PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 21, No. 19, May 2, 2002

2002 Campuswide award-winners honored

By Mare Payne, Associate Director
(217) 333-0567; m-payne@illinois.edu

Fourteen University of Illinois faculty members, four academic professionals and five teaching assistants were honored for excellence in teaching and advising undergraduate students April 29 at the annual UI Instructional Awards Banquet.

The teaching assistants, five professors and two academic professionals received the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the principal award for undergraduate instruction at the UI, at the banquet in the Illini Union.

The award recognizes professors, lecturers and graduate teaching assistants who display consistently excellent performance in the classroom, take innovative approaches to teaching, affect the lives of their students, and make other contributions to improved instruction, including influencing the curriculum.

Faculty winners of the award are Carol K. Augspurger, plant biology; Brigit P. Kelly, English; Darrel J. Kesler, animal sciences; Robert D. Reid, journalism; Douglas B. West, mathematics.

Instructional staff winners of the award are Julie P. Price, English, and Jason Zych, computer science.

Graduate teaching assistants who received the award are Bryan F. Ganaway, history; Yi-ping Hsu, East Asian languages and cultures; John Gardner Rogers, English; Sarah J. Schoppe, psychology; and Mahmut Yasar, agricultural and consumer economics.

Faculty members who are selected for the award receive $5,000 and a $3,000 raise; instructional staff members receive $4,000 and a $1,500 raise; graduate teaching assistants receive $3,500 and a $1,000 increase in their stipends.

Others honored at the banquet:

• James A. Gentry, professor of finance; Michael C. Loui, professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Shelly J. Schmidt, professor of food science and human nutrition, were recognized as Distinguished Teacher/Scholars.
  
• Carol H. Firkins, academic adviser in the department of community health, and Keith D. Hjelmstad, professor of civil and environmental engineering, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Advising Undergraduate Students, which provides $2,000 to each.
• Kevin G. Waspi, lecturer in finance, received the Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Instruction, which provides $2,000 to the recipient.
  
• John I. Marden, professor of statistics, received the Campus Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Instruction Using Educational Technologies, which recognizes faculty members who have introduced successful innovations into undergraduate education using educational technologies. The award provides $2,000 to the recipient.
  
• K. Peter Kuchinke, professor of human resource education, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Off-Campus Teaching. He received $4,000, and his department will be provided with $1,000 to improve off-campus instruction and develop programs.
  
• Robert M. Skirvin, professor of natural resources and environmental sciences, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research, a $2,000 award designed to foster and reward excellence in involving and guiding undergraduate students in scholarly research.
  
• Michael T. Heath, professor of computer science, and Debra Richtmeyer, professor of music, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching, which is designed to reward faculty members in professional or graduate programs who normally wouldn’t have an opportunity to compete for undergraduate teaching awards. Each received $5,000 and a $3,000 raise.

Campuswide Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Carol K. Augspurger professor of plant biology Augspurger makes science come alive for students. Students in her field ecology course take a 10-day trip to an "ecologically rich" area of the United States to work and explore. She encourages them to take nothing for granted, to ask questions and to seek answers whether or not any are apparent. Several past students have said Augspurger was instrumental in helping them determine their lifetime pursuits.		Douglas B. West professor of mathematics West said that his goal is for "students to learn as much as possible and to feel that they have benefited from their efforts." His teaching techniques apply to all facets of thinking, not just mathematics. He emphasizes reading, writing and the ability to communicate clearly. Students are often seen milling around his office, waiting for a stimulating conversation to begin.
Darrel J. Kesler professor of animal sciences Kesler, who has been a professor at the UI for more than 24 years, has influenced thousands of students. His peers rated him as the "best instructor at the university in the ability to inspire students to do their best and on the contributions toward preparing students for life." He spearheaded the creation of new courses, the revision of existing courses and helped revise the animal sciences curriculum. He is described as "the best of the best, an inspiration to his students and a role model to many."		Robert D. Reid professor of journalism Reid emphasizes that it is his students’ duty to fight corruption and the abuse of power and to be the voice of the forgotten. He has a strong belief that journalism can do good in the world and encourages his students to do no less. One former student wrote that when he is discouraged, he reads the comments Reid made on his papers and continues to fight to make a difference.
Brigit P. Kelly professor of English Kelly teaches students writing – and she teaches students about themselves. Her courses nurture creativity and individuality and as one student wrote, "broadened my philosophical, emotional and spiritual worlds." She pushes them to think in new ways. A number of colleagues and students model their classroom practices after hers.		Julie P. Price lecturer, English Price encourages students to write on topics they like. Through independent and group analysis and an ongoing revision process, students submit a final version of a work that they have come to love. One student wrote, "I left her class a better writer, a better thinker, and a better person."
		Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Teaching Assistants Bryan F. Ganaway, history Yi-ping Hsu, East Asian languages and cultures John Gardner Rogers, English Sara J. Schoppe, psychology Mahmut Yasar, agricultural and consumer economics
Jason Zych lecturer, computer science Zych gives students the tools to comprehend, rather than memorize, the material by building a framework for understanding. Zych has also developed and revised material for fundamental courses, integrated a new textbook, created a series of lecture notes and written tutorials to supplement the text, and, to accommodate a variety of learning styles, he integrated new technologies into the classroom. Zych is described as a departmental treasure.
Photos by Bill Wiegand

Other Campuswide awards

Excellence in Off-campus Teaching	Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research
K. Peter Kuchinke Human Resource Education	Robert M. Skirvin Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
Excellence in Advising Undergraduate Students
Carol H. Firkins Community Health	Keith D. Hjelmstad Civil and Environmental Engineering
Innovation in Undergraduate Instruction	Innovation in Undergraduate Instruction Using Educational Technologies
Kevin G. Waspi Finance	John I. Marden Statistics
Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching
Michael T. Heath Computer Science	Debra Richtmeyer Music
photos by Barry Boyd/UI Photographic Services