SALISBURY — This year’s Salisbury University Alumni Association Faculty Appreciation Award winners were described as “an important mentor,” “the flame that ignited my passion” and “a tireless worker” with a “high level of expectation” who “made a significant, positive, long-lasting impression,” according to their former students.

The association honored five with the accolade as part of its annual awards ceremony. They include Drs. Donna Ritenour (Athletic Training) in the College of Health and Human Services, David Burns (Communication) in the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, Chris Briand (Biological Sciences) in the Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology, Sumathy Chandrashekar (Information Systems and Operations Management) in the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business, and Doug DeWitt (Education Leadership) in the Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education.

In their nominations, alumni frequently gave eloquent and heartfelt praise to this year’s recipients, whom many said helped shape their experiences at SU.

Ritenour “has been able to mold young students into productive athletic trainers who are effective and skilled clinicians,” said her nominator. “As an athletic training student at SU, I was instilled with a passion for our profession and given the tools to succeed in an ever-changing field. The projects we completed, including Sea Gull Century and other community outreach initiatives, helped give us a voice in our community.”

Burns “challenged my peers and me to produce great visual stories and to embrace failure, for he said that we would encounter failure often and that failure would play a vital role in our growth,” said a former student. “Dr. Burns’ hands-on, fun instruction is responsible for my skill set and for placing me in my current position as a video editor for NASCAR Productions.”

Chandrashekar “demonstrated a pathway for graduates who were interested in starting their own business or joining the workforce to prosper after graduation,” said an alum. “She was very positive and encouraging to me while I worked with her at the Maryland Small Business Development Center. During this time, I was also pursuing my M.B.A. This experience was very valuable to my overall development.”

DeWitt “is a tireless worker who energizes everyone he is around. His passion for student success is contagious,” his nominator said, also noting his committee service and work in recruiting students to SU. “Doug is a tremendous asset to SU who helps our students succeed.”

Learn more about opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at www.salisbury.edu.