The recipients of the 2026 WVU College of Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) faculty awards exemplify excellence in research, teaching and service. Awardees include Seyedeh Nazli Hosseini, Julia Fraustino, Megan Leight, Mark Benincosa and Staci Romine.
Seyedeh Nazli Hosseini, teaching assistant professor of Interior Architecture, received the Wilkinson CCAM Course Enhancement Award. Hosseini plans to use the $2,500 award to restructure the “Light and Color in Architectural Interiors” course, transitioning it from a primarily theoretical, lecture-based format to one that combines analytical thinking with hands-on investigation. The revised course will place greater emphasis on how knowledge is generated, documented, analyzed and communicated rather than simply memorized, equipping the students with tangible skills that will be beneficial in both future coursework and their careers.
“Although students may be familiar with basic [lighting] terminology and principles, they often struggle to apply that knowledge analytically when designing interior environments,” Hosseini said. “The revised course will incorporate quantitative lighting analysis, but its primary aim is humanistic: to help students understand how lighting shapes perception, atmosphere, comfort, inclusion and human experience in interior environments.”
Julia Fraustino, associate professor of Public Relations, was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Research and Creative Activity Award. Fraustino is a nationally recognized risk and crisis communications scientist who founded the Public Interest Communication Research Laboratory (PIC Lab). In the past year, she has secured more than $1.5 million in external funding and has led national translational communication science initiatives on multiple major grants. She co-authored a peer-reviewed article in Vaccine, a highly respected journal in public health and immunization research, and has presented at numerous high-profile national venues and statewide professional medical education workshops.
“Dr. Fraustino’s translational science contributions, integrating communication research into real-time public health strategy, are nationally recognized,” said Emily Corio, director of the WVU Reed School of Media and Communications. “These outputs demonstrate not only scholarly excellence, but also meaningful public impact consistent with WVU’s land-grant mission.”
Megan Leight, teaching assistant professor of Art History and Museum Professions, received the Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award. In addition to her scheduled teaching, Leight has mentored students and shared her specialist knowledge beyond the classroom in many ways, including through experiences on-campus at maker spaces and the Art Museum of WVU, as well as off-campus through national conferences, museums and archaeological sites. She also developed a new course titled “Global Museum Practice,” and co-led an educational trip to London.
“Dr. Leight is a conscientious educator dedicated to providing the best learning opportunities she can for her students,” said Associate Professor Katie Jones, who nominated Leight for the award. “Her attentiveness to her classroom is not only documented through her successes and innovations, but also through her thoughtful and thorough reflection on her pedagogy.”
Mark Benincosa, teaching associate professor of Music Technology and Production, won the Outstanding Faculty Service Award. Over the past year, Benincosa has served on various committees for both the WVU School of Music and the CCAM. He is also the School of Music’s studio manager and recording engineer, maintaining equipment and providing services to faculty and students, as well as maintaining the archive of recordings for the School. In addition to his service to WVU, Benincosa is a voting member of The Recording Academy, the national organization that promotes and awards excellence in the recording industry, and has been working to connect the West Virginia recording community with the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Academy.
“Professor Benincosa is one of the most active School of Music faculty members in the area of service,” said Percussion Professor George Willis, who submitted Benincosa’s nomination. “He has developed a reputation over many years for helping faculty with a plethora of recording projects. Many of these projects have been high profile and have helped faculty achieve promotions, national awards and other notable results.”
Staci Romine, a part-time lecturer in Dance, received the Adjunct Faculty Award of Excellence. Romine brings a wealth of experience as a former member of the KitchenSink Dance Company and more than 20 years of teaching and choreographing dance throughout New York City that benefits WVU Dance students. In March, Romine’s choreography was one of 24 dances submitted for adjudication at the American College Dance Association East-Central Conference and was selected as one of nine to be performed at the closing gala.
“We were all very excited and pleased that Staci’s work was selected, especially in the company of other elite BFA dance programs,” said Yoav Kaddar, director of the WVU Dance program. “We are very proud of our dancers and grateful to have Staci on our team.”
“This year’s awardees are a shining example of how our faculty continuously provide an environment where creativity and mentorship thrive side by side. Their dedication and vision elevate our students’ experiences and inspire the entire College of Creative Arts and Media community.” Keith Jackson, CCAM Dean