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May 9, 2006 LEITE FIRST-EVER RECIPIENT OF REX MCARTHUR FAMILY FACULTY FELLOW AWARD SALINA – Pedro Leite, Kansas State University at Salina associate professor, is the first recipient of the newly created Rex McArthur Family Faculty Fellow Award. He was presented with the award at the spring commencement ceremony, May 6. Leite teaches courses and advises students in the computer systems technology program. “Pedro is a most deserving recipient of the first Faculty Fellow Award,” said Dennis Kuhlman, dean of K-State at Salina. “Since coming to K-State, he has truly distinguished himself as a professor, mentor and scholar.” The Rex McArthur Family Faculty Fellow Award was established in 2006 to recognize a K-State at Salina faculty member demonstrating teaching excellence in the classroom and a commitment to research and innovation, as well as honorable service to the college, university and community. The new award, established with an endowed gift from Rex and Jean McArthur, provides an important opportunity for the campus, Kuhlman said. “The generosity of Rex and Jean McArthur is allowing K-State at Salina to achieve yet another level of success,” he said, “because it gives us another significant way to recognize excellence among our faculty members.” Leite came to K-State at Salina in 1999. Since this time, he has presented at numerous professional conferences, had articles published and serves as a reviewer for professional journals. He organized and led the first two professional days for K-State at Salina, where faculty members showcase their own scholarly work. He has won multiple award for his teaching, including Marchbanks Award for Teaching Excellence in 2000, Teacher of the Year in 2000 and Academic Adviser of the Year in 2002. He also was named a fellow at the Wakonse Conference on Teaching in 2003. Leite also has served the college in many different roles. He advises two different student organizations, has chaired the scholarship committee and serves on the Multicultural Connection Committee. This group named him Multicultural Person of the Year for K-State at Salina in 2006. Leite graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration holds degrees from Catholic University in Campinas, Brazil. He received two master’s degrees from Friends University in Wichita in management and management information systems in 1990 and 1993, respectively. He also earned a graduate degree in higher education from Pittsburg State University in 1995. He and his wife Gabriele live in Salina with their two daughters, Daniele and Rebecca. |