Cheever Receives Prestigious Award

Dr. Nancy Cheever, professor and chair of the Communications Department, was the recipient of the 2018 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award in recognition of her demonstrated teaching, advising, research, service, and leadership on campus. She received the prestigious award at this year's Faculty Awards Reception in March.

While receiving her award, Dr. Cheever was quick to acknowledge the importance of teamwork and support of the students, faculty, and staff that were at the event to celebrate her success.

"I know there are a lot of outstanding faculty and I would not be here without the support of others," Dr. Cheever said. "I want to thank my colleagues from the Communications Department. It is important to help each other and have each other's backs."

Some students were there in attendance to applaud her achievement and to let her know the role she had played in inspiring and supporting them.

"It was such an honor to see Dr. Cheever receive this award," said COM major and graduating senior Kalie Calder. "Not only has she gone above and beyond for students who need advice or mentoring, she has also conducted research on the psychology effects of social media…talk about an amazing woman!"

A journalist for nearly 15 years, Dr. Cheever worked as a newspaper and magazine reporter and editor for a variety of Southern California publications and co-authored three books, and dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. In addition to being chair of the Communications Department, Dr. Cheever is also the Journalism Option Coordinator, the advisor to the Society of Independent Student Journalists (SISJ), and a founding mentor of the interdisciplinary George Marsh Applied Cognition Laboratory.

Dr. Cheever teaches courses in journalism, media literacy, media psychology, and communications research methods. She has also overseen the efforts to get the Journalism and AD/PR options nationally accredited, as well as the process to rewrite the entire Communications Department curriculum.

Much of Dr. Cheever's research examines the ways in which technology affects people's psychological health, including wireless mobile device use and anxiety, technology's contribution to sleep disorders, online dating, psychiatric disorders associated with modern technologies, and multitasking in the digital age. Most recently, Dr. Cheever's media psychology research on cell phone addiction has garnered national attention and appeared on segments of "60 Minutes," "America Inside Out with Katie Couric," and "Good Morning America."

This year's Faculty Awards Reception was well attended and even outgoing university president Willie Hagan made an appearance, one of his last in this role before his retirement, in order to honor Dr. Cheever's accomplishment.

In the end, all eyes and ears were on Dr. Cheever as she received recognition for her outstanding achievements as a scholar and a teacher, especially when she showed her gratitude by saying how important the moment was for her.

"This has always been a dream of mine," Dr. Cheever concluded in her acceptance speech. "I can't believe I'm here. Thank you for selecting me."