ISSUED: 8 September 2023
MEDIA CONTACT: Cecelia Mason
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Shepherd University Foundation provided more than $35,000 through endowed faculty excellence funds during the 2022-23 academic year. These faculty excellence awards spanned 15 recipients in 12 departments across campus.
Faculty excellence endowments help further professional development by covering costs such as travel, conference registration fees, and reimbursement for supplies. Additionally, Shepherd’s four endowed chairs—the Edward L. Snyder Endowed Chair for Business, the Ray & Madeline Johnston American History Chair Endowment, the John T. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Chemistry, and the George Washington Chair of Ethics—provide funds which enable Shepherd to attract, recognize, and retain exceptional scholars and academic leaders.
The 2022-23 faculty excellence recipients were:
- Dr. Ben Martz—Edward L. Snyder Endowed Chair for Business
- Michelle Files—Edward L. Snyder Endowed Chair for Business
- Dr. Cindy Vance—Jerry and Carol Kerr Faculty Excellence for Accounting
- Dr. Stefan Swanson—Guy J. Frank Memorial Faculty Enrichment Fund for Music
- David Modler—Create the Future Faculty Award
- Dr. Jacquelyn Cole—John T. Reynolds Endowed Chair for Chemistry
- Dr. Benjamin Bankhurst—Ray & Madeline Johnston American History Chair Endowment
- Tara Carlisle—Scarborough Society Faculty Excellence Fund
- Dr. Robert Richardson—George Washington Chair of Ethics
- Dr. Chiquita Howard-Bostic—George Washington Chair of Ethics
- Dr. LeAnn Johnson—George Washington Chair of Ethics
- Dr. Amy DeWitt—George Washington Chair of Ethics
- Dr. Sylvia Shurbutt—George Washington Chair of Ethics
- Dr. Timothy Nixon—George Washington Chair of Ethics
In addition to the above recipients, Dr. Matthew Kushin was awarded the Mentzer Award for Inspirational Teaching in spring 2023. The $1,000 annual Mentzer Award is given to a full-time professor in recognition for having profound impact on his/her students.
The university’s success in advancing breakthrough research and developing the next generation of leaders depends on recruiting, retaining, and advancing great faculty through faculty excellence endowments like the ones named above.
To learn more about donating to an existing or creating a new faculty excellence fund, visit the Shepherd University Foundation website or email Sherri Janelle, interim Shepherd University Foundation executive vice president, or call her at 304-876-5397.
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