BYU announced its annual faculty and staff awards and honors on Monday during the first day of the annual University Conference.
Curt W. Holman, a former ballroom world championship contestant, received the university’s most prestigious honor, the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award.
The Maeser Award is reserved for a professor who has demonstrated clear superiority in both scholarship and teaching.
Holman is the director of BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company.
Holman “has elevated the university’s global reputation in ballroom dance through innovative, award-winning choreography,” according to the conference program.
The dance company recently performed for the king and queen of Thailand, with artistic direction from Holman.
“Highly regarded within the professional ballroom community, Holman is sought after by world-class cabaret couples,” the program said. “Many have gone on to earn world championship titles while performing Holman’s creative works. Holman’s artistry continues to distinguish BYU as a leading force in the international ballroom dance arena.”
Who won BYU’s 2025 faculty and staff awards?
Ben E. Lewis Management Award: Brandon Groves, Office of Information Technology.
Groves recently completed the largest IT project in the history of the Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The project retired 85 university systems and implemented the Workday finance and human resources system at BYU.
Fred A. Schwendiman Performance Award: Melanie Jensen, Physical Facilities.
Jensen maintains 16 Helaman Halls residence buildings, supervising more than 100 student employees.
President’s Appreciation Awards:
- Stephen Buhler, Physical Facilities.
- Joel Christensen, Financial Services.
- John Ellsworth, research laboratories supervisor, Physics and Astronomy.
- Sherami Jara, Humanities.
- Corinne Mayberry, Education.
- Jennifer Schill, religion and family history reference specialist, Harold B. Library.
- Ransford Sorensen, Physical Facilities.
- Glenl Austin Wear Jr., grounds director, Physical Facilities.
Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Awards:
- Clifton B. Farnsworth, Civil and Construction Engineering.
- Christopher F. Karpowitz, Political Science.
- Gregory Stallings, Spanish and Portuguese.
Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Awards:
- Daniel P. Ames, Civil and Construction Engineering.
- Richard West, Instructional Psychology and Technology.
- David A. Wood, School of Accountancy.
Karl G. Maeser Professional Faculty Excellence Awards:
- Don Breakwell, Microbiology and Molecular Biology.
- Natalie Hancock, School of Family Life.
- Sharon Christensen, Mathematics Education.
University Professorship Award: Matthew Farr Wickman, English, and founding director of the BYU Humanities Center.
Alumni Professorship Award: Miles Romney, School of Communication.
General Education Professorship: Melissa P. Larson, School of Accountancy.
Abraham O. Smoot Citizenship Award: John B. Bingham, Management.
Wesley P. Lloyd Award for Distinction in Graduate Education: Michael S. Drake, School of Accountancy.
Phi Kappa Phi Award: Christopher A. Mattson, Mechanical Engineering.
Adjunct Faculty Excellence Awards:
- Cristina A. Cowley, Spanish and Portuguese.
- Ronald Linn, Art.
- Steven R. Schill, Geography.
BYU Class of 1949 Young Faculty Award: Jihea Hong-Park, School of Music.
Sponsored Research Recognition Award: Ryan Kelly, Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Early Career Scholarship Awards:
- William W. Clayton, Law.
- Hayley Pierce, Sociology.
- Douglas Thomas, Design.
- Marie M. Prothero, Nursing.
Technology Transfer Award: Tyler J. Jarvis, Mathematics.
Early Career Teaching Awards:
- Adam A. Rogers, School of Family Life.
- Cree Lane Jones, Law.
- Elizabeth Gibbons Bailey, Biology.
- Ryan Hugh Sharp, Ancient Scripture.
Creative Works Award: Iain Hunter, Exercise Science.
Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellowships:
- Steven K. Charles, Mechanical Engineering.
- Sondra Heaston, Nursing.
- David C. Morgan, Design.
- John Talbot, English.
- Brad Wilcox, Ancient Scripture.
- Dawn-Marie G. Wood, Psychology.