Staff, Faculty Award Winners Recognized for Contributions to Arts & Sciences

MAY 5, 2026 Lorenzo Perez
Group shot of recent staff and faculty winners of Arts & Sciences awards with A&S Dean Christa Acampora

The College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences celebrated its community last week with a series of awards created to honor the specific work of A&S staff and faculty. Seventeen award winners were recognized at the April 28 All School Meeting in the auditorium of UVA’s Harrison Institute/Small Special Collections Library.

“This year, we are focusing on awards and recognitions specific to Arts & Sciences, our own recognitions,” A&S Dean Christa Acampora said at the awards presentation. “Today, we are focusing on the recognition that comes from you. Many of you participated in producing these honors by nominating colleagues, reviewing materials, and identifying those to celebrate. 

“That collective work deepens what excellence means at the University of Virginia, and what we value and esteem in Arts & Sciences. We are sharing in the practice of meaning-making, and that in itself is worth noting.”

Faculty and staff were invited to vote this spring on four new A&S Staff Awards, created to recognize the essential work that staff members due to advance the A&S mission by supporting students, enabling faculty and keeping the school running.

Rick Marshall was presented the A&S Dean’s Award for Distinguished Achievement, the highest recognition of staff excellence within the school for his contributions as the Director of Laboratories for the Department of Physics. For nearly four decades, Marshall has led a world-class technical services staff, shaped the department’s research infrastructure, guided the Jesse Beams Lab through a complex multi-year renovation, and taught the intermediate lab course required for physics majors.

College Registrar Judy Updike received the Cavalier Award for more than 30 years of service leading thousands of students to graduation every year. Acampora praised her ability to troubleshoot on a case-by-case base and her ability to navigate the complexity of College policy with “precision, timeliness and what her supervisor calls unquestioned expertise.”

“When departments hit roadblocks with enrollments, when advisors are unsure of university process, when other schools and central offices seek guidance — Judy Updike has the answer,” Acampora said. “As one nominator noted: just when you think you’ve found an edge case to stump her, you find out she handled a similar one years ago and already knows the fix.”

A&S Dean Christa Acampora posing for a group photo with four winners of A&S staff awards.
(L to R): A&S Staff Award winners Shawn Tucker (Dept. of Drama), David Cantor-Echols (Advising Fellow), Judy Updike (College Registrar) and Chris Youngs (Blandy Experimental Farm) pose with A&S Dean Christa Acampora (center).

This year’s other Staff Award winners were:

  • A&S Award for Outstanding Pre-Major Advising: David Cantor-Echols, Advising Fellow
  • A&S Award for Outstanding Collaboration: Shawn Tucker, Department of Drama’s Director of Production
  • A&S Award for Community & Belonging: Chris Youngs, Grounds Coordinator for Blandy Experimental Farm

In addition, 12 faculty award winners were recognized:

Three faculty award winners pose with A&S Dean Christa Acampora.

Dean’s Research Fellows

  • Ashleigh Wade (Media Studies)
  • Zac Irving (Philosophy)
  • Jonathan Colmer (Economics)
  • Amanda Gibson (Biology)
  • Adrienne Wood (Psychology)
  • Paul Torrey (Astronomy)

Dean’s Research Excellence Fellows

  • Yifan Zhou (Astronomy)
  • Jennifer MacCormack (Psychology)
  • Emma Harrington (Economics)

Dean’s Award for Excellence as a Graduate Student Mentor

  • Anne Garland Mahler (Spanish)
  • Justin Kirkland (Politics)
  • Jessica Connelly (Psychology)