I am deeply honored to be named 2019 TAMU Presidential Impact Fellow.
One of the most prestigious awards for scholarly excellence at Texas A&M University, the Presidential Impact Fellowship is given to "select faculty who through their scholarship, personal commitment and results demonstrate they are rising to meet the challenges of their field and demonstrating impact towards creating a better world." The award was initiated by President Michael K. Young as a significant investment in faculty excellence and a recognition of the scholarship, personal commitment, and global impact.
Only about 40 faculty on campus so far have been given this title over the last three years. Presidential Impact Fellows retain their new title for life and receive an annual stipend of $25,000 for three years. The goal of this investment is to allow scholars increased opportunities for national and global dialogue and collaboration across disciplines and beyond the borders of institutions.
I am grateful to Texas A&M University for creating such an award for recognizing the broader impact of our scholarship through our research, teaching, service, and community engagement. Impact is never an individual effort. It is always a collective endeavor. Many many thanks to my family, students, mentors, and well-wishers for all their tremendous support. I hope I can live up to this title and honor as I continue to serve my campus, community, and the Communication discipline.
You can learn more about the Impact Fellows and EDGES Fellows here: https://today.tamu.edu/2019/11/05/texas-am-announces-2019-presidential-impact-fellows-edges-fellows/