UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jeffrey Bardzell, associate dean of undergraduate and graduate studies in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, has earned the 2022 McKay Donkin Award.
Established in 1969 in honor of the late McKay Donkin, who served as vice president and treasurer of the University from 1957 to 1968, the award is presented to a full-time member of the faculty or staff or to a retiree who has contributed most to the “economic, physical, mental or social welfare of the faculty” of the University. The contribution should be for duties or services above and beyond the recipient’s regularly assigned duties.
Nominators said Bardzell arrived at Penn State in a period of great unknowns. He took the reins as someone new to Penn State policies, practices and procedures. It was at the height of a worldwide pandemic that was challenging higher education at large.
Yet nominators said he embraced those challenges.
He quickly moved to provide care and concern for students and faculty, give a sense of confidence with compassionate yet decisive decision-making that balanced student and faculty needs during the pandemic, dipped into his decades of academic leadership to help faculty struggling with transitioning to pandemic-driven instruction, and supporting faculty with additional teaching support hours.
“I have been honored to support and work with Dr. Bardzell through these challenging moments,” a nominator said. “While we have many unseen hurdles ahead, I am confident that his passion, his mentorship, and his dedication to the economic, physical, mental, and social welfare of the faculty will continue to direct his leadership and make an indelible mark on our college, faculty, staff and students.”
Bardzell also had an impact on improving the environment for teaching and pre-tenured faculty. He met individually with those faculty members and reported to the dean of the college on his findings. One of several changes implemented from Bardzell’s efforts was granting those faculty improved access to teaching assistants with minimal budget impact.
He also revamped the onboarding experience, which now takes place gradually for faculty during the first year as opposed to a single day.
“Bardzell reimagined it as a series of events that would unfold over the course of the year, offering just-in-time onboarding as incoming faculty needed them,” a nominator said. “He changed the onboarding from an approach that introduced people and offices towards an approach that focused on faculty tasks.”
The result of his efforts, nominators said, means faculty are given the tools they need to educate students and junior faculty are welcomed in an environment that sets them up for success and growth.
“Bardzell took on the role of faculty mentor with energy and excitement,” a nominator said. “He has made specific efforts to especially connect with the new faculty members who have joined the college in the past few years. His behavior in engaging faculty demonstrated clearly that he cares for people and for their success. He listened without judgment to concerns and he worked to bring issues to equitable outcomes. He went the extra steps to support and nurture the next generation of IST faculty leaders during a unique and challenging professional time to ensure faculty success.”