The Alumni Association honored 21 NC State professors last week for their outstanding work in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field. We talked (via email) with some of the recipients about their work and the keys to being a successful professor.
Today we’re visiting with Hiller Spires, a professor in the College of Education and a senior research fellow at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. Spires is one of two professors being recognized as Distinguished Graduate Professors.
What is the key to being a successful teacher? Any success I’ve had as a teacher is derived, I think, from my passion for compelling ideas and creating conditions for students to be curious and intellectually challenged. I’ve found that students more often than not rise to the learning occasion. I see my role as setting high expectations, modeling intellectual curiosity and being available to mentor, challenge and provide resources for students to be successful. I’m not afraid to show my enthusiasm and students tell me that it is contagious. “If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. If you let me experience, I will learn.” This well-known quote by Lao Tau aptly captures my philosophy of teaching.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction as a professor? My favorite aspect of graduate teaching is engaging my students as co-researchers. I enjoy supporting students as they learn the rigors of the educational research process, including publishing findings and sharing them with professional audiences at conferences. It’s rewarding to watch as students become confident in their new-found knowledge and skills. I take satisfaction knowing that I have a part in contributing to the next generation of educational researchers.
The Alumni Association will honor 21 NC State professors on May 3 for their outstanding work in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field. We talked (via email) with some of the recipients about their work and the keys to being a successful professor.
Today we’re visiting with Jessica DeCuir-Gunby, an associate professor of education in the College of Education. DeCuir-Gunby is one of seven professors being recognized with Outstanding Teacher Awards.
What is the key to being a successful teacher? I feel there are several keys to being a successful teacher. First, it is important to establish a healthy student-teacher relationship that is based upon trust and respect; this helps to create a welcoming learning community. I also think that a successful teacher is encouraging; it is imperative to help motivate students to believe in their abilities both in and outside of the classroom. Third, a successful teacher uses culturally relevant methods to help students learn course content; it is necessary to incorporate students’ experiences as well as popular culture and recent events into course materials. Last, a successful teacher makes course content applicable to students’ futures; it is essential to provide real-world activities that can be applied to students’ professional lives.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction as a professor? I love receiving correspondence from former students stating how they were able to use what they learned in my class in their respective professions. I receive great satisfaction knowing that my courses are directly applicable to my students’ lives. I also receive satisfaction when students decide to continue their learning based upon taking one of my courses. It is quite humbling to know that I have helped inspire students to further their education.
The Alumni Association is honoring 21 NC State professors for their excellent work in the classroom, the laboratory and the field. The professors will be recognized at a reception at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on May 3.
The winners of the 2012 Faculty Awards are:
Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professors
D. Barry Croom | Department of Agricultural and Extension Education | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Jeffrey A. Joines | Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science | College of Textiles
John R. Meyer | Department of Entomology | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Craig M. Newmark | Department of Economics | College of Management
Maria Oliver-Hoyo | Department of Chemistry | College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
John K. Townsend | Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | College of Engineering
Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Professors
Y. Richard Kim | Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering | College of Engineering
Hiller A. Spires | Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Counselor Education | College of Education
Alumni Association Outstanding Research Awards
Edward Bealmear Breitschwerdt | Department of Clinical Sciences | College of Veterinary Medicine
Jon-Paul Maria| Department of Material Science Engineering | College of Engineering
Ann Helen Ross| Department of Sociology and Anthropology | College Humanities and Social Sciences
Alumni Association Outstanding Extension and Outreach Awards
Jay F. Levine | Department of Population Health and Pathobiology | College of Veterinary Medicine
Donald E. Thrall | Department of Molecular Biomedical Science| College of Veterinary Medicine
Grady L. Miller |Department of Crop Science | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards
Jennifer L. Campbell | Department of Biology | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Martha L. Crowley | Department of Sociology and Anthropology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby | Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Counselor Education | College of Education
Michael D. Dickey | Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering | College of Engineering
Scott M. Ferguson | Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | College of Engineering
David W.W. Jones | Department of Agricultural and Extension Education | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Shevaun Neupert | Department of Psychology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Everyone, it seems, has a Facebook page and we know that when someone says they Tweet they don’t mean that they chirp like a bird.
But as familiar as we are with social media, there’s a great opportunity on Monday to hear from one of the pioneers of social media.
