Recent achievements for the campus community were earned by Ber Anena, John Bender, Phil Gelb, Ted Hamman, Patrice McMahon, Madoka Sato Wayoro and the Durham School of Architectural Construction and Engineering.
Honors
Ber Anena, a doctoral student in English, secured a six-figure deal with Flatiron Books for her nonfiction book "The Lies We Tell for America!" Anena, an acclaimed writer and poet, won the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa in 2018 for her poetry collection "A Nation in Labour." "The Lies We Tell for America" will be a memoir that explores Anena’s time at Columbia University during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting on identity, immigration and the complex realities of a Western education as an international student.
John Bender, professor emeritus of journalism, had his book "Writing and Reporting for the Media" nominated for the 2025 McGuffey Longevity Award from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The award recognizes textbooks and learning materials whose excellence has been demonstrated over time.
Madoka Sato Wayoro, director of the Kawasaki Reading Room for Japanese Studies, was recognized by Jun Yanagi, consul-general of Japan in Chicago, on Oct. 24 for her work in promoting Japanese culture. During a conferment ceremony in Lincoln, Yanagi said Wayoro displayed "distinguished service to furthering each understanding and deepening relations between Japan and the United States of America."
Students in the Durham School of Architectural Construction and Engineering won first place in the electrical category, first place in the commercial CMaR capstone category and third place in the commercial GC category at the Associated Schools of Construction Region 4 Competition Oct. 20-23 in Nebraska City.
Publications
Phil Geib's new book, "Barrier Canyon Style: Thousands of Years of Painting on Rock," was published by the University of Utah Press. Barrier Canyon Style is primarily Indigenous American pictographs in the canyon country of eastern Utah and far western Colorado. This book, the first to focus solely on the art and its context, explores 20 of the most important BCS sites. Explanations of motif classifications, details on the chronology of human occupation in the area, techniques used by Native people, and styles and subject matter observable in these artworks are included.
Ted Hamman, professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, published his co-edited book "Teaching and Learning in the New Latina Diaspora" on Oct. 29. Chapter authors include faculty members Amanda Morales, Lydiah Kiramba and Trish Gray and doctoral student Jessica Mitchell-McCollough, also of the department.
Patrice McMahon, professor of political science, was co-editor and contributor for the recently published volume "Activism in Hard Times in Central and Eastern Europe." The book was published by Taylor and Francis Group. It elevates the voices of civic activists from Central and Eastern Europe and analyzes a wealth of information to generate new insights into how activism in the region manages to be vibrant, diverse and consequential.
This column is a regular feature of Nebraska Today. Faculty, staff and students can submit achievements to be considered for this column via email to achievements@unl.edu. For more information, call 402-472-8515.
