Some teachers inspire students. And some students decided to let those teachers know just how much.
Several members of the Saint Louis University faculty were honored at the Faculty Excellence Awards banquet Monday, April 15 in the College Church basement.
What makes these awards unique to other faculty awards are that they are done completely by the students of the University. First, students write an essay to nominate their professor. Then, a student committee selects the 25 excellent professors. Finally, students planned a banquet where students present the awards.
Senior Becky Shelby began the awards last year when she was the academic vice president of the Student Government Association. This year, she chaired the Faculty Excellence Committee and organized the event.
“Everything went wonderfully,” Shelby said of the event. “I’ve only received positive feedback from the professors. Because it’s from the students, it means a lot as an award,” Shelby continued.
Sophomore John Eckert was a Faculty Awards Committee member and presented some of the awards on Monday. “It was a huge success and great to see so many excited teachers there again,” he said. “SGA has a tendency to be negative, so I’m glad that I could be on a committee and contribute to something so positive.”
Eckert continued, “We personalized the awards this year by printing an excerpt of the students’ essay on the certificate. Also, this year the students actually got to sit with the professor they nominated.”
The 2002 Faculty Excellence Awardees
Nevin Aspinwall, Ph.D.-Biology
Robert I. Bolla, Ph.D.-Biology
Ellen P. Carnaghan, Ph.D.-Political Science
John M. Carroll, Ph.D.-History
Cheryl L. Cavallo, Ph.D.-Physical Therapy
Gregory L. Comer, Ph.D.-Physics
John L. Cowell, Ph.D.-Physics
David A. Harris, J.D.-Law
Gail L. Herzog-Professional Studies
Julia J. Hoffman-Communication Science & Disorders
Kenneth B. Homan, Ph.D.-Theological Studies
Hisako Matsuo, Ph.D.-Research Methodology
Ronald E. Modras-Theological Studies
John J. Mueller S.J.-Theological Studies
George O. Ndege, Ph.D.-History
John J. Pauly, Ph.D.-Communication
Daniel P. Schwartz, Ph.D.-Educational Studies
Raymond G. Slavin M.D.-Internal Medicine/Allergy
Angela Smart, Ph.D.-Modern and Classical Languages
Daniel L. Tolbert, Ph.D.-Anatomy and Neurobiology
William H. Tyler, Jr.-Communication
Theodore R. Vitale, C.P.-Philosophy
Rebecca K. Willits, Ph.D.-Biomedical Engineering
Kristin Ann Wright, Ph.D.-Counseling and Family Therapy
Elizabeth Zeibig-Clinical Laboratory Science
