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In a nearly 20-year career at the University of Tampa, what Kayte Branch appreciates most is having a connection with students.

Branch, associate dean of the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education and professor of criminology and criminal justice, was named this year’s Louise Loy Hunter award recipient. The award is the highest honor given to faculty at the University.

“This year's recipient is an exceptional teacher, scholar and servant leader, whose work exemplifies the power of community and connection as a teacher,” said President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg, before announcing Branch at the faculty awards ceremony on Thursday. “This year's recipient creates a supportive learning environment that engages students and makes them feel cared for and confident.”

Branch said that while listening to the president read student comments about the recipient and the winner’s accomplishments, she thought to herself, What a great career, and That’s someone I’d like to meet, not realizing it was about her.

Branch got her start at UTampa when she was a doctoral student. She was a graduate assistant at the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office, and one of her colonels, who was a part-time instructor at the University, recommended that she apply for a teaching position that was open. Branch was enticed by the small class sizes at UTampa and the opportunity to get to know her students on a personal level. She has since worked her way up to professor, and along the way has taken on extra roles, including internship coordinator for eight years and chair of the criminology department for four years.

“I always have said that when I can’t grow any further, or I can’t contribute in any other way, then that would be like the time to go. And over 20 years, I’ve always found some way to contribute,” Branch said.

The motto she follows, she said, is “Do what you can, where you can.” 

Soriyah Khan ’19, who was a mentee of Branch’s, said it’s difficult to pinpoint a single moment that illustrates the strength of Branch’s influence.  

“She is the embodiment of intentional mentorship, not only deeply invested in my academic growth, but equally committed to who I am as a person,” Khan said.

From attending her internship graduation, to continuing to offer guidance even after Khan graduated, Branch regularly goes above and beyond what is typically expected of a professor, Khan said.

At the awards ceremony, Dahlberg called Branch a “tireless” member of the University of Tampa community. 

“Some have even asked if she has a twin because it seems impossible that she could be in so many different places and spaces,” she joked.

Branch has served on numerous committees and spearheaded initiatives that impact the entire campus community, Dahlberg added. She is regular participant in the PEACE Volunteer Center and attends events hosted by Access and Community Programs. Drawing on her own experience as a young mother, she created a social, support and networking group called UTampa Students Who Are Parents.

In the fall, Branch will be on sabbatical, where she will continue her research into student disclosures and their effect on faculty members’ mental health. After nearly 10 years in leadership roles, she views this next season as an opportunity to reflect, renew and explore where she can make the most meaningful impact moving forward.