Tenured and Tenure-Track Teaching Excellence | Excellence Awards | SIU

2013: Anne Fletcher, a professor in the Department of Theater, has a gift “to blend theory with practice and classroom with stage that has made her so indispensable to our students’ education …” writes Ronald Naversen, professor of scenic design and graduate studies director in the Department of Theater, who nominated Fletcher for the award.

Fletcher teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in theater history, American theater history, contemporary developments, theory and criticism, and dramaturgy.  She also supervises and mentors graduate teaching assistants, serves as a chair or member on thesis and dissertation committees, and arranged more than 20 panels and presentations at regional and national conferences on theater teaching methods and practice.

Naversen writes that Fletcher assists each graduate teaching assistant before they step into a classroom with active learning exercises that students apply to various course subjects. Fletcher also implemented a dramaturgy program at SIU Carbondale and provides a “nurturing atmosphere for the undergraduates while still making the course challenging for graduate students.”  Fletcher has also earned national prominence for “pioneering work” in theater teaching methods and practice.  Community groups also seek Fletcher’s teaching expertise.

Fletcher is author or co-author of two books and five textbooks.  She is co-authoring a textbook that will highlight her experiences in “teaching to the season” practices at SIU Carbondale,

2012: Meera Komarraju, an associate professor and director of the undergraduate program in the psychology department in the College of Liberal Arts, is a "stellar teacher who is dedicated to her students' success," writes Benjamin Rodriguez, associate professor and department chair.

2011:  Dr. Gary Dunnington, professor and department chair of surgery at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is honored for his outstanding contributions to training new surgeons in the art of surgery and medicine. The award is part of SIUC's annual Excellence Through Commitment program, which highlights top achievers at the University.

2010: Wallace “Dave” N. Davidson III is the Henry Rehn Research Professor of Finance in the College of Business. He joined the faculty in 1989 is ranked as one of most prolific research article authors in finance and management. Known for his mentoring efforts, Davidson also received the 2010 University level Outstanding Teaching Award. Davidson earned his doctorate in 1982 at The Ohio State University. He holds an MBA and bachelor’s degree, completed in 1976 and 1974, respectively, from Wright State University in Ohio.

2008: S. Jonathan Wiesen, an associate professor of history in the College of Liberal Arts, specializes in modern European and especially German history, with emphases on consumerism and the Holocaust.  He joined the history department in 1998.  He won the George S. and Gladys W. Queen Award for Outstanding Teacher in the History Department in 2001 and was named Outstanding Teacher in the College of Liberal Arts in 2006.  Wiesen earned his bachelor’s degree with highest distinction from the University of California-Berkeley in 1990, and earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Brown University in 1992 and 1998 respectively.

2007: Microbiologist John M. Martinko (right). Martinko won college-level awards for outstanding teaching in 2003 and 2004. He came to SIUC in 1981 after four years as a postdoctoral fellow at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. He earned his bachelor?s degree in 1970 from The Cleveland State University and his master?s and doctoral degrees in 1976 and 1978 respectively from The State University of New York at Buffalo.

2006:   Sanjeev Kumar, professor of civil and environmental engineering.  Kumar was his department’s outstanding teacher in 2004 and 2003.   He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1986 from the Institution of Engineers in India and his mater’s and doctorate in 1993 and 1996 respectively from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

2005:  John H. Summey, associate professor of marketing in the College of Business and Administration.  Summey, who joined the faculty in 1977, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1962 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his master of business administration and doctoral degrees in 1969 and 1974, respectively, from Arizona State University.

2004:  Joyce V. Fetro, professor of health education and recreation.  She joined the faculty as an associate professor in 1997 and became a full professor in 2001.

2003:  William T. Patula, professor of mathematics.  A three-degree graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University (1967, 1969, 1971), he joined the SIUC faculty in 1972 after a semester’s stint at the University of Iowa as a visiting professor.  He was promoted to associate professor in 1978 and to full professor 10 years later.  He is now retired.

2002:  John L. Foster, associate professor of political science.  He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1967 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, then returned to his home state, earning a master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota in 1969 and 1971.  He joined the SIUC faculty in 1975.

