Six faculty members are being recognized for achievements that highlight their dedication to the profession and the personal growth of students.
Strosacker Award for Excellence in Teaching
This award is the foremost recognition for outstanding classroom performance.
Dr. Laura Hopkins
Assistant Professor
Department of Public Health & Prevention Science
Nominator quote: “This professor fulfills the University’s mission statement as a professor, providing a challenging, supportive environment that enhances students’ intellectual and spiritual growth. This is an educator who is constantly looking for new ways to enrich students’ lives.”
Bechberger Award for Human Development
This award is given to a professor who has contributed in outstanding ways to the development and growth of students through leadership outside the classroom.
Dr. Andrew Dohanos
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
Nominator quote: “[This professor] is very skilled at motivating the students and maintaining interest. [They] do this through personal interactions, encouraging comments when they do well, constructive criticism when they need to improve and an unfailing sense of humor.”
Gigax Faculty Scholarship Award
This award recognizes a faculty member who, through effective scholarship or creative endeavors, has enhanced the learning environment at BW.
Dr. Brian Krupp
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
Nominator quote: “This professor is hands-down one of the most dedicated and innovative faculty members I have worked with. This colleague has fully embraced community engaged learning as a cornerstone of teaching and scholarship and has done so in ways that have truly transformed student lives and made tremendous community impacthttps://www.bw.edu/news/2023/spring/05-bw-air-quality-study-earns-national-science-foundation-funding.”
Faculty Leadership in Study Abroad Award
This award recognizes a faculty member who designs and teaches innovative and effective education abroad programs.
Dr. Rachelle Hippler
Professor and Coordinator of Software Engineering
Department of Computer Science
Nominator quote: “The recipient of this award has navigated a myriad of obstacles to create a strong, lasting international partnership that provides invaluable, global experience for BW’s students and fulfills the unmet needs of our community partners. This faculty member has created a signature program that distinguishes BW graduates and provides real service. Local business leaders and our own faculty have commented that this experience would cause any student’s resume to rise to the top.”
Excellence in Community Engagement Award
This award recognizes outstanding leadership and campus and community contributions of a professor who is advancing the BW mission of developing contributing and compassionate citizens through community-engaged teaching and learning.
Duane Battle
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
Nominator quote: “This professor’s work enables students of all kinds to hear, document, and share their own stories, as well as the stories of those often silenced, and we are happy that this professor is a part of creating and sharing the story of BW.”
Research and Sponsored Program Impact Award
This award is given to a faculty member who has contributed in outstanding ways through grant initiatives to enhance student learning and BW’s reputation.
Dr. Andrew Watkins
Assistant Professor and Chair
Department of Computer Science
Nominator quote: “Dr. Andrew Watkins is the Principal Investigator on a five-year $1,989,847 NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Computing in Undergraduate Education proposal ‘Ohio Pathways to Undergraduate Computing Success.’ The pathways grant will establish a 15-school consortium of four-year independent institutions and community college partners to develop streamlined pathways to baccalaureate completion in computer science. Andrew worked tirelessly to lead the project from beginning to end … to produce a proposal that is the most significant grant funding the University has received.”