Anna Zajicek is the University of Arkansas Graduate School Outstanding Faculty Mentor for 2018. She is the chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology and the family policy coordinator in the public policy graduate program.

Zajicek was selected for her steadfast support of graduate students and graduate education.

For more than 20 years, Zajicek has worked tirelessly to improve graduate curriculum on campus. She led the development of the graduate criminology concentration in the sociology master's program and its associated policies and requirements.

She has served on numerous graduate student-focused committees. She has chaired 39 master's theses and 15 doctoral dissertations. Additionally, she has served on 79 master's theses committees and more than 25 doctoral advisory committees.

Her master's students have gone on to some of the most prestigious universities; her doctoral students have found jobs in respected academic and non-academic careers. Four have received awards for outstanding dissertations.

Zajicek's dedication to teaching is unparalleled. On top of her regular teaching load, she teaches graduate courses in the summer pro bono. Her graduate course evaluations are consistently the strongest in her department.

This is not the first time Zajicek has been recognized for her service on behalf of graduate students. Earlier this year, she received the Nolan Award for Contributions to Graduate Education.

"Dr. Zajicek is an amazing mentor — not only to graduate students, but to all of us," said Todd Shields, dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.