2001:  Stephen J. Dollinger, psychology professor, Distinguished Teacher in Psychology and director of the Clinical Psychology Program.  Dollinger joined the SIUC faculty in 1977 after a year’s internship at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1972 and a master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus in 1974 and 1977, respectively.

2000:  Daradirek “Gee” Ekachai, associate professor of speech communication.  She holds a bachelor’s degree from Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University in her native Thailand and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earned in 1981.  Ekachai came to Carbondale as a doctoral student in 1986 and joined the faculty five years later as a lecturer.

1998:  Marjorie L. Morgan, a history professor, joined SIUC’s faculty in 1988 after finishing her doctoral degree in New Orleans, La., at Tulane University, where she also earned a master’s in 1981.  She earned her bachelor’s from Rice University in Houston, Texas in 1975.

1997:  Mary Lou Higgerson, professor of speech communication.  She joined the faculty in 1973 and returned to the classroom in 1992 after more than four years in a full-time administrative post.  Higgerson earned her bachelor’s degree from Clarion State University (now Clarion University) in Clarion, Pa., in 1970, her master’s degree from Central Michigan State University in 1971 and her doctorate from the University of Kansas in 1974.

1996:  Aslam Kassimali, a civil engineering professor, has been named Outstanding Teacher 10 times by his department since 1982, and three times by his college since 1988.  A native of Pakistan, Kassimali earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Karachi (Pakistan) in 1969, a master’s degree from Iowa State University in 1971 and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Missouri in 1974 and 1976, respectively.  He joined the SIUC faculty in 1980.

1995:  David W. Kammler, professor of mathematics.  A native of Belleville, Kammler received two bachelor’s degrees at SIUC in 1962, a master’s degree, also at SIUC, in 1964, a second master’s degree at Southern Methodist University in 1969 and a doctoral degree at the University of Michigan in 1971.  Before joining SIUC’s faculty in 1971, Kammler held a National Science Foundation Fellowship at the University of Michigan.

1994:  Diane E. Taub, associate professor of sociology and now associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts.  Taub earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from East Tennessee State University in 1975 and 1977, respectively.  She received her doctoral degree from the University of Kentucky in 1986.

1993:  S. Beverly Gulley, professor of curriculum and instruction. A native of Valdosta, Ga., Gulley earned her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan College of Macon, Ga., in 1967.  She earned a master’s degree from Indiana University in 1970 and a doctorate from SIUC in 1974.  She joined the University in 1975.

1992:  Michael G. Parkinson, associate professor of speech communication.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1968, a master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma in 1973, a doctorate in communication from the same university in 1977 and a law degree from SIUC in 1987.

1991:  Kim S. Harris, associate professor of agribusiness economics. Harris, from Mattoon, joined the College of Agriculture’s faculty in 1984.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from Miami (Ohio) University in 1971 and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois in 1979 and 1985.

1991:  Mary H. Wright, associate professor of mathematics. Wright first came to SIUC in 1980 as a visiting associate professor.  A native of Dagenham, England, Wright earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from McGill University in Montreal.

1990:  Robert D. Russell, professor of health education.  Russell came to SIUC in 1965 as an associate professor in health education and was promoted to professor in 1970.  He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles (1948 and 1952) and a doctoral degree from Stanford University in 1954.

1988:  James R. Moore, assistant professor of marketing.  A native of Johnston City, Moore holds bachelor’s (1959) and master’s (1962) degrees from SIUC and a doctorate (1972) from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.  He initially joined the faculty in 1962.

1987:  Joan F. Martin, an assistant professor of English who specialized in composition and 20th century American literature.  A Carbondale native, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SIUC.  She joined the faculty in 1957.

1986: Robert H. Mohlenbrock, distinguished professor of botany.  He earned his bachelor’s (1953) and master’s (1954) degrees from SIUC.  He earned a doctorate from Washington University in 1957 and joined the SIUC faculty the same year.

1985:  Kenneth K. Collins joined SIUC’s English department faculty in 1976.  A native of Mason Hill, Tenn., Collins earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, Va.) and a doctoral degree from Vanderbilt University.

