APSU recognizes outstanding professors with 2022 Faculty Awards
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – On Aug. 8, Austin Peay State University President Mike Licari honored several outstanding faculty members during an awards ceremony in the Mabry Concert Hall.
The University’s top faculty honor, the APSU National Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, was presented to Dr. Amy Hamlin, professor of nursing. Hamlin pursued an academic career in nursing education to facilitate and share her love of learning. Her primary objective as a professor is to cultivate and promote the development of new pathways of thinking and analysis among her students. During her nearly 20 years at Austin Peay, she has chaired numerous departmental, college, university, and TBR committees, and she continues to produce scholarly work while engaging in community and professional service. She is internationally recognized for her research on job embeddedness in the academic setting, and as a teacher, she’s mentored faculty, developed and revised multiple courses, and been a pivotal part of the initiation of the graduate nursing program. Since 2009, she’s led numerous groups of nursing students to study abroad in London, often taking students on their first airplane ride or trip outside of Middle Tennessee.
The University’s Richard M. Hawkins Award, honoring a faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional scholarly and creative behavior, was presented to Dr. Lisa Barron, professor of education. Barron’s work with edTPA and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation serves as the foundation for much of her scholarship. Her first book, A Practical Guide for edTPA Implementation: Lesson from the Field, is an important work in the field of education. Additionally, Barron is a national and international voice in clinical teaching, performance assessments, and partnership work. She also recently published a book with Dr. Prentice Chandler, dean of the College of Education, titled Rethinking School-University Partnerships: A New Way Forward. In that volume, they examined how school districts work with local colleges of education to attempt to solve persistent problems in education, like addressing the teacher shortage, increasing diversity in the teaching ranks, and improving the quality of teacher education programs. The impetus for this book was the work that the Eriksson College of Education is engaged in with local school partners focusing on residency programs, accelerated leadership programs, and strategic diversity work.
On Monday, the University presented three tenure-track faculty members with the Socrates Award for Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes professors who are known around campus for their ability to inspire and motivate students. This year’s recipients were Dr. Jessica Fripp, associate professor of psychological science and counseling and associate dean for the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences; Dr. Florian Gargaillo, associate professor of English; and Dr. Catherine Haase, assistant professor of biology.
Each year, the Distinguished Community Service Award recognizes a full-time faculty member whose service has enhanced or will enhance the quality of life in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area. Dr. Leong Lee, chair of the Department of Computer Science, received this year’s honor. Thanks to Lee’s tireless efforts, Austin Peay’s Coding Camps now introduce computer science skills to local children. To counter the financial and logical issues facing a significant portion of potential campers in the community, Lee secured a Google-sponsored grant that enabled local children to attend the Coding Camps without added financial difficulty. Each camp since the implementation in the Summer 2017 has provided financial assistance to the community children in the form of grants or sponsorships, permitting all who wish to attend the ability to do so. At the close of Spring 2022 Coding Camps, more than 1,000 local children have attended these camps
For more information on these awards, contact the APSU Office of Academic Affairs at provostsoffice@apsu.edu.
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