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Excellence In Teaching Nominations Open Feb. 3
Jan. 31, 2014
SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt, Bala Maniam
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| President Dana Gibson congratulates education professor Joyce McCauley as the recipient of the 2013 Excellence in Teaching Award. |
Every student who attends Sam Houston State University probably can identify at least one professor as his or her favorite, perhaps because that professor was so passionate about teaching, went beyond what was expected to truly do something special for his or her students, or otherwise impacted students’ lives, education or careers.
Every year, SHSU gives students, faculty, staff and alumni the opportunity to recognize those professors or colleagues through the Excellence in Teaching Award.
The Excellence in Teaching Award annually honors one professor who represents “the highest level of teaching achievement at Sam Houston State University,” according to committee chair Bala Maniam.
Nominations will be open from Monday (Feb. 3) through Feb. 24, and voting can be completed online.
The award winner is selected from among the nominations by a committee of faculty appointed by the president. The winner receives a $5,000 stipend.
“Serving on this committee makes you feel good about your colleagues. I enjoy listening to my colleagues in different departments and colleges teach their students with such passion and dedication,” said SHSU’s Excellence in Teaching committee chair Bala Maniam, who was a recipient of this award in 2008.
“I seem to be learning something new from each one of them, which makes serving on this committee so much more fun and interesting,” Maniam said. “It is really nice to see what works with your colleagues and at the same time this exercise reinforces my passion for teaching.”
Last year’s recipient was professor of education Joyce McCauley, who was selected from among 270 other nominated full-time faculty members, who, combined, accumulated more than 600 nominations from students, faculty members and alumni.
McCauley’s nominations emphasized her passion, enthusiasm, the effectiveness of her teaching strategies and her consideration for her students.
As a teacher of future teachers, McCauley considers her approach as that of a “model,” a philosophy she has honed over a 43-year teaching career that began as an elementary teacher in Guam.
Who is YOUR favorite professor? |
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| * Previous recipients are not eligible. |
The 2012 winner, associate professor of marketing John Newbold, was recognized for the way he engaged his students with real-world applications of the material he was teaching, his enthusiasm, and his ability to adapt the material to his online classes.
“Excellent teaching is a transformative activity that is critical to the quality of the lives of individuals and instrumental to the continued prosperity of communities,” he has said. “Each student is unique, representing a wide range of backgrounds and levels of academic preparedness.”
Newbold and McCauley are among 315 faculty—more than half who teach at SHSU—who were nominated by at least one student for the award in 2013.
“Philosophies like these lend a certain quality to the faculty of Sam Houston State University,” said Frank Fair, professor of philosophy, coordinator of the philosophy program and a member of Excellence in Teaching committee.
“It seems to me that when you have this many faculty being nominated as the best, you have concrete evidence to the continuing commitment this university makes to providing the best quality education for its students,” said Fair, who himself was the recipient of this award in 1989.
Nominees must be full-time faculty members, including program coordinators; however, previous award winners may not be nominated.
Other past winners include: William Abbott, Elizabeth Andrews, Gary Bell, Kimberly Bell, Harry Bohan, David Burris, Charles Capps, Adrian Cooley, Richard Cording, Caroline Crimm, Earline Dolive, Jerry Dowling, Frances Elmer, Coralie Emmons, Frank Fair, William Fleming, Gaddis Geeslin, David Gerling, Kenneth Hendrickson, John Holcombe, Rita Huff, Virginia Irvin, William Jasper, James Johnson and Stanley Kelley.
Also, Doug Krienke, Bala Maniam, Valerie Muehsam, Thom Murray, Mary Ann Nolteriek, James Olson, Mary Frances Park, Phillip Parotti, Ralph Pease, Wayland Pilcher, Mozelle Powell, Debra Price, Daniel Reeves, Marcus Rigby, Carol Sangster, John Snelgrove, Sam Souryal, Victor Sower, Donald L. Stalling, Susannah Ural, Bill Waldron, Laverne Warner, Maynard Yoes and Stacy Ulbig.
Nominations may be made online here for students, faculty and staff; and here for alumni.
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