Chris Hughes, one of the co-founders of Facebook, is delivering the 2012 Harrelson Lecture at 3 p.m. Monday at Stewart Theatre. His topic is “The Changing Media Landscape: How Social Media is Transforming News and Information.” The talk is free and open to the public.
Hughes has also worked in politics (director of online organizing for Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign), investments (General Catalyst Partners) and the nonprofit world (he founded Jumo, a tool to help people find high-quality nonprofits).
In the fall of 2011, Jumo merged with GOOD, an online community of young adults interested in social activism. Hughes is currently a senior adviser at GOOD. In March, it was announced the Hughes had purchased and will be the publisher and editor-in-chief of The New Republic magazine. Hughes, a native of Hickory, N.C., is a Harvard University graduate.
Former NC State Chancellor Larry Monteith ‘60 remembers when he was a department head in the College of Engineering in the mid-1970s and the challenges the college faced. At the time, he says the college was trying to make itself a place where African-Americans and women could thrive. At times, he says, minority students didn’t feel nurtured or at home. That soon changed.
“In comes Larry. Larry was sort of the spark plug,” Monteith says of Lawrence Clark, a former NC State educator who began many student initiatives for minorities at the university. “He stepped in and helped develop that environment. …He was right there at the front of that charge.”
Clark died January 23 at his home in Raleigh. He was 77.
Monteith says Clark was a “pioneer” in his roles as math professor, associate provost and coordinator of the university’s affirmative action plan. He made NC State’s campus a home for diverse opinions and diverse backgrounds, Monteith says.
Clark spread that diversity by nurturing students and reaching them on a personal level. “I think he was really energized by the contact he had with students,” says Joanne Woodard, vice provost for institutional equity and diversity. “He never lost that. You see that in the programs he created. Those were created to foster their learning and to make sure they were armed and ready when they left NC State.”
Clark came to NC State in 1974 as a professor of mathematics who had taught at Virginia State College, Norfolk State College and Florida State University. He served as associate provost and a full-time professor in the College of Education.
As a catalyst for inclusion on campus, Clark was what the African American Cultural Center (AACC) calls a “founding father” for programs and initiatives centered around African-American advancement on campus. He worked diligently to found the AACC. He started the African American Symposium, a summer orientation program featuring perspectives from African-American faculty, staff and students. He also established the University-Community Brotherhood Dinner, which brought together leaders of NC State, Shaw University and Saint Augustine’s College.
One of Clark’s prized projects was an annual trip to West Africa he would take with students, Woodard says. The first trip happened in 1989 and was the brainchild of Clark and Augustus Witherspoon ‘69 MS, ‘71 PHD. Clark enjoyed using the trip to teach the students about themselves.
“I think he wanted people to have a better sense of, as we say, ‘from whence they came,’” Woodard says. “He wanted them to see they were from a prosperous people still thriving. It encouraged them to be a part of their heritage.”
In the 1990s, the AACC started the Lawrence M. Clark Lecture Series to celebrate his legacy. The 2012 Clark Lecture on March 15 will pay a special tribute to him. The Black Alumni Society has honored Clark by voting to name the undergraduate scholarship it awards after him.
Clark also served as a leader on various committees, boards and commissions. He was active in many professional societies, including the American Association of College Teachers of Education and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
He is survived by his wife, Irene Reynolds Clark, of Raleigh; his four children: Debra Clark Jones of Chapel Hill, N.C., Linda Parks of Raleigh, Lawrence M. Clark Jr. of Washington, D.C., and Sheila Stallings of Greensboro, N.C.; and seven grandchildren.
The Alumni Association recognized some of NC State’s greatest stars this weekend, honoring 18 alumni and friends of the university for their professional and personal accomplishments and their continuing support of NC State, the Alumni Association and the Wolfpack Club.
“Their light, ignited by their NC State education and fueled by their own successes, reflects upon their alma mater, enhancing NC State’s reputation around the world,” Chancellor Randy Woodson said during the “Evening of Stars” at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary. “They unequivocally add value to an NC State degree.
“These are alumni who have made impacts around the globe; through television broadcasts and comprehensive websites, on Main Street and Wall Street; through rhyme and reason; in factories, laboratories, classrooms and boardrooms.”
