Awards, Grants, and Fellowships
- Personal awards
- 2002 Honorary Doctor of Arts and Commencement Speaker, Allegheny College
- 2002 Outstanding Alumni, Edinboro University
- 2000 Named Honorary Citizen of Tursi, Italy
- 1999 Silver Baton, Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award
- 1998 Artist of the Year, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
- 1996 Harry Schwab Excellence in the Arts Award, Pittsburgh Magazine/WQED, Pittsburgh
- 1996 Advocacy & Awareness Award, United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh for directing & producing Small Differences.
- 1996 Outstanding Service to Braddock Community, Resurrection Baptist Church
- 1993 Medal of Merit, Outstanding Alumni Award, Ohio University
- 1991 Art Achievement Award, Outstanding Alumni, Edinboro, University
- 1989 Homenagem da Camara Municipal da Figueira da Foz, Figueira Da Foz, Portugal
- 1988 Meritorious Achievement Award, Turtle Creek Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center
- 1985 Hazlett Award - Pennsylvania Media Artist of the Year
- Film awards
- 1999 Fade Out, Juror's Award Black Maria Film Festival
- 1997 Struggles In Steel, Juror's Citation Award Black Maria Festival
- 1996 Struggles In Steel, Merit Award Sinking Creek Festival
- 1996 Struggles In Steel, Merit Award Black Program Festival
- 1996 Small Differences, Silver Apple National Education Film Festival
- 1996 Small Differences, Chris Award Columbus Film Festival
- 1995 No Pets, Honorable Mention Columbus Film Festival
- 1989 Lightning Over Braddock, Best Film Birmingham Festival
- 1986 Braddock Food Bank, Honorable Mention Black Maria Festival
- Braddock Food Bank, Cash Award New York Film Expo.
- 1985 Voices from a Steeltown, Red Ribbon American Film Festival
- First Place, 3 Rivers Film Festival
- Honorable Mention, Marin County Festival
- Cash Award, Ann Arbor Film Festival
- Peabody and Friends, Cash Award Ann Arbor Film Festival
- Braddock Food Bank, Cash Award Ann Arbor Film Festival
- Braddock Food Bank, Cash Award Sinking Creek Festival
- 1984 Voices from a Steeltown, Cash Award Sinking Creek Festival
- Merit Award, Athens Film Festival
- 1983 Voices from a Steeltown, Cash Award Bucks County Festival
- 1982 Mill Hunk Herald, First Place 3 Rivers Film Festival
- Cash Award, Ann Arbor Film Festival
- Honorable Mention, Big Muddy Film Festival
- 1981 Home Movies, 1st. 100' film Athens Festival
- Washing Walls With Mrs. G., Cash Award Sinking Creek Festival
- Cash Award, New York Film Expo.
- Cash Award, Big Muddy Film Festival
- Cash Award, 3 Rivers Film Festival
- 1980 Sweet Sal, First Place Great Lakes Festival
- Cash Award, Ann Arbor Film Festival
- Cash Award, New York Film Festival
- 1978 Betty's Corner Cafe, First Place Great Lakes Festival
- 1977 Betty's Corner Cafe, Juror's Award Kenyon Film Festival
- Cash Award, Santa Barbara Festival
- Merit Award, Athens Film Festival
- 1975 Shutdown, Honorable Mention Penn State Festival
- 1974 J.Roy-New & Used Furniture, First Place Athens Film Festival
- First Place, Illinois Film Festival
- First Place, Penn State Festival
- Cash Award, Bellevue Film Festival
- Honorable Mention, Refocus Film Festival
- 1973 Thoughts, selected to tour Japan with other student films.
- Major fellowships
- 1991 Recipient of National Endowment For The Arts Fellowship
- 1989 Recipient of Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship
- 1985 Recipient of National Endowment For The Arts Fellowship
- 1985 Recipient of Guggenheim Fellowship
- Additional grants and fellowships
- 2002 Mellon Foundation
- 2001 Pennsylvania Council On The Arts
- 2000 Pennsylvania Humanities Council
- 1998 Heinz Foundation
- 1997 Pennsylvania Council On The Arts
- 1996 Pittsburgh Foundation Multi-Cultural Arts Initative
- 1994 American Film Institute Fellowship
- 1993 ITVS Production Grant
- 1992 Pittsburgh Foundation Multi-Cultural Arts Initative
- Pennsylvania Arts Council
- Falk Foundation
- 1991 Pennsylvania Humanities Council
- National Endowment For The Arts Media Grant
- 1990 AFI Regional Media Grant
- 1989 AFI Regional Media Grant
- 1989 Rockefeller Fellowship
- 1988 AFI Regional Media Grant
- 1987 Pennsylvania Arts Council - Special Projects Grant
- TAP Grant for scriptwriting
- 1986 Pennsylvania Humanities Council - Distribution Grant
- AFI Regional Media Grant
- Creative Advancement - Travel Grant
- 1985 Pennsylvania Arts Council Fellowship
- 1983 Pennsylvania Humanities Council - Mini-Grant
- 1982 Falk Foundation - Completion Grant
- Pennsylvania Arts Council - Fellowship
- Pennsylvania Arts Council - Projects Grant
- Pennsylvania Humanities Council - Media Grant
- 1981 Pennsylvania Arts Council - Projects Grant
- 1979 Southern Illinois University - Research Grant
- Illinois Arts Council - Completion Grant