Baylor professors of the year represent sciences, math, arts and education
Each spring, Baylor honors professors with three major awards based on slightly varying criteria.
The first to be announced is the Collins Outstanding Professor Award, voted on each year by the outgoing senior class. Past Collins Professors include Dr. Randall O’Brien (1996), Dr. Tom Hanks (1998), Rachel Moore (1999) and Dr. Robert Packard (2002).
Dr. Bruce Hodson, senior lecturer in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, was chosen by Baylor’s Class of 2016 as this year’s Collins Outstanding Professor Award winner. Hodson noted that he was especially honored to receive this award, as most of his students are freshmen and sophomores – which means that even though the seniors who voted on the award had taken his class years earlier, they still remembered him fondly.
The Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year award honors a professor who “makes a superlative contribution to the learning environment at Baylor,” based on teaching, research and service. Past recipients include Dr. Robert Baird, BA ’59, Dr. Kevin Pinney, Dr. Bill Hillis, BS ’53, and Dr. David Lyle Jeffrey.
Dr. Johnny Henderson, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, has been named the award’s 2016 recipient. Many students sent in letters making the case for Henderson, citing the individual support they’d received from their professor. “Johnny is adored by his students,” says Dr. Lance Littlejohn, fellow professor and chair of the mathematics department. “As good as he is at research, and impossible as this may sound, he just might be a better teacher.”
Funded by the Centennial Class of 1945, the Baylor Centennial Professor Award annually provides financial support to aide professors with specific projects. Past honorees include Robert Darden, BSED ’76, Dr. Greg Garrett, and Dr. Richard Russell.
Two Centennial Professors were honored this spring. Steven Pounders, a Baylor Theatre professor, plans to use his award to create a course in Meisner acting for Baylor theatre arts students. Dr. Sandra Cooper, a professor and coordinator of the mathematics program in the School of Education, will use the award to study the methods of highly effective elementary school math teachers.
Ten other Baylor professors (four of whom were also Baylor alumni) also received Outstanding Professor recognition during Spring Commencement ceremonies: Dr. Lisa Baker, BA ’76 (Honors College), Dr. Julie deGraffenried, BA ’93 (history),Dr. Steven Driese (geosciences), Dr. Shelby Garner (nursing), Dr. Dennis Myers, BA ’68 (social work), Dr. Samuel Perry, BA ’05 (Honors College),Dr. Chris Pullig (marketing), Dr. David Wilhite (Truett), Patricia Wilson (law), and Dr. Lesley Wright (engineering).
Sic ’em, Baylor professors!