1984: Theodore A. Burton, a professor of mathematics, joined the Department of Mathematics in 1966.  Before that, he taught mathematics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.  He earned three degrees from Washington State University.

1984: Jan Martan, a native of Czechoslovakia, came to SIUC in 1964 as an assistant professor in the Department of Zoology.  He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Chicago.  He earned his doctoral degree at the University of Oregon.

1984: Frederick L. Williams joined the classics section of SIUC’s foreign languages faculty in 1977.  A former assistant professor at Cornell University, he is a native of Denver, Colo.  Williams is a graduate of the University of Texas.  He holds a master’s degree from the University of Colorado and a doctorate from Cornell.  He currently is director of the University Honors Program.

1983:  James N. BeMiller, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty in 1961.  A native of Evansville, Ind., he earned three degrees from Purdue University.

1983:  Najim A. Rubayi came to SIUC in 1966 as an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Mechanics and Materials.  A former instructor at the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin, Rubayi graduated from Wolverhampton Polytechnic Institute in England.  The Baghdad native earned a doctorate degree from the University of Wisconsin.

1983:  R. Stanley Tyler joined the SIUC faculty in 1970 as a lecturer in the Department of Finance.  He was winner in 1976 of the Best Lecturer Award for the College of Business and Administration. The Martinsville native earned a law degree from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University.

1982:  David N. Bateman, associate professor in the Department of Administrative Sciences.  A native of Peoria, he joined the SIUC faculty in 1962 as a graduate assistant and instructor of marketing.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from Parsons College (Iowa), and two master’s degrees and a doctorate in communications from SIUC.

1982:  Roger E. Beyler, a professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry and former research chemist with Merck and Co. Inc., joined the SIUC faculty in 1959.  A native of Nappanee, Ind., Beyler earned a bachelor’s degree from North Central College and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois.

1982:  Vernold K. Feiste, associate professor in the department of electrical science and systems engineering.  A native of Farrar, Mo., he joined the SIUC faculty in 1966 as an assistant professor and was named associate professor in 1970.  He earned three degrees from the University of Missouri at Columbia.

1981:  John H. Yopp, professor of botany, joined the SIUC faculty in 1970 as an assistant professor.  He was promoted to the rank of associate professor in 1974, achieving full professor standing in 1979.  A native of Paducah, Ky., he earned degrees from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and the University of Louisville (Ky.).

1980:  Paul Harre, assistant professor in the School of Technical Careers, joined the faculty in 1972.  He became an assistant professor in 1976.  A native of Nashville, Ill., he earned three degrees from SIUC.

1980:  John Voigt, professor in the department of botany, joined SIUC’s faculty in 1950.  A native of Sullivan, Ind., he earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Nebraska.

1980:  Gola Waters, associate professor in the department of finance.  A native of Kewanee, Waters joined the faculty in 1965 as a lecturer in the department of management.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Ambrose College and his law degree from the University of Iowa.  He also earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from SIUC.

1979:  Carl L. Hausler, associate professor in the department of animal industry. A native of Schenectady, N.Y., he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Vermont in 1963 and 1965, and his doctorate from Purdue University in 1970.  He joined the faculty in 1970 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 1977.

1979:  Dale F. Ritter, professor in the department of geology, joined the faculty in 1972.  A native of Allentown, Pa., he was assistant and associate professor at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., before coming to SIUC.  He earned bachelor’s degrees in education and geology from Franklin and Marshall in 1955 and 1959, and master’s and doctoral degrees from Princeton in 1963 and 1964.

1978:  Donald M. Elkins, professor in the department of plant and soil science, also won this award in 1975.  A native of Woodville, Ala., he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1962 from the Tennessee Polytechnic Institute and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Auburn University in 1964 and 1967.  He was appointed assistant professor in 1967 and became full professor in 1974.

1978:  Marvin D. Kleinau, assistant professor in speech communication.  A native of Geneseo, he joined the SIUC faculty in 1963 after stints as a public school teacher in Saybrook and Geneseo.  He was promoted from instructor to assistant professor in 1973.  He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois State University in 1952 and 1960, and was awarded his doctorate in 1977 by SIUC.

