Two win annual Samuel H. Smith Leadership awards

By Communications staff, Washington State University

Lori Carris, left, with students.
 

Carris
Mitchell

PULLMAN – The WSU Association for Faculty Women has honored Lori Carris and Judy Nichols Mitchell with this year’s Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award.

Carris, associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, won the annual award, and Mitchell, former dean of the College of Education, won a special posthumous award.

Mitchell was WSU’s longest serving dean when she died in June 2009, having joined WSU in 1998. Of the College of Education’s total of 71 tenure-line faculty, Mitchell hired 49 – 59 percent of whom are female. She also restored the college to fiscal health, retiring a debt of $1.5 million in her first three years.  
 
Mitchell developed strong partnerships across the Pullman campus as well as positive relationships with the regional campuses. She was instrumental in fostering diversity, initiating the concept of “cluster hires,” which helped add female faculty in the sciences as well as enhancing diversity in her own college.  

In support of Mitchell’s nomination, Debra Pastore, coordinator of the Professional Certification Program, wrote that “Judy has been a mentor and inspiration for everything I have accomplished at the College of Education.” Kim Holapa, College of Education director of development, said that Mitchell led “by remaining positive, ethical and above all professional in even the most difficult of circumstances. “ 

Carris is known for her advocacy for faculty women. She has served as chair of AFW as well as on a variety of other committees. 

“I am honored to receive this award,” Carris said, “and am grateful to all the wonderful people who took the time and effort to nominate me. This award also has special meaning for me because Sam Smith is a fellow plant pathologist.”

Carris won the WSU Mentor of the Year Award in 2007 and was honored as a Woman of Distinction by WSU in 2009. She has been graduate coordinator in the Department of Plant Pathology and is admired for her mentoring and her engaging teaching style. She has been integral to the development of the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education workshop initiative and is a founding member of the Transformational Leadership and Training Group.

Carris “has that rare synergistic ability to bring people together and catalyze them to produce more than they could have independently,” said one nominator. Another said Carris “affirms other women as leaders and promotes a supportive environment at WSU for all people.”  

According to Erica Austin, chair of the review committee, “We had a deep pool of talented, accomplished and dedicated nominees this year, which is a great reflection on our faculty.”  Other committee members included Kay Vyhnanek and Margaret Black. The awards will be presented on Dec. 9.
 
The Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award was established in 2000 to show AFW’s appreciation to President Emeritus Smith for his leadership in advancing the role of women at WSU. The award is made to an AFW member whose leadership has helped women in the WSU system and/or those who have demonstrated leadership in higher education, the community or profession at the local, state, regional, national or international level.
Previous recipients have included Sue Durrant (2000), Fran McSweeney (2001), Sue Armitage (2002), Carolyn Clark (2003), KNona Liddell (2004), Nancy Magnuson (2005), Muriel Oaks (2006), Marcia Saneholtz (2007) and Erica Austin (2008).
 
For information about joining the AFW, please go to the website.

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