The awards honor excellence in teaching, service and research.
Dr. Kyle Fredrick (left), Dr. Rosalie Smiley, President Geraldine Jones and Dr. Craig Smith.
Three outstanding California University faculty members who contribute to student success have received Presidential Distinguished Merit Awards.
Award recipients Dr. Kyle Fredrick, Dr. Rosalie Smiley, and Dr. Craig Smith were recognized during the May 10 Graduate Commencement ceremony and received a medallion they wore over their academic regalia, plus a scholarship to be awarded to a student in each recipient’s discipline.
Fredrick, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, was honored for excellence in teaching.
He is an expert in hydrology and groundwater modeling.
His courses teach students to address water quality concerns and improve environmental conditions in our communities.
Fredrick is involved with research projects involving students, including monitoring local streams to improve water quality and mitigate flooding hazards.
Fredrick also leads annual field trips to the great geologic sites of the United States to encourage outdoor experiences and improve students’ understanding of the natural world.
A professor in the Department of Social Work, Smiley was honored for excellence in service.
She teaches in the MSW program and supervises students in their field placements.
Throughout her career as a licensed social worker, Smiley has served countless families and children, often in underserved, low-income communities.
At the University, Smiley has assisted with two departmental reaccreditations; she also serves on the MSW Program Committee, advises the Graduate Social Work Students Association and is active in the Frederick Douglass Institute at Cal U.
Smith, a professor in the Department of History, Politics, Society and Law, was honored for excellence in research. His research focuses on the work of the Supreme Court and its justices, and how legal decisions impact people’s lives.
Smith is the author of Failing Justice: Charles Evans Whittaker on the Supreme Court (McFarland, 2005.) He has contributed chapters to several books, and his research led to several articles for the Journal of Supreme Court History.
Smith continues to work on a new biography of Justice Tom C. Clark.