California State University, Bakersfield recently honored five educators for their contributions to the university and the community.
Academic Senate Chair Dr. Aaron Hegde announced CSUB’s faculty award recipients for the 2022-23 academic year during University Day on Thursday, which brought together faculty and staff to kick off the new year.
“The idea behind these awards is to recognize the amazing things that faculty do,” he said. “There are so many faculty who do a lot of work that doesn’t go recognized, but know that it’s appreciated, and that while we can only give out five awards, everybody really deserves one.”
This year’s faculty award recipients are:
MILLIE ABLIN EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD
Dr. Ressler joined the theatre faculty at CSUB in 2018 after 25 years in professional and educational theatre. She directs the university’s annual theatre production for young audiences, which tours at schools across the Bakersfield area. Dr. Ressler also works with youths each summer during an immersive drama camp, where she portrays the role of Professor Bumblebone, headmistress of the Frogwarts School of Wizardry.
The Millie Ablin Excellence in Teaching Award is named after an educator who served as a member of the board of directors of the CSUB Foundation was a longstanding supporter and contributor to CSUB and the community. The award is intended to recognize and encourage excellence in teaching.
“I am so excited and humbled to receive the Millie Ablin Excellence in Teaching Award,” Dr. Ressler said. “I do love teaching at CSUB, and the number one reason is the students. In my experience, the CSUB students are not only hard-working, creative and dedicated — they are genuinely good people. I love that most of my students are planning to be teachers, because I envision their impact for years to come as they use drama for learning techniques to work with youth all over the Valley.”
OUTSTANDING LECTURER AWARD
Burger is the lone full-time journalism instructor in CSUB’s Department of Communications. She teaches courses on reporting, editing, marketing, social media engagement and more. She is also a faculty adviser for the student news organization The `Runner. Burger has led her journalism students to win dozens of awards and go on to work in the news media and to become teachers themselves.
The Outstanding Lecturer Award was established to honor a full-time lecturer for excellence in teaching effectiveness and service to the CSUB community.
“I am passionate about teaching the foundations of ethical journalism to our students at CSUB,” Burger said. “Teaching and advising the student news organization, The `Runner, virtually has been challenging during the pandemic, but our students are continually becoming more innovative. The `Runner is emerging as a reinvented, multi-platform, digital-first enterprise, and I'm so proud of the students who have led the way. This award is as much a recognition of the hard work I put into teaching as it is a reflection of the hard work the students put in as well.”
FACULTY LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AWARD
Dr. Evans-Santiago is a service-oriented leader on campus who has helped create and maintain residency programs, including the new Black Educator Teacher Residency. She co-directs a $3.3 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the CSU Chancellor’s Office to transform education programs.
Dr. Evans-Santiago is also the author of the book “Mistakes We Have Made” and co-coordinates the annual conference for the California chapter of the National Association of Multicultural Education at CSUB. Due to her efforts, Dr. Evans-Santiago has been named a 2022 Outstanding Professor of Education of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators.
The Faculty Leadership and Service Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the principle and practice of shared governance and service to the community.
“I’m so honored and proud of this recognition,” Dr. Evans-Santiago said. “I know that many people are involved in making this decision, and it gives me affirmation that the work being done is valued and appreciated. I love being a part of CSUB, and I love contributing to our community.”
PROMISING NEW FACULTY AWARD
Dr. Kemp joined CSUB in 2018 after earning her Ph.D. in mathematics and statistics at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Her research is in collegiate mathematics education and her teaching philosophy is largely informed by this research. This past academic year, Dr. Kemp became the university supervisor for the Teacher Education Department, in which she supervises students in the single-subject credential program. Dr. Kemp has also co-written several peer-reviewed articles and authored a chapter on LGBTQIA+ identity in the book “Count Me In: Community and Belonging in Mathematics,” published by the Mathematics Association of America.
The Promising New Faculty Award recognizes exemplary achievements in teaching, research, scholarship, creative activities, and/or service among all full-time, tenure-track faculty or assistant professors.
“I am so appreciative of this recognition and the support everyone at CSUB has given me as I started in my career,” Dr. Kemp said. “I am excited to continue my journey here and to contribute to the success of our students and community.”
FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY AWARD
Dr. Gearhart specializes in health and labor economics. Since joining CSUB in 2014, he has published 17 peer-reviewed articles in top field journals such as Empirical Economics and the Journal of Productivity Analysis. Dr. Gearhart is also a co-managing editor of the Kern Economic Journal and is a regular presenter at local, regional and national conferences.
The Faculty Scholarship and Creative Activity Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the principle and practice of research.
“This award is a testament to my students and colleagues, who have provided inspiration and drive to contribute as much as possible to our community,” Dr. Gearhart said. “Working at CSUB is a culmination of a lifetime of work and continues to provides opportunities for personal and professional growth. I could not have asked for a better location.”
In addition to the faculty awards, staff awards were also handed out at University Day for the first time since 2019. The Outstanding Staff Member of the Year Award went to Norahilda Sanchez, a clinical assistant in Student Health Services, for her hard work handling COVID-19 case management at the university.
“It’s great to be part of the CSUB family. This campus has become a second family for many of us,” she said. “From navigating the campus as a first-generation student/alumna at CSUB to now being recognized as Outstanding Staff Member of the Year, I am extremely grateful. CSUB has been so good to me, taught me so much and there is no place I’d rather be.”
The Outstanding Department of the Year Award went to Information Technology Services to recognize the department’s efforts to keep everyone connected during the pandemic.
© 2026 California State University, Bakersfield
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