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Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching

Teaching Medal Award Winner

Melissa Kirkendall, headshot

Melissa Kirkendall
Maui

Melissa Kirkendall is an anthropology instructor at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College.

Her research specialty is Pacific Island ceramics, settlement patterns and virgin soil epidemics. Kirkendall teaches three of the four sub-disciplines in anthropology at UH Maui College, along with medical anthropology (traditional cultural practices) and other courses.

She was selected as the Maui representative for the Community College Leadership Champions 2014–2015, and is the UHPA representative for humanities and social science on the UH Maui College campus. She served on the Bailey House Museum Board of Trustees for many years and serves on the UH Maui College Preserving Our Recollections committee, which is devoted to preserving the memories and histories of Maui residents. She mentored the students who formed the UH Maui College Anthropology Club, and inspired many to pursue anthropology degrees at other institutions.

Kirkendall has worked in the field of archaeology and anthropology for more than 25 years, including cultural resource management in the private sector, acting as state archaeologist for Hawai‘i, as well as teaching at UH Hilo, University of Guam and in the UH Manoa Outreach program on Maui.

She holds a BA in anthropology from UH Hilo, and an MA and PhD in anthropology from UH Manoa

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching is awarded by the Board of Regents as tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

Please contact your Campus Chancellor's Office for more information on the application process.

Current Winners
Go to UH News for stories on the latest honorees.

1965–2014 Honorees
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003-1965

2015

Brian Cassity, headshot
Brian L. Cassity
Kapi‘olani
Roy Kamida, headshot
Roy Y. Kamida
Leeward
Katie Landgraf, headshot
Katie Landgraf
West O‘ahu
Victoria Mathis, headshot
Victoria Mathis
Kaua‘i
Norman Takeya, headshot
Norman Takeya
Honolulu
Charles Whitten, headshot
Charles Whitten
Windward