VP&S Faculty Honored at Dean’s Reception

The VP&S Dean’s Honors Reception held Oct. 9 recognized more than 300 faculty who received honors and promotions in the past year and highlighted mentorship as a shared value among the honorees.

“One of my favorite papers… studied what people talk about in their speeches when they got elected [to the National Baseball Hall of Fame]. And it turns out that there's an incredibly strong correlation between how early you are elected in your career and the number of people you thank,” said Katrina Armstrong, dean of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“Every single person [recognized today] will tell you there's no chance they would have received this without support from their mentors and colleagues. My hope is that you all take a moment to think about how you got here. Who helped you along the way? And I'd ask you to pay it forward. That's what we're all about.”

Among the VP&S faculty who received honors during the 2024-2025 fiscal year:

• 42 faculty members were appointed with endowed professorships
• 18 faculty received tenure, 47 were promoted to full professor, and 62 were promoted to associate professor
• 79 faculty received honors from national organizations and 15 received international awards

James McKiernan, senior vice dean for clinical affairs and CEO of ColumbiaDoctors, who served as interim VP&S dean for most of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, spoke about the resilience of faculty during a difficult year and lauded the Office of Academic Affairs for their support. “Our faculty, no matter what the challenge, continue to make discoveries, teach, innovate, and provide care to their patients,” he said, “and it makes this year unique and special.”

See the VP&S Faculty Honors program for a full list of faculty who received promotions, honors, and awards.