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Liberty University announces 2019-20 President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Five Liberty University professors, both residential and online, were announced as this year’s recipients of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

These awards are celebrated as the university’s most prestigious annual academic award. Their purpose is to recognize teachers who have promoted significant student learning, evidenced by creative and innovative approaches to teaching, the effective use of instructional technology, and exceptional pedagogical skill.

The recipients’ impact on students’ faith, thought, and character fully realizes the vision of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell to Train Champions for Christ. The award process involves a formal peer nomination, dean support, faculty input, and student contribution. The Center for Teaching Excellence oversees the adjudication and process. Winners from each category are recommended by separate confidential Provost Selection Committees, comprised of select faculty, academic leadership, and past winners, and are affirmed by the Offices of the Provosts for residential and online programs.

GRADUATE RESIDENTIAL: Dr. David Lindsey Snead – College of Arts and Sciences (Department of History)

Dr. David Lindsey Snead is a passionate researcher and teacher. His students find his love of history contagious. Dr. Snead made conscientious efforts to bring his textbook readings and lectures to life. In one class, students completed live presentations, and in the next they found themselves examining actual historical documents. He led his students through the U.S. Holocaust Museum Memorial and National Museum of American Jewish Military History, where students interacted with exhibits and participated in discussions with a holocaust survivor. A past winner of the ILLUMINATE Grant and frequent author and presenter, Dr. Snead received praise from his students, labeling him as “passionate, knowledgeable, and encouraging.”

UNDERGRADUATE RESIDENTIAL: Dr. Yan Xie – College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Modern Languages)

Dr. Yan Xie is a highly dedicated teacher who built Liberty’s Chinese offerings from the ground up. Her students are exposed to linguistic, cultural, and world-impacting culture. In class, she engaged students through creative, real-life demonstrations. These included appearing in a Tai Chi uniform, sharing Chinese food, and reenacting Chinese New Year. Many of her students received recognition beyond the classroom; one was even recognized by the Embassy of China for her accomplishments. She took her students to a Chinese Church and taught them to give their Christian testimony in Chinese. A past winner of the ILLUMINATE Grant and a committed teacher, Dr. Xie received praise from her students, who called her “creative, amazing, and truly caring.”

UNDERGRADUATE RESIDENTIAL: Dr. David R. Dinsmore – College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Mathematics)

Dr. David R. Dinsmore is an innovative practitioner and is an early and frequent adopter of technology and best instructional practices. He delivered engaging classes with audience response devices, SMART podiums, and real-life demonstrations of principles in physics. Such demonstrations included an unforgettable lecture on relativity, disguising himself as Albert Einstein and propelling across the room on a rolling chair to illustrate Newton’s laws of physics. He is popular for teaching his lessons from a fundamental Biblical worldview. He led his students through the “Truth Project” as a devotional. Dr. Dinsmore’s students commented on his engaging lectures, use of technology, and positive and encouraging attitude.

UNDERGRADUATE ONLINE: Dr. Tyler Wallace – College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Mathematics and Sciences)

Dr. Tyler Wallace is a communicative and encouraging online professor, known for his ability to bring clarity to complex concepts. Dr. Wallace created a new cumulative course project to bring his curriculum to the cutting edge of online instruction. He took a lead role on improving the student experience by embedding additional tech support into the course. He supplemented instruction and brought his digital textbook to life with the use of several videos that the created. His new statistic project allowed students to do a case study, complete with statistical analysis. His discussion board utilized mathematical concepts and standard deviations to conclude Christ is the Messiah. His online students claim that he “teaches with unwavering integrity and compassion.”

GRADUATE ONLINE: Dr. Travis Heath Bradshaw – College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Geography)

Dr. Travis Heath Bradshaw is a gifted online instructor. He utilizes an online learning platform that leverages adaptive learning to create unique student experiences. Dr. Bradshaw created a human geography course where he integrated interactive maps to engage his students. To help make learning real, students are challenged to generate service project ideas in his course, which often get brought to life after the term. Known for his accessibility, Dr. Bradshaw made himself available 17 hours a day, 7 days a week to his students. An experienced grant writer and prolific researcher, Dr. Bradshaw’s work has resulted in more than $90 million in grants during his career. His students commented that he is incredibly “approachable, available, and supportive.”

 

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