Recognizing excellence
Two profs take awards
September 29, 2005
Trinity Western University honoured two professors at the graduation ceremony last April.
English professor Dr. Holly Nelson was awarded the Davis Distinguished Teaching Award, which recognizes a professor who has “demonstrated a high level of excellence in the craft of teaching.” Communications professor Ruth Anaya was the recipient of the Dean’s Innovative Teaching Award, which recognizes and encourages professors who experiment with new methods to improve their teaching.
Nelson completed her PhD at Simon Fraser University in 2000 and has taught at TWU for the last five years. She is a specialist in Renaissance literature.
“I have a great love and passion for what I teach,” said Nelson. “I want students to love literature. I don’t want it to be punishment.”
Many students appreciate Nelson’s role as a mentor both in and out of the classroom. “You can go and talk to her about things outside of her class or even outside of school,” says Corrie Shoemaker, a fourth year English major, who credits Nelson for encouraging her to go into the honours program.
Anaya, who completed her masters at Wheaton College, has taught cross-cultural communications at TWU for the last 11 years. Her graduate studies combined communications, anthropology, and missiology.
“I chose interdisciplinary studies way back when nobody was doing interdisciplinary,” said Anaya.
Her innovations in the classroom include designing TWU’s first online course and directing two graduate level online courses at TWU. Dr. Mark Charlton, Dean of Research and Faculty Development, points to Anaya’s travel studies to Kenya and Guatemala as an asset to students.
Anaya stresses the value of “experiential and transformative learning” that comes when students step into a different culture.
This summer’s travel study took students from seven countries to the racially, politically, and religiously diverse culture of Kenya. Many students remained after the travel study to complete practicums that “were tailor made to students’ interests, careers and futures,” said Anaya.
A committee made up of Dr. Charlton; Lynda Schwartz, Dean of Professional Studies and Performing Arts; Dr. Harro Van Brummelen, Dean of the School of Education; and Ted Goshulak, Head Librarian, chose recipients from nominees submitted by faculty, deans, department chairs and students.
Now you go...
Got something to say?