Eight MGA Faculty Members Honored for Teaching, Scholarship, Or Service Excellence At Spring Honors Convocation

Author: Sheron Smith
Posted: Thursday, April 3, 2025 12:00 AM
Categories: School of Health and Natural Sciences | Faculty/Staff | School of Business | School of Education and Behavioral Sciences | School of Aviation | Pressroom | School of Arts and Letters | School of Computing | Honors/Awards

Macon, GA

Some of the faculty members recognized at 2025 Honors Convocation. Image: Jessica Whitley Photography

Middle Georgia State University (MGA) has recognized eight faculty members for outstanding achievements related to teaching, scholarship, and various areas of service.

The University celebrated the faculty members at the 2025 Honors Convocation, an annual spring gathering where students finishing degrees in MGA’s various programs receive awards for superior academic accomplishments.

Here are the faculty honorees:

Marina Spears received the MGA award for Excellence in Full-Time Teaching. Spears is an associate professor of English and, as a dedicated educator for 25 years, is one of the unsung heroes of college teaching. She is also the coordinator of institutional priority domain courses, while also maintaining highly effective practices in her own classes. She leads class field trips, organizes writing marathons, presents conference papers on teaching, and actively participates in faculty teaching communities. She is an exemplary teacher, and it is this kind of dedication that explains the lavish praise she has received from colleagues and students alike.

Dr. Allison Hamilton received the award for Excellence in Part-time Teaching. Hamilton serves as the director of operations for Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness, yet she still finds time to teach adjunct American government courses at both MGA and the University of South Carolina-Aiken, a role she has held for the past eight years. Passionate about teaching, she loves engaging with students, inspiring them to understand the importance of government and politics while maintaining a balanced, unbiased approach. Regarded as a highly effective instructor, she is an asset to her department and the University. 

Dr. Matt Noble received the award for Excellence in Scholarship. Noble is an associate professor of mathematics who continues to excel in scholarship year after year. He won this very award in 2014, but in the intervening time, he has published 14 mathematical articles (11 in the past five years) in a field where publication is challenging. The successful research collaborations he has published with five different students exemplify what it means to be a faculty scholar fostering the next generation of mathematicians. Through these efforts, Noble has proven that he deserves this recognition once again for his amazing accomplishments. 

Dr. Elaina Behounek received the award for Excellence in Service. Behounek, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, has an outstanding record of service that extends from her department to the University, surrounding communities, and the nation. Some of the highlights include serving in administrative roles on search, review, and standing committees; engaging in community projects such as Macon Aim and One Safe Space, which support working families and victims of violence; and holding leadership positions in national organizations. Her service, advocacy, and academic leadership demonstrate her unwavering commitment to both her field and the broader community. 

Dr. Sabrina Wengier received the Provost’s Award. This award recognizes a faculty member’s significant contributions in all three areas of their career: teaching, scholarship, and service. Wengier is a professor of French, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Studies and is the coordinator of both the Modern Language and the Interdisciplinary Studies programs. Her outstanding contributions in all categories of academia make her a deserving recipient of this award.

In teaching, she has been a USG Governor’s Teaching Fellow, a Provost’s Fellow for Faculty Career Advancement at MGA, and the winner among all state universities in the USG of the 2024 Felton Jenkins Jr. Faculty Hall of Fame Award.

In service, she received the MGA Service Award in 2021 and has played key roles in MGA’s SACS-COC Reaffirmation, undergraduate catalog editing, and many, many committees.

In scholarship, Wengier has published and presented on online language teaching, critical thinking, and career readiness. In 2024, she published in The French Review on her retention and recruitment efforts and later that year received a World Language 360 grant to support these efforts.

Wengier’s extensive achievements demonstrate her dedication to teaching, service, and scholarship and, therefore, truly embody what the Provost’s Award is all about.

Dr. Joobum Kim is MGA's Nominee for the Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award. Currently an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science, Kim works steadily to expand the power and reach of his scholarship. Keeping student success at the forefront of his efforts, his scholarship is a fine example of collaboration with both students and colleagues. Aside from multiple citations listed on Google Scholar, Kim’s impact can be seen in positive outcomes for MGA students and in his contributions to the successful growth of the department and the School of Computing.

Cory Smith is MGA's Nominee for the Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching. Smith is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology and Criminal Justice, and he has an endless curiosity for highly effective teaching strategies. His impact on students is a direct result of his commitment to online teaching and learning. He implements evidence-based strategies for creating a robust and authentic sense of instructor presence, incorporating numerous real-world examples and assignments, and encouraging deep critical thinking. His students say they benefit from his supportive and productive learning environments.

Dr. Rebekah Hazlett-Knudsen is MGA's Nominee for the Regents' Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award. Hazlett-Knudsen is the program coordinator for the social work degree program. She earned her opportunity to represent MGA at the state level because of years of effort and compassion. Her work at MGA shows she is thoroughly and deeply committed to the education, development, and professionalization of her students. She has a long, well-earned reputation for being a champion for connecting with students as whole people.  Her teaching centers care, action, and reflection in how she supports student learning.