The honorees at the 8th Annual NC State Evening of Stars were:
COLLEGE DISTINGUISHED AWARD RECIPIENTS
S. Elizabeth George ‘81 MS, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: As director of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Directorate for the U.S. Department of Defense, George is recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on chemical and biological warfare.
H. Connor Kennett Jr. ‘54, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Kennett was the longtime director of the poultry division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture before he retired in 1988. He was the first North Carolinian inducted into the National Poultry Hall of Fame.
David W. Evans ‘84, College of Design: Evans is an award-winning creative director, photographer and filmmaker who has worked for clients such as the National Geographic Society, Discovery Channel, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Foundation.
Carl E. Harris ‘98 EDD, College of Education: A former superintendent of Durham (N.C.) Public Schools, Harris was named in 2010 as deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. He also served as superintendent of the Franklin County (N.C.) Public School System.
Marshall D. Brain ‘89 MS, College of Engineering: Brain founded HowStuffWorks.com, an award-winning website that offers easy-to-understand explanations of how the world around us functions. Discovery Communications purchased the site for $250 million in 2007.
William H. “Bill” Dean ‘88, College of Engineering: Dean is president and CEO of M.C. Dean Inc., a company founded in 1949 by his grandfather. The company is the nation’s premier electrical design-build and systems integration firm, with 3,300 employees and clients that include Fortune I000 corporations, universities, high-tech companies and government agencies.
Robert R. Womack ‘59, College of Engineering: After working as a partner at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, Womack went on to serve as chairman, chief executive officer or president of four New York Stock Exchange companies.
Nora H. Shepard ‘05 MFA, College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Shepard is an award-winning poet who teaches creative writing and poetry at NC State. A longtime advocate of the arts, Shepard was the founding president of Arts Together, Raleigh’s only nonprofit multi-arts school.
Jon W. Bartley ‘69, Poole College of Management: Bartley is a professor of accounting at NC State who served as associate dean of the college from the time it was founded in 1993 until 1998, when he became dean. He served as dean until 2004, when he returned to the faculty.
Ed Leigh McMillan II ‘62, College of Natural Resources: McMillan is the managing trustee of the D.W. McMillan Trust and the D.W. McMillan Foundation, managing 40,000 acres of timber in Alabama and Florida, as well as the mineral rights and drilling sites for newly discovered oil reserves associated with the property.
David B. Montgomery, ‘68, ‘81 PhD, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences: Montgomery worked for 30 years as a plasma physicist at Becton, Dickinson and Company (now known as BD), developing new technology that resulted in 15 U.S. and five European patents.
F. Dale Hayes ‘78, College of Textiles: Hayes is vice president of global public relations for UPS, and was responsible for developing the company’s award-winning, memorable slogan about what “brown can do for you,” and redesigned its iconic brand mark to give UPS one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
Dr. David E. Anderson ‘88 BS, ‘90 DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine: Anderson is a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, where he is head of agriculture practices in the Department of Clinical Sciences. He is the founding director of the International Camelid Institute at The Ohio State University and the International Academy of Farm Animal Surgeons.
WOLFPACK CLUB AWARD
E.J. Poindexter ‘58, Ronnie Shavlick Award: Poindexter worked for more than 40 years for Barnhill Contracting Co., where he eventually became the company’s first vice president. Poindexter has been devoted to NC State athletics for more than 55 years, never taking a vacation that didn’t revolve around an NC State sporting event.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS
Dennis G. Howard ‘67, Meritorious Service Award: Howard served for 14 years on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving on every board committee and providing leadership as the board’s president during a critical year of transition for the Alumni Association and its Caldwell Fellows program.
David S. Jolley ‘70 and Celia G. Jolley ‘83 MS, Meritorious Service Award: David, vice president of commercial lending at C&F Bank in Williamsburg, Va., was a founding member of the NC State Board of Visitors and has served on the NC State University Foundation and its endowment board. David and Celia, a retired educator, are members of the C.W. Dabney Lifetime Giving Society and the R.S. Pullen Society.
Ada B. Dalla Pozza, Award of Merit: As a NC State extension agent, faculty member, mentor and volunteer for more than 70 years, Ms. Ada (as she is known) provided leadership to improve the quality of life for families and helped create leadership institutes for rural women, many of whom became elected officials.
