Recent achievements among the university community were earned by Tim Borstelmann, Lawrence Chatters, Matt Cohen, Judy Diamond, Jane Ferreyra, Scott Gardner, Gabor Racz, Loukia K. Sarroub and William G. Thomas.

Honors

• Tim Borstelmann’s new book, “Just Like Us: The American Struggle to Understand Foreigners,” was selected for the 2021 Tonous and Warda Johns Family Book Award by the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Society. The prize is reserved for the best book in U.S. foreign relations, immigration history or military history. “Just Like Us” was published in March 2019 by Columbia University Press.

• Matt Cohen, professor of English, has earned the David Greetham Prize from the Society for Textual Scholarship. The prize recognizes the author of the best article published in the Society of Textual Scholarship’s journal, Textual Cultures, over the past two years. Cohen earned the prize for his essay “Time and the Bibliographer.” Learn more here.

• William G. Thomas has earned the Best Book Prize from the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic for his book, “A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War.” The award recognizes an original monograph that makes a significant contribution to the historiography of the early American republic. “A Question of Freedom” has previously earned the Mark Lynton History Prize, and is a finalist for the George Washington Prize. Thomas is a professor of history, the John and Catherine Angle Chair in the Humanities and associate dean for research and graduate education in the College of Arts and Sciences. Read more here.

Appointments

• Lawrence Chatters has been named senior associate athletic director for diversity, equity and inclusion for Nebraska Athletics. The newly-created position on Nebraska Athletics senior staff will oversee the department’s efforts in those respective areas as well as serve as a senior administrator advising the director of athletics. Most recently, Chatters served as vice president of student affairs at Midland University and as the school’s chief diversity officer. He previously spent six years at Nebraska, working in a wide range of capacities, including positions within Nebraska Athletics as the diversity and inclusion coordinator, and in the Women’s Center as the men’s program coordinator. He holds a doctorate (2018) and a masters’ degree (2014) in counseling psychology, both from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

• Jane Ferreyra has been selected as the new director of the University of Nebraska Press. Ferreyra has an extensive publishing background that includes 15 years as director of Wayne State University Press. Most recently she served as the executive director of the Hawk Migration Association of North America. Ferreyra holds a master’s degree in English from Wayne State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Indiana University. She also attended the Publishing Institute at the University of Denver. She replaces Donna Shear who is retiring from Nebraska in August. Shear served as Press Director for the past 12 years. Ferreyra begins in the role on Sept. 7.

• Loukia K. Sarroub has been named chair of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education in the College of Education and Human Sciences. The appointment is effective July 1. Sarroub has been at Nebraska since 2001. She is a full professor who has served as graduate chair in teaching, learning and teacher education since 2018. She has been the recipient of a College Distinguished Teaching Award from the university, a Parents’ Recognition Award, and a National Society for Collegiate Scholars Distinguished Membership.

Publications

• Scott Gardner, professor of biological sciences, Judy Diamond, professor of University Libraries, and Gabor Racz, collection manager with the University of Nebraska State Museum, have co-authored “Parasites: The Inside Scoop,” an illustrated book that introduces young readers to the life cycles, varieties, effects and study of parasites. The book was illustrated by Brenda Lee, a senior in graphic design. Learn more about the book here.

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.