Three TAMIU Faculty Receive Outstanding Awards

Three Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) faculty members have been awarded some of the University’s highest awards in ceremonies held during fall Faculty Assembly.

TAMIU provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Dr. Tom Mitchell, said the University’s faculty drive the University’s mission and mission accomplishment.

“Here at TAMIU, we are blessed with an extraordinarily gifted group of faculty who come to us from all over the world to lead and deliver our mission. The Award recipients’ efforts have been especially impressive, and we are honored to award them these richly deserved recognitions,” Dr. Mitchell said.

Receiving the Instructional Technology Excellence Award  was Dr. Hayley Kazen, assistant professional in University College. The Award recognizes a faculty member who integrates technology into the teaching and learning process, uses technology in creative and effective ways, and seamlessly integrates TAMIU's Learning Management System to support teaching and actively engaging students.

Dr. Kazen has taught a signature course entitled Growth, Grit, and Grace for freshmen. She utilized a variety of technology applications such as Kahoot, Voicethread, and Softchalk to engage students and develop templates to monitor their learning progression. Her constant drive to learn new technologies led her to design an ePortfolio utilizing Google Sites. Students can keep a chronology of their goals, skills and abilities with supportive documentation accessible anytime, anywhere. 

The University Outstanding Teacher Award was presented to Linda Villarreal, instructor in the College of Education. The Award recognizes teaching excellence among TAMIU’s fixed-term faculty. Recipients selected by the Faculty Senate from nominees submitted by TAMIU’s Colleges and Schools. 

Villarreal’s teaching approach is grounded in authentic assessments that demonstrate her student’s essential abilities and skills. She sets high expectations for her students that they consistently achieve. Villarreal holds multiple professional certifications in exercise and fitness, further reflecting her commitment to enhancing her classroom effectiveness.

The recipient of the University’s Distinguished Scholar of the Year Award was Dr. Marivic Torregosa, assistant professor and director of graduate programs for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Dr. Torregosa is a prolific scholar, publishing in the field of health care services and especially focused on the underserved South Texas region. She is the principal investigator of a $900,000 project funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Torregosa  has authored or co-authored six refereed articles in highly respected journals.  Most recently, she has been selected a principal investigator for a new $1.177 million federal grant funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Service Administration.

The grant addresses the critical shortage of qualified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners through an innovative training program delivered by the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing.

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