3/14/06 Contact: Tanja Matthews, 334/844-1113 (tanja.matthews@auburn.edu)
David Granger, 334/844-9999 (grangdm@auburn.edu)

AUBURN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS FACULTY FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE, ENHANCING DIVERSITY

AUBURN - The Auburn Alumni Association presented its annual Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Awards and recognized a professor’s work with minority students at Auburn University’s spring faculty meeting Tuesday at Broun Hall on the Auburn University campus.
The awards for teaching excellence were presented to Sheri Brock, AU assistant professor of education; Paula Peek, AU assistant professor of community affairs; and Brian Gibson, AU associate professor of aviation management logistics.

The Association also recognized Curtis Jolly, chairman of AU's agricultural economics department, for his contribution to attracting, retaining and improving graduation rates of minority students at the university.

Each recipient received a plaque and a monetary award.

“We’ve all had teachers who inspired us, mentored us and nurtured us,” said Debbie Shaw, interim vice president for alumni affairs and executive director of the Auburn Alumni Association. “This award is a great way for alumni to recognize and honor teachers at Auburn who have made a positive impact on their lives.”

Recipients are nominated by alumni, students, faculty colleagues and administrators, and nominations must be seconded by an academic dean.

Brock, who earned her doctorate at the University of Alabama, teaches physical education. Nominators included several high school physical education teachers who were former pupils. They cited her for her rapport with students, innovative teaching methods and investing personal time in creating extracurricular activities for students.

Peek, who teaches interior design, received a master’s degree in painting and drawing from Auburn University. Nominators recommended Peek not only because of her classroom skills and personal attention to students, but also for her “real world” knowledge that helps prepare students for careers.

Gibson, who teaches logistics and supply chain management courses at Auburn, earned his doctorate from the University of Tennessee. Recognized for his research in the logistics industry that finds its way back into the classroom, Gibson was recognized as a “multidimensional” teacher who uses a variety of creative methods to reach students and who uses contacts in the logistics industry to help open career doors for students.

Jolly, who was appointed to the faculty in 1980 to teach agricultural economics and aquaculture, has worked extensively abroad to help bolster international programs. Many of his minority graduate students hold significant positions in their fields in the United States, China, Japan, Indonesia and other nations.

Auburn Alumni Association is a nonprofit member-based organization for graduates, former students and other friends of Auburn University. Supporting scholarships, recognizing faculty and providing alumni programs and services are priorities of the Auburn Alumni Association. For more information, see http://www.aualum.org/.

Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama’s largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Amanda Thomas.)

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