FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The University of North Carolina Board of Governors has selected 17 outstanding University faculty members to receive the 2019 Awards for Excellence in Teaching.

The recipients, who represent all 16 of North Carolina’s public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, were nominated by special committees at each institution and selected by the Board of Governors Committee on Educational Planning, Policies, and Programs.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of this prestigious award. Established by the Board in 1993 to highlight the importance of teaching, the award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of faculty members System wide.

“We take great pride in honoring these recipients. They all bring a high standard of excellence in the classroom through creative teaching methods that impact our students,” said UNC Board of Governors Chair Harry Smith.

Each of the winners will receive a commemorative bronze medallion and a $12,500 cash prize. Awards will be presented by a Board of Governors member during each institution’s spring graduation ceremony.

“This award is an opportunity to acknowledge the great work that’s being done by some of the finest instructors in all of higher education,” said UNC System Interim President Bill Roper. “It represents the talent we have in the UNC System and the high-quality education our students receive.”

The 2019 winners are:

  • D. Jason Miller, associate professor, Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, Appalachian State University;
  • David Wilson-Okamura, professor, Department of English, East Carolina University;
  • Kingsley N. Nwala, professor, Department of Business and Economics, Elizabeth City State University;
  • Paul Boaheng, associate professor, Department of Government and History, Fayetteville State University;
  • Valerie Jarvis McMillan, associate professor, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University;
  • Jonathan N. Livingston, professor, Department of Psychology, North Carolina Central University;
  • James Patrick Rand, professor, College of Design, North Carolina State University;
  • Ameena Batada, associate professor, Department of Health and Wellness, UNC Asheville;
  • Donald Thomas Hornstein, distinguished professor, School of Law, UNC-Chapel Hill;
  • Tony L. Schmitz, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, UNC Charlotte;
  • Dianne H.B. Welsh, distinguished professor, Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality and Tourism, UNC Greensboro;
  • Kevin S. Freeman, associate professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, UNC Pembroke;
  • Herbert Berg, professor, Department of International Studies, UNC Wilmington;
  • M. Eric Rimes, professor, School of Design, Production, Lighting, UNC School of the Arts;
  • John Whitmire, associate professor, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Western Carolina University;
  • Stephanie T. Dance-Barnes, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Winston-Salem State University; and,
  • Scott Laird, instructor, Department of Humanities, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

Read more about the 2019 Awards for Excellence in Teaching recipients, including biographies and photos.