Indira Palacios-Valladares Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Judy Awards presented at fifth annual ceremony, honors outstanding achievements

May 19, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) celebrated its fifth annual Judy Awards May 6, 2026, at The Old Glass Place.

The event honors the legacy of Judith Enyeart Reynolds by recognizing the achievements of faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends within the RCASH community.

Once again, Associate Dean Jake Simmons opened the ceremony. Announcing this year’s award winners were hosts Dr. Julia Troche and Dr. Perry Mears. Dean Shawn Wahl presented the Dean’s Awards.

Student groups earn Dean’s Champion and Distinction honors

Among this year’s Dean’s Champion Award winners were two student groups who have upheld Missouri State’s public affairs mission while demonstrating academic excellence.

Winners included the Missouri State Model United Nations team, along with their sponsor, Dr. Ashley Leinweber. The ARKTOS Saxophone Quartet, along with their sponsor, Dr. Matthew Tracy, were also recognized.

The Dean’s Award of Distinction honor went to the Missouri State Pride Marching Band, along with its directors and sponsors: Dr. Brad Snow, John Sullivan, Maxine Sullivan, Chris Church, Amy Perkins, and the band’s Drum Majors.

Dean’s Legacy Awards recognize English faculty

This year, the Dean’s Legacy Awards went to three retiring faculty members from the Department of English: Dr. Linda Moser, Tracy Dalton and John Turner.

Dalton and Turner recognized as outstanding senior instructors

Wahl honored Tracy Dalton and John Turner for their efforts as senior instructors.

The pair received the award because of “the long-term impact they have had in defining the rank of Senior Instructor,” Wahl said. Their legacy, he noted, has been “defined by innovative pedagogy and a commitment to service.”

“They have enhanced the academic environment for both faculty and students alike through exemplary teaching and service,” Wahl said.

Moser’s “visible and profound” influence praised

The third Legacy Award recipient was Dr. Linda Moser, professor of English and former department head.

“Linda is the kind of leader who never needed to announce her presence to be felt,” Wahl said. “As department head of English, she led from within—by example, with care and with a humility that made everyone around her better.”

Wahl expressed admiration and gratitude for Moser’s research, teaching and leadership accomplishments.

“Linda, you have left a legacy here that will endure,” Wahl said. “You are an example for how leaders can build a culture of trust, respect and excellence.”

Esteemed alumna Susan LaBarr honored

This year’s Dean’s Award for outstanding alumni went to Susan LaBarr.

LaBarr earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Master of Music in Music Theory from Missouri State University. She studied with now emeritus professors Dr. Peter Collins and Dr. John Prescott. She also sang in the Missouri State Chorale under the direction of Dr. Guy Webb.

Now, LaBarr is not only an editor at Walton Music, the premier publishing house for choral music, she is also a highly sought-after composer, having recently completed a composer-in-residence assignment at Carnegie Hall in New York.

“Her compositions are performed by all-state choirs, Grammy-winning professional choirs, school, church, and community choirs and everything in between,” Wahl said when announcing LaBarr’s award. “Aside from her incredible musical ability, perhaps the greatest attribute that everyone always talks about is her kind heart and genuine care for those people around her.”

Awards commemorate Reynolds’ legacy

Named in honor of Reynolds, a dedicated staff member and role model for many years in the English department, the Judy Awards cover a variety of contributions to the college, ranging from traditional awards in teaching, research and service to those that recognize collaboration and other efforts that highlight the pillars of the University’s public affairs mission.

Except for the Dean’s awards categories, winners were nominated either by their peers or self-nominated, then selected by representatives from each academic department serving on the Judy Awards selection committee.

Dr. Indira Palacios-Valladares interviewed by The Guardian

March 8, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State political science professor Dr. Indira Palacios-Valladares was recently interviewed by the British news outlet The Guardian concerning the death of U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell.

Bushnell, 25, committed an act of self-immolation outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25. Bushnell was protesting recent Israeli actions in Gaza.

The Guardian journalist Adam Gabbatt contacted Palacios-Valladares directly, she said. This was her first interview for the British news outlet.

The two conversed for approximately 30 minutes via WhatsApp, Palacios-Valladares said.

Political protest as risk and sacrifice

Palacios-Valladares, whose research and expertise focuses on political protest, told The Guardian that physical political protest always puts the body at risk.

“When you go and protest in the street, you’re going to be beaten up maybe. You may even be killed, you may go to jail,” Palacios-Valladares said.

Acts of self-immolation, such as that committed by Bushnell, are simply a more extreme display of that risk, she explained. “This is intrinsic to every protest, the idea that you put your body at risk.”

In addition, Palacios-Valladares explained to The Guardian that political protests ending in death, such as self-immolation, are acts of sacrifice.

“When we think of suicide, it’s like your life is so terrible that you cannot continue,” she said. “This [self-immolation] is not about that, it’s about doing it for others. So in that sense it’s more than suicide. It’s suicide, but it’s not suicide—in the sense that it’s sacrificial.”

“It’s a sacrifice for others, for a community, for a cause,” Palacios-Valladares added.

Opportunity to shed light and provide context

Palacios-Valladares hopes the article gives readers more insight into the nature of political protest by addressing the motivations behind it.

“Why do people engage in these dramatic forms of protest, what meanings do such protest acts have, and how successful may [they] be in changing minds and hearts,” she said.

Palacios-Valladares was pleased with the interview and resulting story.

“The quotations are spot on and the context for my opinions was correct,” she said. “I think it is a good article that seeks to understand the event in a broader context.”

Palacios-Valladares believes sharing her expertise with media can be useful in helping people understand current events.

“I think I can help journalists go beyond the specific story and see the bigger picture,” she said.

Explore opportunities in political science

Making sense of the world through the lens of history

October 31, 2023 by Damilola R. Oyedeji

Shania Dedigama, a Missouri State University first-year graduate student, has been fascinated by history and politics from an early age.

“My mom, a history enthusiast, read history books to me as a toddler,” Dedigama said. “From the age of six, I knew I wanted to study history and I told all my friends.”

Student poses with umbrella with castle in background — Shania Dedigama visits Dean Village in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Hailing from Sri Lanka, Dedigama earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the U.K. and a master’s degree in political science from the Netherlands. She is now pursuing another master’s degree in history at MSU.

“I chose MSU because it appeared as one of the best history programs on Google. MSU’s history program also gives me expertise not only in history, but also in political science,” Dedigama said.

She notes having expertise in two disciplines increases her prospects to work for organizations like the United Nations and the Council on Foreign Relations.

“I’ll also get a better chance of getting into an impressive PhD program in the future,” she added.

It is not surprising Dedigama has chosen to enhance her portfolio with another master’s degree.

“The workforce keeps growing; you must stand out,” Dedigama said.

After getting her first master’s degree, Dedigama worked as a journalist at News 1st, Sri Lanka’s largest private news organization.

During this period, she gained experience in investigative reporting and political writing.

“I sat on the journalists panel of a weekly political talk show called ‘Face the Nation,’” Dedigama said. “I interviewed politicians, economists and policy makers live on TV.” [Read more…] about Making sense of the world through the lens of history