During its most recent meeting, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors conferred the emeritus title on the following faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences:

LuAnn Gaskill, professor of apparel, housing, and resource management, was recognized for her contributions to the understanding of clothing and textiles research as applied to retailing, small business management, entrepreneurship, and international business development and sustainability. She served as department head for 10 years and as the college’s associate dean for outreach and external relations. Her international activities as research and consultant and her international study tours for students garnered her Virginia Tech’s Alumni Award for Excellence in International Outreach in 2014. A member of the Virginia Tech community since 2000, Gaskill earned her bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University, her master’s degree from Ohio University, and her Ph.D. from Ohio State University.

David Johnson, associate professor of theatre arts, contributed to theatre as an actor and director, mounting 37 productions on-campus and three externally and directing six productions nationally. He excelled as a performer on campus and across the country and authored five plays. Johnson taught a variety of undergraduate courses, offered workshops on acting and voice, and adjudicated high school theatre competitions. He led study abroad programs on commedia dell’arte and was awarded the university’s Excellence in International Activities Award for his teaching efforts and his work with the Russian/American Theatre Project. Johnson joined the Virginia Tech community in 1988; he earned his bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University and his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Hawaii.

Jill Kiecolt, professor of sociology, furthered the field of sociology, especially social psychology, race relations, and family, through her publications as well as her membership on editorial boards and leadership in professional organizations. She was an affiliate of the Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology and served as a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. Kiecolt taught a variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels and was recognized for her efforts with the Department of Sociology E. Gordon Ericksen Award for graduate teaching. A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1993, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Fabrice Teulon, associate professor of French, was recognized for his contributions to French studies, specifically 18th-century French literature. He taught various undergraduate and graduate courses and was honored for his accomplishments in the classroom with the College’s Certificate of Teaching Excellence as well as the Marshall Brannon Excellence in Foreign Language Teaching Post Secondary Award from the Foreign Language Association of Virginia. From 2010 to 2014 he served as president of the Virginia Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French. Teulon established the Paris study abroad program in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures. He earned two collegiate degrees from the Université d’Orléans-La Source and a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University.

Randolph Ward, professor of theatre arts, founded and led the university’s graduate design/ technical theatre degree program. As a scenographer and lighting designer, he worked on more than 220 theatrical productions. Ward designed or supported the design of campus theatre venues, including the Studio Theatre, Theatre 101, the Moss Arts Center, and Henderson Hall, along with venues across Virginia and in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. His accomplishments garnered him the inaugural Phi Beta Kappa Sturm Award for Creative Activity at Virginia Tech as well as two nominations for the American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes “Best Scenic Design Award.” Ward earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Houston and Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Hawaii.