The College of Science is proud to celebrate Becky Petrusky of Biological Sciences for receiving the 2026 UNT Spirit Award.
The College of Science is proud to celebrate Becky Petrusky of Biological Sciences for receiving the 2026 UNT Spirit Award. This honor recognizes UNT staff members who have consistently demonstrated a sense of pride in being a part of the community by supporting staff, faculty, and students, and always promotes the University in a positive light.
“To me, having UNT spirit means celebrating the students, campus life, and the city
in which we live,” said Becky, who is an Administrative Specialist in UNT’s Advanced
Environmental Research Institute (AERI). “When people ask what I do that keeps me
so busy, I respond by saying I not only work to save animals, but I am paid to help
save the world. Not a bad gig for the past eighteen years!”
Becky is responsible for accounting and purchasing supplies for the research teams in AERI, and she is also responsible for the upkeep and billings for the Institute of Applied Science's (IAS) fleet of vehicles. Outside of the office, she and her husband get involved bringing joy to the community, especially around holidays.
“During Christmastime, we drive around Denton as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, we bring the Easter Bunny to IHOP, and orchestrate the monthly rescue meet and greets at our North Denton PetSmart,” said Becky. “UNT Spirit is not just here on campus but how we reflect our UNT missions within our hometown.”
UNT's Institutional Effectiveness Awards and UNT Staff Appreciation Awards recognize faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to advance UNT’s mission and enhance student outcomes. We are proud of all our College of Science awardees:
- Academic Excellence Award: UNT Chemistry (for their Ph.D. program)
- Core Faculty Supporter of the Year: Ipsita Lahiri and Claudia Gonzalez-Villarreal (Biological Sciences)
- UNT Spirit Award: Becky Petrusky (Biological Sciences)
- Student Well-Being Champion: Elizabeth “Betsi” Goodman (Chemistry)
- Staff Excellence in Research: Kelly Basinger (Advanced Environmental Research Institute)
- Teamwork Award: Proposal Management team, including Kelly Basinger, Samara Cahill (BioDiscovery Institute), and Shantell McDonald (COS)
- Postdoctoral and Research Staff Excellence in Student Research Mentorship Award: Luis Cortes-Herrera (Physics)