Friday, November 30, 2018

At the fall faculty meeting on Nov. 29, UNCW recognized its best teaching, research and scholarship efforts and those who do them best.

Associate professor of earth and ocean sciences Eman Ghoneim received the Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award, the most prestigious award conferred at UNCW. She was also one of two recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award, from which the BOT Teaching Excellence Award winner is selected. Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock, an associate professor in the UNCW Department of Communication Studies, was the second honoree.

A scholar/teacher with impressive international connections, Ghoneim has been recognized previously with a Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, an ‘‘Egyptian Women Can’’ Empowerment Award and Women Leaders in STEM recognition.

The review committee noted she is a “superstar at integrating science, writing grants, and, although she teaches material at a very abstract level, she is able to bring it down to the level of the students, not only for understanding, but also encouraging their passion.”

Ghoneim credits her persistence with molding her teaching philosophy: “Recognition for the need for unwavering patience, a strong sense of inclusiveness and diversity in perspective are the core values by which I derive my teaching style,” she said.

Scott-Pollock, a faculty member since 2010, is a past recipient of a Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award and a Distinguished Scholarly Engagement and Public Service Award. She was also named the 2015 “Woman to Watch” in Education by Wilma Magazine. She also recently received awards from the National Communication Association for best publication of the year in three categories.

McNeill Distinguished Professor of Nursing Barbara Lutz and Alison Taylor, professor in the department of biology and marine biology, both received the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award. The awards were presented by Faculty Senate President Stephen Meinhold.

Both Lutz and Taylor were praised for being instrumental role models to both faculty and students and for their extraordinary contributions to teaching and research. 

Jeanne M. Persuit, associate professor of communication studies, was presented with the J. Marshall Crews Distinguished Faculty Award by Alumni Association Board Member Kimberly McNeill ’86, ’97M. Though Crews has passed on, his legacy lives on through the award, which honors a faculty member who exhibits leadership in the areas of service; student support; community service and outreach efforts.

Rick Olsen, chair of the Department of Communication Studies, noted in his nomination that Persuit is “a human being who leads with ‘How can I help?’ and does all to her best ability.”

The following awards were also presented:

Lecturers of the Year

• Shannon Bourne, Art and Art History
• Lesley Daspit, International Studies
• Erica Noles, Psychology

Graduate Mentor Award

• William (Bill) Sterrett, Watson College of Education

Excellence in e-Learning Award

• Christopher Laursen, History

UNCW Distinguished Scholarly Engagement and Public Service Award

• Amanda Boomershine, World Languages and Cultures

Also recognized at the faculty meeting were recipients of the 2017-18 Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award:

College of Arts and Sciences
Todd LaMasken, Earth and Ocean Sciences
Simone Nguyen, Psychology
Andi Steele, Art and Art History

Cameron School of Business 
Donald Barnes, Marketing

Watson College of Education
Amy Garrett Dikkers, Educational Leadership

College of Health and Human Services
Kristin Bolton, School of Social Work

Susan M. Sinclair, School of Nursing, was also recognized as the winner of the 2017-18 Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. In addition, full-time faculty members who have been at UNCW for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years were honored for their years of service. 

-- Caroline Cropp

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