U.S. Senator Mark Udall
IN RECOGNITION OF PROFESSORS OF THE YEAR
Statement for the Record
November 14, 2013
Mr. President—I rise today to congratulate the four national winners of the U.S. Professors of the Year Award. Since 1981, this program has recognized outstanding undergraduate instructors throughout the country. In addition to the national winners, a state Professor of the Year was also recognized in 36 states. This year, I am very proud to say that Colorado has the exceptional distinction of being home to two of the four national winners: Ann Williams at the Metropolitan State University of Denver and Steven Pollock at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
While the prestigious Professor of the Year Awards recognizes professors from diverse institutions and fields of study, this year's honorees all share a strong commitment to the art of teaching and to their students. Recipients are proven innovators who drive their fields and their colleagues forward, through both their energy and their enthusiasm. These educators are shaping the next generation of American leaders and should be recognized for the critical role they play in moving our country forward.
I am especially proud to celebrate the two national winners from my state of Colorado. Ann Williams is a Professor of French at Metropolitan State University and is being recognized as the Outstanding Baccalaureate College Professor of the Year. The judges noted her inspirational and innovative teaching of the French language and the cultures of French speaking countries. She has served her campus community through leadership in her department and institution, her state through participation with a task force on academic standards, and her profession as an author and presenter on pedagogical issues, a textbook writer, a consultant to the Advanced Placement program, and winner of an award for one of the ten Best Practices courses in the country.
Steven Pollock, Professor of Physics at CU-Boulder, has been chosen as the Outstanding Doctoral and Research Universities Professor of the Year. He brings an enthusiasm to his research that stirs excitement for learning in both his undergraduate and graduate students. His innovative methods of teaching and student assessment have been widely adopted through materials he makes publically available, and he has further offered his time to help others integrate them in their courses, fields, and institutional settings. He is also the developer of the highly regarded Student Learning Assistant program, a mentor to undergraduate physics majors, and author of two popular Learning Company video courses on physics.
Our success as a nation is in no small part due to the leadership and passion of professors like Ann Williams and Steven Pollock. These educators know that focusing on student achievement is critical to fostering the innovation and creativity necessary to make Colorado and our nation a leader in 21st century job creation. I wish all the winners the very best in their endeavors. Congratulations and best regards.
The four national award winners are:
The 36 state winners are:
Alabama
Laura Stultz
Professor of Chemistry
Birmingham-Southern College
Arizona
Amber Wutich
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Arizona State University
California
Manoutchehr Eskandari-Qajar
Professor of Political Science and Middle East Studies;
Chair, Political Science and Economics Department
Santa Barbara City College
Connecticut
Michelle Loris
Professor of English and Psychology
Sacred Heart University
Delaware
Harold Bancroft White
Professor of Biochemistry
University of Delaware
Florida
Thomas Moore
Archibald Granville Bush Professor of Natural Science and Professor of Physics
Rollins College
Georgia
Mulatu Lemma
Chair of Department of Mathematics
Savannah State University
Illinois
Jeffrey Boshart
Professor of Art Foundations/Sculpture
Eastern Illinois University
Indiana
Robert Palumbo
Alfred W. Sieving Chair of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Valparaiso University
Iowa
Paul Kimball
Science Professor
Northeast Iowa Community College
Kansas
Gregory Eiselein
Professor of English
Kansas State University
Kentucky
Mark Lucas
Jobson Professor of English
Centre College
Maryland
Gregory Wahl
Associate Professor, Department of English
Montgomery College
Massachusetts
Susan Rodgers
Professor of Anthropology and W. Arthur Garrity Sr. Professor
College of the Holy Cross
Michigan
Steve Wolfinbarger
Professor of Music (Trombone)
Western Michigan University
Minnesota
Brian Wisenden
Professor of Biology
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Mississippi
William Kelleher Storey
Professor of History
Millsaps College
Missouri
Terrence Freeman
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley
Montana
Sara Mae Glasgow
Professor of Political Science
University of Montana Western
Nebraska
Matthew Huss
Professor of Psychology
Creighton University
New Hampshire
Vicki May
Instructional Associate Professor of Engineering
Dartmouth College
New Jersey
Linda Wang
Professor, Math Department
Brookdale Community College
New York
Curt Stager
Professor of Natural Sciences
Paul Smith's College
North Carolina
Christopher Cooper
Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs
Western Carolina University
Ohio
John Ritter
Professor of Geology and Director of Environmental Science
Wittenberg University
Oklahoma
Mary Phillips
Associate Professor of Biology
Tulsa Community College
Oregon
Sammy Basu
Professor of Politics
Willamette University
Pennsylvania
David Bartholomae
Professor of English and Charles Crow Chair
University of Pittsburgh
Rhode Island
Cheryl Foster
Professor of Philosophy
University of Rhode Island
South Carolina
Joe Dunn
Charles A. Dana Professor and Chair, Department of History and Politics
Converse College
South Dakota
James D. Feiszli
Professor of Humanities and Director of Music Activities
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Texas
Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings
Professor of Communication Studies
Collin College
Utah
Joyce Kinkead
Professor of English
Utah State University
Virginia
Scott Boltwood
Professor of English and Drama; Chair, English Department
Emory and Henry College
Washington
Scott Linneman
Professor of Geology
Western Washington University
Wisconsin
Victor Macias-Gonzalez
Professor of History and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
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