SFA to present Teaching Excellence Awards

2012 Teaching Excellence Award winners (top left to right): Dr. Louise Stoehr, Dr. Betty S. Johnson and Dr. Clint Richardson (bottom left to right): Dr. Heather Olson Beal, Lauren McAdams Selden and Dr. Erin Brown (far right): Kimberly Squyres

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Seven Stephen F. Austin State University faculty members will be honored for their teaching abilities at the annual Teaching Excellence Convocation at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in Regents Suites A and B of the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

The Teaching Excellence Awards were established in 1994 to honor outstanding classroom teachers at SFA. Each of the university's six colleges selects a member of its faculty to receive the annual award based on knowledge of subject matter, quality of lectures and assignments, enthusiasm for teaching, interest in and availability to students, commitment to continuous improvement, and contribution to the quality of teaching within SFA by assisting and encouraging other faculty members. The university's outstanding adjunct faculty member also will be recognized at the convocation.

Dr. Louise Stoehr, assistant professor of German and director of the SFA Language Resource Center, was selected from the College of Liberal and Applied Arts. Her teaching interests include German language, culture and literature, foreign language pedagogy, applied linguistics, theory and practice of translation, and study abroad. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in German and linguistics from Occidental College and her doctorate in German from the University of Texas.

Dr. Betty S. Johnson, professor of general business, received the honor from the Nelson Rusche College of Business. Johnson teaches business communication courses at the sophomore, junior, senior and graduate levels. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees in business education from Arkansas State University and her doctorate in business and office education from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

Dr. Clint Richardson, associate professor of mathematics and statistics, was chosen by the College of Sciences and Mathematics. His specialization is in complex analysis and geometric function theory, but he also has taught mathematics courses intended for pre-service and in-service teachers at the elementary, middle and secondary levels, courses in the calculus sequence, and graduate courses in both real and complex analysis. Richardson holds a bachelor's degree from Angelo State University and a doctorate from Texas Tech University.

Dr. Heather Olson Beal, assistant professor in the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership, was selected from the James I. Perkins College of Education. She teaches courses in curriculum, instruction, classroom management, content-based literacy and diversity to both graduate and undergraduate students. Olson Beal earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish and secondary education from Brigham Young University, a master's degree in modern languages from Texas A&M University, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Louisiana State University.

Lauren McAdams Selden, assistant professor of art metals/jewelry, received the honor from the College of Fine Arts. She teaches metalworking and jewelry, three-dimensional design, and graduate seminar. McAdams Selden received her bachelor's degree in art from Murray State and her Master of Fine Arts from Arizona State University.

Dr. Erin Brown, associate professor of agriculture, was chosen from the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. Brown teaches classes in animal science, livestock production and animal nutrition at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and serves as faculty director of the university's beef, swine and small ruminant facilities. She received her bachelor's degree in animal science from Texas A&M University, her master's degree in dairy nutrition and mammary physiology from Michigan State University and her doctorate in animal nutrition from Texas A&M University.

Kimberly Squyres, a lecturer in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Communication in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, was named Outstanding University Adjunct Faculty Member. She teaches courses in debate and public speaking and serves as the university's debate coach. Squyres earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of North Texas and her master's degree in communication from SFA.