1978:  Richard Peterson, associate professor in the department of English, joined SIUC’s faculty in 1969 as an assistant professor.  He graduated from Edinburg, (Pa.) University, and received master’s and doctoral degrees from Kent State University in 1967.  He became associate professor in 1975.

1977:  Charles J. Woelfel, professor of accounting;

1977:  Richard T. Arnold, professor of chemistry;

1977:  Alan M. Cohn, professor in Morris Library;

1977:  Donald W. Garner, assistant professor of law;

1977:  Charles B. Klasek, associate professor of instruction and media;

1977:  Raymond R. Maleike, assistant professor of plant and soil science;

1977:  John L. Kurtz, assistant professor of radio and television;

1977:  Theresa B. Mirani, associate professor in School of Technical Careers;

1977:  Joan V. O’Brien, associate professor of foreign languages and literature;

1977:  Edith C. Spees, assistant professor of child and family;

1976:  R. Clifton Andersen, professor of marketing;

1976: Mary Ann Armour, political science instructor;

1976: Dorothy R. Bleyer, assistant professor in the School of Technical Careers;

1976: Jacqueline Eddleman, assistant professor of child and family;

1976: Robert L. Gold, professor of history;

1976: Carl L. Hausler, assistant professor of animal industries;

1976: John S. Jackson III, associate professor of political science;

1976: B. Taylor Mattis, associate professor of law;

1976: John C. Mickus, assistant professor of physiology;

1976: Randall H. Nelson, professor of political science;

1976: Edward J. O’Day, Jr., history instructor;

1976: Lois A. Richman, English instructor;

1976: Dale O. Ritzel, associate professor of health education;

1976: C. Lee Rogers, assistant professor of technology;

1975:  Donald M. Elkins, professor in the department of plant and soil science, also won this award in 1975.  A native of Woodville, Ala., he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1962 from the Tennessee Polytechnic Institute and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Auburn University in 1964 and 1967.  He was appointed assistant professor in 1967 and became full professor in 1974.

1974:  MichaelHanes, Marching Salukis director and music professor;

1974:  Charles Speck, assistant professor of foreign language;

1974:  Donald Lybecker, School of Agriculture;

1974:  Terrence Roberts, College of Human Resources;

1974:  Charles Woelfel, College of Business and Administration;

1974:  Arthur Workun, School of Technical Careers;

1974:  Dale Besterfield, School of Engineering and Technology;

1974:  William Hood, College of Science;

1974: William O’Brien, College of Education;

1973:  ???

1972:  ???

1971:  William Horrell, professor of cinema and photography;

1971: Morris Lamb, assistant professor of elementary education;

1971: Edmund Epstein, professor of English;

1971: Donald Elkins, assistant chairman, Department of Agriculture;

1971: James Moore, instructor of marketing;

1971: Paul Andrews, lecturer in technology;

1971: Melva Ponton, child and family instructor;

1971: James White, instructor in automotive technology;

1970:  Maurice Ogur, Department of Microbiology;

1970: Brent Kington, associate professor of art;

1970: Sue Pace, associate professor of speech pathology and audiology;

1970: Dormalee Lindberg, assistant professor of elementary education;

1970: Eugene Wood, professor of agricultural industries;

1970: Charles Woelfel, associate professor of accounting;

1970: Ernest L. Dunning, professor of engineering;

1970: Samantha Sue Ridley, instructor of clothing and textiles;

1970: Donald Smith, instructor of chemistry;

1969:  Karen Craig, assistant professor in consumer education;

1969:  Clarence Samford, professor of secondary education;

1969:  Edward Schmidlein, Jr., professor of accounting;

1969:   Vernold K. Feiste, associate professor in the department of electrical science and systems engineering.  A native of Farrar, Mo., he joined the SIUC faculty in 1966 as an assistant professor and was named associate professor in 1970.  He earned three degrees from the University of Missouri at Columbia.

1969:  Howard Miller, associate professor of animal industries;

1969:  Kent Werner, assistant professor of music;

1969:  Thomas J. Pace, associate professor of speech;

1969:  Donald Smith, instructor in chemistry;