CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign presents the Campus Awards for Excellence in Faculty Leadership each year to distinguished faculty who enrich the intellectual vitality of campus and the broader community.
The awards were presented in three categories — faculty mentoring, distinguished executive officer and outstanding faculty leadership — to four faculty members during a ceremony hosted by the Office of the Provost on campus this week.
For SIB, acting head of Entomology Andrew Suarez was honored:
Suarez embodies transformative leadership in higher education with his track record of revitalizing departments, advancing diversity and equity initiatives and promoting a culture of community and mentoring. He views himself not as a unit’s “leader” but its “champion” — someone whose primary role is to advocate for and serve the unit’s faculty and students. In the past decade of Suarez’s time as director or department head in three different units, he has established a commitment to transparency while nurturing talent and incentivizing excellence. Suarez is an exceptional communicator of science and prioritizes making the work of his faculty and students highly visible. Through careful strategizing, he has ensured that most of his faculty receive coverage in online or print media at least once a year. As an administrator, scholar and mentor, his contributions can be observed across his departments, campus and the broader scientific community.