Provost Floyd L. Wormley, Jr., announces the winners of the 2026 Deans’ Awards: Stephanie Bailey, Mark Dennis, Lisette Saleh, Gina Alexander, Stacie McCormick, and Harry Parker.
These six exceptional faculty were selected by the TCU deans out of nominations from each college, supported by recommendations from colleagues, students and alumni. Each honoree receives $2,500.
“It is my honor to celebrate the academic excellence and accomplishments of these outstanding faculty honored with the 2026 Deans’ Award for Teaching and Deans’ Award for Research and Creativity,” Wormley said. “They teach and mentor our students, they influence their fields and classrooms, and they exemplify the integrity of a TCU degree.”
Deans’ Award for Teaching 2026
Stephanie Bailey
Senior Instructor of Fashion Merchandising
College of Fine Arts
Professor Bailey demonstrates sustained excellence in classroom instruction, curriculum innovation, mentorship, and student-centered engagement. Her classroom is defined by rigor, hands-on application, and technical precision. She brings nationally recognized expertise in garment fitting and construction directly into the learning environment. A student says, “Professor Bailey’s classes challenged me to grow technically and creatively. Through her mentorship, encouragement, and genuine investment in her students’ success, she creates an environment where students feel confident pursuing their passions.”
Mark Dennis
Professor of Religion
AddRan College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Dennis played a central role in developing CALM Studies at TCU, a signature initiative focused on contemplative practice, ethical reflection, and human flourishing. Students describe his courses as life-changing, crediting him with reshaping their ethical frameworks, inspiring Fulbright research, influencing student government leadership, and altering academic trajectories. He creates what students call “radical hospitality.” A former student sates, “He engages each student and masterfully maintains an environment that allows curiosity, vulnerability, and varying perspectives to emerge.”
Lisette Saleh
Associate Professor of Nursing
Harris College for Nursing & Health Sciences
Dr. Saleh’s teaching innovations, consistent student engagement, mentorship, and integration of scholarship into practice exemplify the teacher-scholar model. She makes meaningful contributions to curriculum development and student learning experiences. She is a passionate educator, a thoughtful mentor, and a scholar whose work makes a meaningful difference. A former student says, “I would not be the nurse I am today and will become without Dr. Saleh’s guidance, advice, and support. I could not imagine having a better role model in my life than her!”
Deans’ Award for Research and Creativity 2026
Gina Alexander
Professor of Nursing
Harris College for Nursing & Health Sciences
Dr. Alexander has distinguished herself as both an educator and researcher, contributing significantly to the fields of nature-based health promotion, environmental health literacy, and integrative therapies for health promotion and self-care. She brings groups together for important projects that impact individual and community mental wellness and health promotion. A colleague states, “I have consistently been impressed with her intellectual rigor, strategic insight, and creative vision.”
Stacie McCormick
Associate Professor of English
AddRan College of Liberal Arts
Dr. McCormick’s research is rich in quantity, quality and significance across multiple disciplines. Her books have established her national reputation in the combined fields of drama, adaptation studies, Black studies, and women’s studies. She has won eight external grants and fellowships since arriving at TCU in 2014, totaling $217,000 in external funding. A colleague states, “her research meets two challenges in our current moment—the rigorous standards of peer-reviewed scholarship and it moves people.”
Harry Parker
Professor of Theatre
College of Fine Arts
Professor Parker’s work consists of original authorship, sustained professional engagement, national impact, and community outreach, influencing both professional and educational theatre. As a director, playwright and actor, he continually challenges himself to create new projects from the ground up. A colleagues states, “What distinguishes Harry is the rare combination of rigorous scholarship and accessible artistry. That impact extends beyond any single production — it shapes artists, audiences, and communities.”
Find out more about the awards and winners here: