Biological Sciences

2009-2010

Dr. Krista Ratcliffe

English

2008-2009

Dr. Kathleen Karrer

Biological Sciences

2007-2008

Dr. Kristina Ropella

Biomedical Engineering

2006-2007

Dr. Diane Hoeveler

English

2005-2006

Dr. Lauren Leslie

Education

2004-2005

Dr. Gail Waring

Biological Sciences

2003-2004

Dr. Linda Vaughn

Biomedical Sciences