2016 Faculty Awards
Six faculty members are recognized at this annual event
Each year, 91快播 University recognizes excellence in faculty teaching and scholarship through several awards. By doing so, the University acknowledges the efforts of these individuals to help build and sustain a community where the teacher-student academic experience is valued and prized.
The 2016 Faculty Awards were presented to the following:
The Estelle Leavitt Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Susan Ainsleigh
Director, Applied Behavior Analysis Program
The Thumbprint Award
Dr. Princy Quadros-Mennella
Director, Neuroscience Program
The Faculty Outstanding Research, Scholarly Activity, and Creative Works Prize
Dr. Courtney Patrick-Weber
Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition
Also recognized…
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Professor Christine DiMeo
The American Women’s College Online
Professor Yvette Frisby
Longmeadow campus
Courtney Malpass
Burlington campus
Karen Noone-Yvon
Sturbridge campus
The following are comments and excerpts from the presenters at the Faculty Awards Ceremony:
The Estelle Leavitt Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Susan Ainsleigh
The Estelle Leavitt Award for Teaching Excellence was established in honor of emerita faculty member, Estelle Leavitt who served on our faculty for 20 years, including as chair of the education department for 12 of those years. Estelle was known for her deep commitment to students and her passion for preparing educators who bring both skill and soul to their classrooms.
Excerpts from the award speech by Dr. Melissa Morriss-Olson, Provost:
“In considering what her nominators wrote, one can see just how it is that she has impacted the lives of so many students. To quote: ‘Dr. Susan Ainsleigh is a passionate educator who exemplifies Estelle Leavitt’s strong connection with students and who lives, breathes, and teaches in keeping with the words of Dr. Ogden Lindsley who suggests, “the learner is always right.”’ Dr. Ainsleigh’s commitment to the success of each one of her students is clear; she practices what she teaches.”
Dr. Ainsleigh never turns a student away. Whether she meets with them in person, corresponds via email, imparts content in class or follows up with them throughout their time in the program, her students are consistently amazed by her ability to remember every detail. Her expectations of her faculty are rigorous and she insists on clear and consistent communication, timely grading and extensive written feedback, and an unwavering commitment by each member of the faculty to see our students through to the ultimate goal—passing the Behavior Analyst Certification Board credentialing exam. Dr. Ainsleigh spends countless hours in individual and group study sessions with students that extend far beyond what one would expect from the director of a program that has doubled its enrollment and established three new satellite programs in less than two years. It is not unusual to find Dr. Ainsleigh online at 3 a.m. corresponding with faculty and students.
Perhaps most importantly, Susan is an inspirational educator. She is an active presence in each and every course in the program. She takes the time to meet each and every student and takes their progress seriously. She adapts course content to meet student needs and insists that all learning opportunities within the graduate program facilitate active student participation. She motivates students to participate by arranging activities that encourage critical thinking and build social communities.
Dr. Ainsleigh is a role model--locally and internationally—for students and faculty,and her contributions to the development and dissemination of the science of applied behavior analysis are profound.”
The Thumbprint Award
Dr. Princy Quadros-Mennella
The Thumbprint Award recognizes a faculty member who has shown innovative or creative thinking in applying the 91快播 University Thumbprint in his or her course(s). The Thumbprint is the signature, defining element of the 91快播 University student experience.
Excerpts from the award speech by Dr. Kristine Barnett, Assistant Provost:
“As a program director, as an educator and mentor, as a formal and informal advisor, and as a top-notch WELL instructor, our awardee lives the Thumbprint and inspires others to do the same. Her nominator states: ‘Dr. Princy Quadros-Mennella has established herself as one of the most popular professors on campus and a true role model for our students. She is an absolute delight to work with: her intelligence, optimism, and sincere concern for the welfare of our students is impressive.’
Her contributions to our learning community involve the following and support the values of our Thumbprint:
- She is women-focused. She is not only a wonderful role model of a female scientist, but she also supports her students entering and thriving in male-dominated fields.
- She offers a highly personalized approach in which each student’s unique strengths, needs, intentions, passions and potential are intentionally and fully leveraged, as she personally works with each of her students in her majors to find quality research opportunities.
- She keeps education relevant with a focus on interdisciplinary learning that is readily adaptable to contemporary and emerging issues, as she is a leader in one of the fastest growing fields today and inspires our students to think about new avenues and opportunities.
- She educates within a caring environment that encourages social awareness and the confidence and conviction necessary to act upon this awareness for the good of others. She supports her students by helping them make community connections, volunteering at Blueberry Hill School, for example, as well as bringing in guest speakers on relevant topics for the campus community and offering campus-wide events such as “Brain Awareness Week.”
- She is committed to empowering students to take ownership of their lives and learning by engaging them in transformative, purposeful leadership opportunities. Her support of their research interests and career goals is outstanding.
- She encourages an abundance of experiential opportunities that foster self-discovery and career and life preparation and has arranged for students to attend conferences and career shadow events; most notably the connection she has established with the Neuroscience program at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst.
- She is dedicated to providing global, multi-cultural perspectives that promote an understanding about one’s place in the world and enable one to be ready for whatever challenges the future will bring; check.
Of particular note is her involvement in the “Health & Wellness” Living and Learning Community in one of the residence halls. This was a unique outreach effort. A number of health education and wellness events were scheduled for students to raise their awareness of health issues and improve their overall health.
Ask any of her students, and they will tell you the same thing: she supports them, challenges them, and inspires them every day.”
The Richard J. Briotta Outstanding Faculty Research, Scholarly Activity, and Creative Works Prize
Dr. Courtney Patrick-Weber
The Richard J. Briotta Outstanding Faculty Research, Scholarly Activity and Creative Works Prize is given to a faculty member in recognition of their extraordinary research and publication activity, as well as their contributions in fostering serious academic research within the 91快播 community.
Excerpts from the award speech by Ann Dobmeyer, JD; Dean, Division of Research and Academic Resources:
“An accomplished scholar whose research reflects the highest academic standards, Courtney has focused her research on digital rhetoric, trauma theory, feminist rhetoric and discourse analysis. Since arriving at 91快播 just two years ago, she has had two peer-reviewed articles published, and a third is in publication. Recently she was invited to contribute a chapter for a book on cognition and writing.
Courtney has presented her work at regional and national conferences, including the Midwest Popular Culture Association and the Midwest Modern Language Association.
Last month at the annual Conference on College Composition and Communication, the premier US conference for collegiate writing programs, Courtney presented her peer-reviewed article: “Cultural Pre/Post memory and Empathy: Why We Need to Embrace Trauma Writing”.
Courtney’s research produces serious scholarship as represented by her acceptance by peer-reviewed journals and meetings, but she always brings it back to teaching. At 91快播, Courtney shares her work and research interests with the community in the faculty-student forum, the Catok Learning Commons Workshop Series, and in the classroom where she incorporates her scholarship into her courses. She models excellence and encourages and inspires her students to think critically about their involvement and interactions with technological environments and with each other.
Finally, as an authority in composition studies, Courtney helps her colleagues bring new tools and approaches to their own teaching.”