ARHU 2026 Service Award Winners Announced
October 22, 2026
Five exceptional members of the ARHU community received an annual service award.
By ARHU Staff
Each year, the College of Arts and Humanities honors faculty, staff members and students who have demonstrated excellence through service to their departments and the college.
2026 ARHU Service Award winners:
Jordana Saggese, professor in the Department of Art History and Archaeology and director of the David C. Driskell Center | Faculty Service Award, Service to College
Jordana Saggese is celebrated for her transformative leadership as director of the David C. Driskell Center, now in its 25th anniversary year.
Nominators Karin Zitzewitz, professor and chair of the Department of Art History and Archaeology, and Assistant Professor Tess Korobkin noted that in her four years as director, Saggese has distinguished herself through energetic advocacy, successful fundraising and an ambitious program of exhibitions, lectures and fellowships that has expanded student and scholarly engagement with the center’s collections and archives.
Saggese has “deepened the center’s contribution to the university community, raised its profile in regional and national networks of African diaspora art history and university museums, and sustained crucial connections with the community in the DMV and beyond,” they wrote.
They highlighted her success in expanding the center’s archives through fundraising and major acquisitions, developing exhibitions such as the current yearlong “Jubilee,” and establishing a Student Ambassadors program that engages graduate and undergraduate students.
Saggese’s “work as a scholar, curator, editor, administrator, teacher and colleague support ARHU’s mission and vision like that of few others,” added Christina B. Hanhardt, associate professor and chair of the Department of American Studies.
Alvin Mayes, principal lecturer in the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) | Faculty Service Award, Service to Department
Alvin Mayes is celebrated for his extraordinary dedication to TDPS over nearly five decades. Set to retire at the end of this academic year after 48 years as a professional track faculty member, Mayes has choreographed more than 150 works for students, mentored generations of dancers and helped shape the school’s programs through extensive service, including participation on at least 100 TDPS committees.
Professor and TDPS Associate Director Adriane Fang wrote that Mayes “has always been unquestioningly devoted to his students, his office door regularly open with the standing invitation to come in and converse.” His commitment extends well beyond campus, she wrote, from attending alumni performances and maintaining connections among graduates to supporting the broader dance community.
Associate Professor Lisa Nathans also highlighted Mayes’ standing in the regional dance community and his efforts to connect TDPS with local schools and community centers through workshops, recruitment and outreach: “Alvin helps make TDPS and UMD not just a name, but a valued community member/space,” she wrote.
“Alvin is an exceptional talent, versatile educator and deeply generous collaborator,” Nathans added. “Giving back to his many communities through service, education and creating art are values I have seen Alvin consistently model for our TDPS faculty, staff and students.”
Robert “Bob” Crane, director for Advising & Assessment in the College of Arts and Humanities | Staff Service Award, Service to College
Bob Crane is recognized for his “sincerity, intentionality and passion” for advising and student engagement, wrote Audran Downing, associate dean for academic affairs and undergraduate education in ARHU. Crane oversees advising for more than 2,300 undergraduate students, coordinating the work of nine college advisors and 14 departmental advisors.
Over more than 21 years at ARHU, Crane has risen from graduate assistant to a leadership role, building a reputation for his expertise, collaborative spirit and commitment to student success. His work bridges academic advising, classroom instruction and assessment, and colleagues across campus regularly turn to him for guidance.
Downing described Crane as a “trusted mentor, a diplomat who builds bridges across complex units, and a key strategic partner for campus leadership.” Whether teaching professional writing or providing individual academic guidance, “he approaches every student interaction with exceptional thoroughness, care and proactive initiative,” she wrote.
Crane is equally admired for his mentorship of colleagues. Senior Academic Advisor Adina Oved praised his professionalism, integrity and deep commitment to ARHU’s mission: “Bob is the best supervisor I have ever had. Beyond being a supervisor, he has also been an incredible mentor and role model to me,” she wrote. “I strive to one day embody our college in the way that Bob does.”
Dana Persaud, coordinator in the Department of Art History and Archaeology | Staff Service Award, Service to Unit
The entire staff of the Department of Art History and Archaeology nominated Dana Persaud for the exceptional thoughtfulness, generosity and care she brings to the department.
“Dana is an incredibly hardworking, knowledgeable and generous colleague who consistently goes beyond what is expected of her,” they wrote. “She is someone people know they can always turn to, and she always responds with patience, warmth and a genuine desire to help.”
They described how, at the start of each academic year, Persaud fills colleagues’ mailboxes with pencils, stickers, treats and other small gifts she purchases herself, simply to brighten their days.
Karin Zitzewitz, professor and chair, and Joshua Shannon, professor and director of graduate studies, also praised Persaud’s impact on the department’s graduate program over the past four and a half years, describing her work as “truly transformative in her combination of administrative excellence and deep sensitivity to the needs of our students.”
Persaud has streamlined administrative processes, digitized records, improved fellowship and assistantship processes, and helped create dedicated workspaces for graduate students. She also provides individualized support to students navigating everything from university policies and funding challenges to research opportunities abroad, often anticipating their needs and finding creative solutions. For example, she proactively organizes grant writing workshops and job interview preparation sessions, drawing on resources across the university to support students at critical stages of their academic careers.
As Ph.D. student Katie Robigliatti said, “I'm not exaggerating when I say that there has never been a problem that Dana has been unable to solve.”
Izolda “Iza” Savenkova, Ph.D. student in the College of Education, instructor in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (SLLC) | Graduate Student Service Award
Izolda Savenkova, a doctoral student in Applied Linguistics and Language Education in the College of Education, is celebrated by Russian program faculty for her exceptional service and enthusiasm, quickly becoming an “indispensable member of the Russian instructional team.” Since beginning to teach in the Russian program as an instructor of record in Fall 2025, she has brought fresh approaches to existing courses and designed new offerings of her own. By the end of this academic year, she will have taught seven different courses.
Savenkova has also played a key role in building community within the Russian program. In Fall 2025, she initiated a Russian picnic at the Language House, bringing together students, faculty and alumni for an informal gathering that has since become an annual tradition. She has also contributed to the program’s professional activities and broader campus events.
Her colleagues praised the enthusiasm and creativity she brings to their work, noting that the Russian faculty have been “reinfected by her enthusiasm, constant stream of ideas and energy, with renewed excitement about the possibilities for our program.”
Regina Haag, associate clinical professor and academic advisor in German studies, also highlighted Savenkova’s contributions across the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, including her involvement in cultural events, the Maya Brin Residency Program and the SLLC professional track faculty book club. Haag noted that the Russian Department had adopted a textbook written by Savenkova before she was hired to teach in the department.
“What stands out most to me is how quickly she became a central and trusted member of the Russian Department in the past year,” Haag wrote. “Her colleagues and students speak about her with enthusiasm and deep appreciation.”
Top image, left to right: Mayes, ARHU Dean Stephanie Shonekan, Persaud, Saggese, Savenkova and Crane. Photo by Taneen Momeni.