President Peters and Rebecca Houze
Rebecca Houze, associate professor and head of the Art History Division in NIU’s School of Art, is the recipient of the 2012 University Honors Great Professor Award.
This university-wide award, which was established in 2001, recognizes a faculty or staff member who has, over time, contributed significantly to honors education at NIU through teaching as well as advising, research, artistry or service.
Recipients manifest leadership, dedication and service to the University Honors Program and NIU honors students.
Houze has provided exemplary service to the University Honors Program and its students by teaching upper division honors seminars and honors mini-sections, as well as advising students completing Honors Capstone projects.
Honors students volunteer highly laudatory comments about Houze’s performance in the classroom.
She has developed new courses for the University Honors curriculum, organized enrichment field trips, agreed to participate in a new University Honors Themed Learning Community in fall 2012 (for which she will coordinate a team of art history faculty), and has worked diligently and collegially to involve a number of her School of Art colleagues in honors education.
“Houze is an outstanding member of the University Honors community. Her many contributions have had an exceedingly impact on the lives of NIU honors students,” said Christopher Jones, associate vice provost for University Honors.
Jones presided over the University Honors Program’s Honors Day Recognition Ceremony, held April 22 in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center. NIU President John G. Peters, Executive Vice President and Provost Ray Alden and Vice Provost Anne Birberick attended the ceremony.
A record-setting 166 University Honors graduates were recognized at the event, which was attended by about 400 people. Graduates received certificates and medals, gold cords and gold sashes to be worn at commencement.
- Freshmen Nicole Ayres and Joseph Palmer, sophomore Christopher Lloyd, junior Wayne Duerkes and senior Timothy Kusiba were recognized with Enhancement Awards. These awards honor students’ academic excellence, outstanding involvement in campus and service activities, and strong personal commitment to the University Honors Program.
- 2011 NIU graduates Alexander Fireman and Zachary Thorne received Outstanding Capstone Awards.
- The Phi Beta Kappa Association of Northern Illinois presented Daniel Brouillette with the J. Robert Hainds Award, which recognizes academic achievement at the very highest level while demonstrating devotion to the study of liberal arts and sciences in the Phi Beta Kappa tradition.
