Missouri Southern State University - Crossroads Yearbook (Joplin, MO)

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A few of Southern s Special faculty: Many outstanding faculty members give Missouri Southern a reputation for ' academic ex¬ cellence” throughout the midwest. Ten faculty members have been recognized as Outstanding Teachers” since an awards program was instituted in 1980. Each year the Missouri Southern Foundation provides an award of $1,000 to one person designated as the Outstan¬ ding Teacher” and $1,000 to the person designated as Outstanding Teacher of a Freshman Class.” Dr. Larry Martin, head of the mathematics department, and Grace Mitchell, professor emeritus of English, were the first recipients of the award in 1980. I felt a tremendous honor. especially since it was the first time it was given,” Martin said. I was so exalted, so exhilarated,” Mitchell said, but I felt unworthy. I felt maybe I hadn ' t done enough to deserve it. nominations for the awards are submitted by faculty, students, and alumni. These nominations then go before a committee of emeritus faculty and previous recipients. After finalists are chosen, the win¬ ners are selected by the deans of the four schools. Dr. Glenn Dolence, and Dr. Floyd Belk. In 1981 Marilyn Jacobs, assistant professor of nursing, and Dr. Von- nie Prentice, professor of biology, received the awards. I was grateful for the opportuni¬ ty to teach at Missouri Southern Prentice said, and to be able top have an effect on the students ' ' | Said Jacobs, I was very surf prised. I wasn ' t there when the! award was given, but I still was flab¬ bergasted.” Richard W. Massa, head of the communications department, and Donald Seneker, assistant prol fessor of law enforcement, received! the awards in 1982. I thought it was one of thl nicest things that ever happened to 1 me,” Seneker said. I remembered! seeing others get it, like Vonnilj Prentice and Marilyn Jacobs, and ( thinking how terrific it was. It wa| a double pleasure because it pul f me up with them, who I regard, c (Above left) Dr. Vonnie Prentice, head of the biology depailil ment since 1983, shows slides to his students. (Above) James Jackson, professor of biology, has taught at Missoiij n Southern since 1976. (Left) Dr. J. Merrell Junkins, profess! of psychology, is known for his interesting and informatil lectures.

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W e look back at this school year and we marvel at all it has meant. There was a sense, as never before perhaps, that this was the year begin¬ ning a new era. Talk of a new horizon dominated the early days of the fall semester. Shuttle service from outlying areas was new and signified the Colleges renewed concern. The day care center materialized more slowly; MSTV materialized more rapidly. The Rude Cru sprange up from nowhere. And there were telecourses, new times for evening classes, a new honors program, a new degree program in nursing, an enrollment increase, a favorable report from the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, and more new things than we can think of now. Pride in the College was felt wherever we walked; spirit exuded itself in rallies, parties, and at games. There were good times. Sad times, too, we re afraid. We lost some good friends. They can never be forgotten, but the College will go on. We care about the College which cares about us. We care about the faculty who have guided us, the staff who have treated us with kindness and respect, and our classmates who have always been more; They ' ve been friends. At times in the past we ' ve thought of the College only in terms of its smallness. We ' ve failed to see its largeness of spirit and of vision. We do know one fact: Southern ' s Alive in ' 85 Opening , □ 4

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I I Dr. jri ior vel Massa described winning the award as a humbling experience. One of the most beautiful things about this particular award was the following evening. I received phone calls from a great number of former faculty members who called to congratulate me. Harry Gockel came by on the following Monday to express his congratulations to me personally. At that particular point I was receiving compliments from people whom I had always respected. ' ' Dr. James Jackson, professor of biology, and Dr. J. Merrell Junkins, professor of psychology, received the awards in 1983. It made me feel like the com¬ munity of Missouri Southern could recognize hard work, ' ' Jackson said. It made me feel good about the institution. 7 ' Said Junkins, The money associated with the award didn ' t last long. The plaque lasts longer, but hangs on a wall in the back bedroom. However, the feeling of pride 1 had that evening will last forever. No one can take away that feeling. ' ' In 1984 Dr. Carmen Carney, pro¬ fessor of foreign languages, and Dr. Charles Leitle, professor of business administration, received the awards. I was really shocked, and I felt like I didn ' t deserve it ' Leitle said. After it sinks in, it gives you a feel¬ ing of some accomplishment ' Said Carney, It makes you feel really good. I was pleased that they recognized the efforts put into teaching ' Nearly all the recipients said that winning the award put added pressure on them the following semester. The hardest part was having to live up to it ' Massa said. I worked very hard that summer in my of¬ fice, revising lectures so that they would be worthy of a person who received the award ' What makes these faculty members outstanding ? Each reci¬ pient had his or her own idea of what qualities are necessary for outstanding teaching. The first thing you must do is to identify the students as in¬ dividuals, Jackson said. That is very important. Then you must realize you are no better than the students. Said Leitle, To me the key is to be able to relate what you know to the students in a way they can comprehend. It ' s being able to communicate some skills to them in a way they understand. Said Junkins, For me, it ' s simply hard work. It is knowing your ob¬ jectives, and developing tech¬ niques to move toward those objec¬ tives. I think you have to have a broad knowledge base, and you have to like it very much, Jacobs said. My two main keys are a love for nursing and a love for the students. Dr. Julio Leon, College President, feels the awards are beneficial for two reasons. First of all, one of the two awards places emphasis on the freshman class, and these are courses that are sometimes neglected, Leon said. Also, the overall award is valuable. The money is specifically designed to stimulate and recognize those outstanding faculty members we have. Winners of the two awards are not announced until Commence¬ ment. Selected nominations from students, faculty, and alumni are read at that time. (Above left) Dr. J. Larry Martin instructs students at the chalkboard during a mathematics class. (Above right) Donald Seneker, director of the police academy, lectures on fingerprinting techniques. (Above) Dr. Carmen Carney speaks to her Spanish class. Teachers □