ELLENSBURG — A Central Washington University instructor was honored recently with a prestigious award, according to a statement from the university.

Jerry Dougherty, a senior lecturer and production management specialist, received the Gold Medallion Award at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 7 conference in February, the statement said. The award was in recognition of Dougherty’s 15 years of service at the annual festival in Spokane, which attracts hundreds of students and faculty from nine states.

The Gold Medallion is regarded as the most prestigious regional award given by the organization and one of the greatest honors in theater education, according to the statement. Recipients are selected for demonstrating a lasting commitment to the values and goals of KCACTF and to excellence in educational theater.

“Ultimately, the reason I do the work that I do with KCACTF is the same reason a lot of my peers and colleagues do,” Dougherty, who coordinates scheduling, rooms, workshops, and technical needs for the weeklong festival, wrote in the statement. “We recognize the unique role the organization plays in supporting theater in higher education.”