Cook and Beiner Named 2025 Faculty Excellence University Level Award Winners
Two professors from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law—Theresa Beiner and John Cook—have been named 2025 Faculty Excellence University Level Winners, the highest honor awarded to faculty at UA Little Rock.
Each year, UA Little Rock celebrates faculty members who have made a meaningful impact through their contributions in teaching, research, public service, and social justice. Beiner and Cook were selected from a competitive pool of 18 college-level honorees representing academic units across the university.
Beiner, professor of constitutional law, was honored with the Faculty Excellence Award in Research and Creative Endeavors, sponsored by Renee Golzar and Dr. Jaafer Golzar. Dr. Golzar is a physician practicing in Chicago, a Donaghey Scholar alumni, and was the 2022 Distinguished Alumni honoree of UA Little Rock.
Cook, assistant professor of law, earned the Rising Faculty Excellence Award sponsored by Dr. Scott Bowen. Dr. Bowen has a strong connection to the university, as the William H. Bowen School of Law bears his father’s name. In his own right, Dr. Bowen is a well-respected orthopedic surgeon practicing in Little Rock.
Beiner: Faculty Excellence Award for Research and Creative Endeavors
Beiner has been a member of the Bowen faculty for 30 years and served as dean from 2018 to 2023. Her nationally and internationally recognized scholarship focuses on employment discrimination law, judicial diversity, and civil procedure. Her work has been cited more than 4,790 times on Google Scholar and published in prestigious legal journals.
Her forthcoming publications include a law review article on the impact of judicial diversity in employment discrimination cases, the third edition of her co-authored Civil Procedure casebook, and a chapter on sexual harassment in the “Oxford Handbook of Feminism and Law” in the United States. Additionally, she has signed a contract with Harvard University Press to co-author, “What the Best Legal Mentors Do.”
“I am honored that the university has recognized my scholarship with this award,” Beiner said. “For the past 30 years, my research has focused on issues that shape our legal system, from employment discrimination law to judicial diversity. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues and students, whose insights and collaboration have enriched my work. This recognition reaffirms my commitment to advancing legal scholarship and contributing to meaningful discussions in the field.”
Cook: Rising Faculty Excellence Award
Cook was recognized for his exceptional teaching, scholarly promise, and leadership. Students describe him as a caring, approachable professor who fosters an engaging and inclusive learning environment. He is known for integrating active learning into legal writing and research instruction in a way that makes complex material accessible and practical.
In addition to his classroom contributions, Cook serves as director of Bowen’s Rural Practice Incubator Project and is affiliated with the Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform. His research explores topics in national security and legal writing.
“I am beyond honored and humbled to receive this award,” Cook said. “This was a true surprise, and I am incredibly grateful. My deepest thanks to the university, the Board of Visitors, the committee, and all of our donors for this tremendous honor. I am absolutely thrilled.”
About the Awards
Established in 1989, the Faculty Excellence Awards have recognized outstanding faculty achievement for 35 years. The UA Little Rock Board of Visitors selected the university-wide winners from a pool of 18 faculty members representing their respective colleges and the William H. Bowen School of Law. Each university-level award recipient will receive a $5,000 prize.
Dr. Julien Mirivel, Dr. Lindsay Ruhr, and Morgan Leyenberger were also recognized as recipients of the university-level award.