The LSU-Shreveport Circle of Excellence Award winners were honored Thursday by the LSUS Alumni Association. One of the recipients was LSUS alumnus Dr. Jason Penry, vice chancellor for University Advancement. The award, for leadership and professional achievement, was based on his leadership in the collaborative effort to locate a site of NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at A-State and the Advancement team's record fundraising. Details are online.

Dr. Lillie Fears, professor of multimedia journalism production, has received a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation Visiting Professors in Social Media Program. During a two-week visit at the Dallas Morning News, she will observe how news and information delivery is being transformed in the digital media environment. Later this year, a Morning News staffer will visit the A-State Department of Media. A news release has details. 

At the Distinguished Performance Awards program, the staff of the University Police Department was recognized this year for Team Achievement. As noted in the introduction, "During an active shooter event at the Student Union in December 2015 we all witnessed first-hand this highly professional team perform at its highest standards in moments of anxiety and uncertainty. The direct actions of UPD kept everyone safe and secure."

Melissa Wilkinson, associate professor of art, and her summer term students are painting a mural on a building at Union Ave. and Burke St., The Jonesboro Sun reported in today's edition. They were invited by the Downtown Jonesboro Association to collaborate on a series of public art projects that DJA is calling "Fearlessly Brilliant." Wilkinson developed the mural design based on an old fountain in downtown Jonesboro.

Johnathan's Martin, Facilities Management, received the Rookie of the Year award during the Distinguished Awards program. Cited for his work ethic and amiable qualities, the heavy machine operator in recycling and physical waste shows "excellent problem solving skills and level-headed attitude . . . His skill level is unmatched, his communication skills are superb, and he has become a leader in a short amount of time."