University Awards

Brian Roberts

Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award

Brian Russell Roberts specializes in US literary and cultural studies . Since arriving at BYU in 2008, he has published two scholarly monographs and two coedited collections with some of the finest presses in the fields of American literature and cultural theory . These books have focused on Black transnationalism and US cultural geography . His work has also appeared in prestigious journals including PMLA, American Literature, and American Literary History. At BYU, Roberts has been a Humanities College professor, a Humanities Center fellow, and coordinator of the American Studies program . In 2015 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Indonesia .

Cherice Montgomery

Douglas K. Christensen Teaching & Learning Faculty Fellowship

Not only is Cherice Montgomery loved and admired by her colleagues at BYU, she is also nationally recognized as an innovative and caring foreign language teacher educator and trainer . She is frequently invited to give presentations and training on professional development around the country and has received numerous teaching awards, including the prestigious Anthony Papalia award from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) in 2018 . Countless students and educators have been blessed by her personal mentoring and testimony, as well as by her online wikis and articles dedicated to foreign language pedagogy .

Wendy Baker-Smemoe

Wesley P. Lloyd Award for Distinction in Graduate Education

Since her faculty appointment in 2003, Wendy Baker-Smemoe has established a remarkable record of distinguished teaching and mentoring graduate students . In addition to developing important graduate courses, Baker- Smemoe has served on more than 85 thesis or dissertation committees . She has made an extraordinary difference in the lives of her students . As a prolific scholar, well-recognized by her peers, she loves to help her students become effective researchers and has coauthored important publications with many of them . Those she has mentored over the years are now leaders around the world in fields such as linguistics, education, law, and business .

Elliott Wise

Early Career Teaching Award

Elliott Wise is a master teacher in the field of art history . He is a fascinating lecturer and his enthusiasm for the subject matter profoundly inspires and motivates students in their learning and research . Moreover, his innovative teaching techniques engage students in a variety of amazing projects including museum exhibitions and art documentaries .

In his interactions with students, Professor Wise consistently shows Christian kindness and charity . His daily life is a constant demonstration of his testimony and students regularly express gratitude for his example as they progress toward their own educational and spiritual goals .

Kathryn Isaak

Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award

A third generation teacher, Kathryn Isaak has taught GE humanities and writing courses at BYU for over two decades . In 2020–21 she served on the university’s GE Design Committee . Working with her humanities colleagues, she has revised a course textbook, created one online course, and re-designed another . Kathryn has also partnered with the BYU Department of German & Russian as a humanities instructor for their Vienna and Berlin study abroad programs and as director of the annual German Adventsingen program . Kathryn is deeply committed to creating inclusive places of learning and is known for her genuine care for her students .