Nation's Top Professors Honored; Four National Winners, 46 State Winners Saluted for Extraordinary Contribution to Teaching

11/21/2002

From: Joye Mercer Barksdale of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, 202-478-5680 Gay Clyburn of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 650-566-5162

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 -- The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching today named four college and university professors as winners of the 2002 U.S. Professors of the Year Award for their dedication to teaching, commitment to students, and creative approach to education. The U.S. Professors of the Year Awards, created in 1981, are the only national honors for excellent teaching in higher education.

The four national winners, selected from more than 400 nominations, are:

-- Outstanding Community College Professor: Alicia Juarrero, professor of philosophy, Prince George's Community College (Largo, MD);

-- Outstanding Baccalaureate College Professor: James Adams, professor of art, Manchester College (North Manchester, IN);

-- Outstanding Master's University and College Professor: Francisco Jimenez, Fay Boyle Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and director of the Ethnic Studies Program, Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA);

-- Outstanding Doctoral and Research University Professor: Dennis Jacobs, professor of chemistry, University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN).

"We are pleased to honor these distinguished professors who have demonstrated a passion for teaching, a dedication to student learning, and a commitment to an examination of their teaching practice," said Carnegie Foundation President Lee S. Shulman. "These extraordinary teachers are shaping the lives of tomorrow's leaders and scholars everyday in their classrooms."

Said Vance T. Peterson, president of CASE, "The Professors of the Year bring tremendous energy and passion to everything they do because of their genuine love for students, teaching, and their disciplines. The professors' ability to nurture, encourage, and challenge students is inspiring, and CASE is honored to have a role in recognizing them."

Last spring CASE assembled two preliminary panels of judges who evaluated the nominees in four areas: 1) impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; 2) scholarly approach to teaching and learning; 3) contributions to undergraduate education within the institution and community; and 4) support from colleagues and students. CASE then forwarded a list of 30 finalists to the Carnegie Foundation, which performed the final judging and awards a $5,000 prize to each of the four national winners. Carnegie also selected 46-state level winners (see attached list).

The Professors of the Year were honored today at a luncheon at the National Press Club. John H. Marburger III, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, was the keynote speaker. The four national winners spoke about their commitment to teaching and students.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching was founded in 1905 by Andrew Carnegie "to do and perform all things necessary to encourage, uphold and dignify the profession of teaching." The Foundation is the third-oldest foundation in the nation. Its non-profit research activities are produced by a small group of distinguished scholars.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is the largest international association of education institutions, serving more than 3,200 universities, colleges, schools, and related organizations in 45 countries.

CASE is the leading resource for professional development, information, and standards in the fields of education fund raising, communications, and alumni relations.

TIAA-CREF, one of America's leading financial services organizations and higher education's premier retirement system, is the primary sponsor for the awards ceremony.

--- EDITOR'S NOTE: A photo supporting this story is available for editorial use at http://www.wirepix.com/newsphotos/USN/

------ U.S. PROFESSORS OF THE YEAR PROGRAM 2002 State Winners

Alabama Natalie Davis Professor of Political Science Birmingham-Southern College

Alaska Steven Johnson Assistant Professor and Director of Debate University of Alaska Anchorage

Arizona Christopher Impey Professor of Astronomy The University of Arizona

Arkansas Gay Stewart Associate Professor of Physics University of Arkansas

California Cecilia Conrad Associate Professor of Economics Pomona College

Colorado Aaron Byerley Professor of Aeronautical Engineering United States Air Force Academy

Connecticut Bruce Saulnier Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems Quinnipiac University

District of Columbia James A. Miller Professor of English and American Studies The George Washington University

Florida Llewellyn M. Ehrhart Professor of Biology University of Central Florida

Georgia Evelyn Dandy Professor of Education and Director, Pathways Armstrong Atlantic State University

Idaho Todd Shallat Professor of History Boise State University

Illinois Nancy Beck Young Associate Professor of History McKendree College

Indiana Leah H. Jamieson Professor, Co-director of EPICS Program Purdue University

Iowa Herman Blake Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Iowa State University

Kansas Peer Moore-Jansen Chair and Associate Professor of Anthropology Wichita State University

Kentucky John J. Furlong Professor of Philosophy Transylvania University

Louisiana Kay C. Dee Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Tulane University

Maine Keith W. Hutchison Professor of Biochemistry University of Maine

Maryland Spencer Benson Associate Professor of Microbiology University of Maryland College Park

Massachusetts Judith Miller Professor of Biology and Biotechnology Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Michigan Mark Francek Professor of Geography Central Michigan University

Minnesota Robin Hasslen Professor of Child and Family Studies St. Cloud State University

Mississippi Robert McElvaine Professor of Arts and Letters Millsaps College

Missouri Anthony Vazzana Assistant Professor of Mathematics Truman State University

Montana Esther L. England Professor of Music The University of Montana

Nebraska James H. Wiest Professor of Sociology Hastings College

New Hampshire Davina M. Brown Professor of Psychology Franklin Pierce College

New Jersey Thomas Heed Associate Professor of History Ramapo College of New Jersey

New Mexico Sherry K. Mills Associate Professor of Accounting New Mexico State University

New York George J. Searles Professor of Humanities Mohawk Valley Community College

North Carolina Richard A. Huber Associate Professor of Curricular Studies The University of North Carolina at Wilmington

North Dakota Lorraine Willoughby Associate Professor of Business Information Technology Minot State University

Ohio Dorothy Salem Professor of History Cuyahoga Community College

Oklahoma Christopher Oehrlein Professor of Mathematics Oklahoma City Community College

Oregon Nicole Aas-Rouxparis Professor of French Lewis & Clark College

Pennsylvania Roseanne Hofmann Professor of Mathematics Montgomery County Community College

South Carolina Fred C. James Professor of Biology Presbyterian College

South Dakota Geralyn M. Jacobs Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction The University of South Dakota

Tennessee Donald Potter, Jr. Professor of Geology University of the South

Texas Josefina Tinajero Professor of Teacher Education The University of Texas at El Paso

Utah Jan Sojka Professor of Physics Utah State University

Vermont Adrie Kusserow Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Saint Michael's College

Virginia Robert Benoit Associate Professor of Microbiology Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Washington Suzanne Wilson Barnett Professor of History University of Puget Sound

West Virginia Elizabeth Fones-Wolf Associate Professor of History West Virginia University

Wisconsin CeCelia Zorn Professor of Nursing University of Wisconsin -- Eau Claire