The Spring 2025 Campus Assembly honored faculty and staff award winners, updated the community on key campus organizations and celebrated both UA faculty and staff as well as the conclusion of the 10-year tenure of UA President Stuart R. Bell.
Bell opened the assembly by praising faculty and staff for their contributions to the University’s flourishing.
“You are the champions,” Bell told attendees.
Bell noted many of the outstanding achievements from the previous year. He praised the work of UA faculty and staff, highlighting recent accomplishments like a record freshman class and top production of Fulbright and Goldwater Scholars. Bell also touted a strong record of faculty research, drawing special attention to recent SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner Dr. M. N. V. Ravi Kumar.
Campus leaders delivered reports from the Faculty Senate, the Professional Staff Assembly, the Office, Clerical, and Technical Staff Assembly, and the Student Government Association.
2025 Awards
Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award
- Fleet management, fleet services, and automotive services team (Division of Finance and Operations)
- Crimson Promenade team (Division of Student Life, Advancement, and Facilities and Grounds)
- The video and creative media team (Division of Strategic Communications)
- The children’s program (College of Human Environmental Sciences)
- The UA online recruitment team (Division of Academic Affairs)
Dr. Minnie C. Miles Endowed Excellence Award
- Meredith Boteler (executive director, finance technology and data integrity)
E. Roger Sayers Distinguished Service Award
- Jennifer Camp (senior associate vice president for research administration, Office for Research and Economic Development)
Vergil Parks McKinley, Sr. Employee Award
- Allison Drake (executive director of advancement operations, Division of Advancement)
- Dr. William “Joe” Lambert (manager of the Alabama Stable Isotope Laboratory, department of geological sciences)
- Patty Lovelady Nelson (CLE coordinator, School of Law)
Alumni Association Awards Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award
- Professor Mark Barry (associate professor in the department of advertising and public relations)
- Dr. Sherwood Burns-Nader (associate professor in the department of human development and family studies)
- Dr. Carol Donovan (professor in the College of Education)
- Dr. Todd Freeborn (associate professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering)
UA Academic Advisors Association Outstanding Commitment to Advising Award
- Marian Denham (manager, health professions advising)
- Dr. Gayle G. Faught (assistant professor, department of psychology)
‘Thank You Dr. Bell’
The event marked Bell’s final Campus Assembly as he prepares to step down as president this summer. In an unannounced addition to the program, UA Chief Administration Officer Chad Tindol took the podium and called UA Assistant Vice President for External Affairs Lucy Arnold Sikes and social work graduate student Raven Hartsfield to celebrate Bell’s tenure.
They praised Bell’s humility, approachability, integrity, work ethic and extraordinary dedication to the University. They also highlighted key accomplishments under his leadership, such as record enrollment and advances in research and fundraising. But both also emphasized Bell’s ability to connect with people, from high-level staff and internationally recognized scholars to prospective students and families, to whom he often introduced himself simply as, “Stuart.”
“Other than Big Al, I think he’s the most popular person on campus to take a picture with,” Sikes said.