Daniel C. Gunter III ‘00, Outstanding Young Alumnus: Gunter, an associate attorney with DLA Piper, serves on the Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Council and is a member of the association’s board of directors as a representative of the Council on Athletics.
Judi Grainger ‘72 EDD received her undergraduate degree from East Carolina University, but she spent most of her weekends in those days hanging out at NC State. That’s because Grainger was dating an NC State football player. “I had more friends here at NC State than I did at East Carolina because all my social life was here in Raleigh,” she says.
After graduating from ECU, Grainger returned to Raleigh to work at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind. Grainger enjoyed working with children with disabilities, but ultimately decided she wanted to go to graduate school in adult education. Naturally, she decided to go to NC State.
“The perfect choice, being right here in Raleigh, was NC State,” she says. “I already loved NC State.”
Grainger now serves as president of the NC State Alumni Association, presiding over the association’s board of directors and serving as an ambassador for NC State. We talked with Grainger about her experiences at NC State and her goals for the Alumni Association:
A valuable lesson learned at NC State: I had a lot of courses with this guy who studied all the time. That’s all he ever did. You would ask him to go out with a group of friends, but he would never go. He always had to study. One day, I said, “You are going to miss out on so much if you study all the time. I think you need to mix it up a little bit.” He said, ‘No, I’ll mix it up when I’m out of school.’ Do you know, about a month later, he was killed in a car accident? And that stayed with me for the rest of my life, that you need to fix your priorities so you can mix it up a little bit and have fun while you’re doing serious things, too. You need to live life to the fullest each day.
Favorite memories from her time at NC State: Football games and basketball games. Hanging out with friends and knowing so many of the players from having been here so much on the weekends.
Her goals for the Alumni Association: I want to grow membership and give the Alumni Association more exposure. I want to educate our board members and get them out there in the community. Each member should be an ambassador of the university and tell the story. The things that are going on on this campus are just amazing.
On the value of membership in the Alumni Association: If you don’t belong to the Alumni Association you’re missing out on a lot of things. Some of the obvious things are the opportunity to be more engaged with your university, to be more engaged with fellow alumni who you’ve either gone to school with or are just now meeting. The networking you can have between people who are graduates of this university is just tremendous, whether it’s for business or social networking.
Why she’s Red & White for Life: I am passionate about NC State. I feel like this is my home. I really can’t imagine my life without NC State and without all my NC State family, who are as dear a friends as anyone could ever have. My pride in NC State is overwhelming - I just cannot believe what we’re discovering here and what we’re inventing here. My pride - that’s what makes me Red & White for Life.
NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson and Benny Suggs, executive director of the Alumni Association, present the 2011 Faculty Awards during a ceremony at the Park Alumni Center.
The Alumni Association honored 18 NC State professors this evening for their exemplary work as teachers, researchers and scholars.
NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, Alumni Association President Judi Grainger, and Benny Suggs, executive director of the Alumni Association, presented the 2011 Faculty Awards during a ceremony and reception at the Park Alumni Center on Centennial Campus.
“These are faculty who encourage and inspire with enthusiasm and dedication,” Grainger said. “They ignite the curiosity of students, feed their thirst for knowledge and teach the value of cooperation and collaboration
“These are faculty who empower students to reach beyond rote learning, to think independently and expansively, and believe in themselves.”
Woodson described the faculty as “intellectual catalysts” and “the cornerstone of this university.”
Chad Jordan, undergraduate programs coordinator for the Department of Plant Biology, was one of four recipients of the Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Award. He said the recognition had special meaning because students were involved in the selection process.
“That’s the highest honor a teacher can receive, when your students recognize you,” Jordan said. “That’s thrilling.”
Alexander Deiters, an associate professor of bio-organic chemistry, was one of three professors recognized with Alumni Association Outstanding Research Awards.
“It’s nice that NC State recognizes young professors and their research before they become established,” Deiters said. “That’s a nice touch. You don’t see that very often.”
The winners of the 2011 Faculty Awards are:
Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professors
Medwick Byrd | Department of Forest Biomaterials | College of Natural Resources
Cynthia L. Istook | Department of Textiles and Apparel, Technology and Management | College of Textiles
Bong-Il Jin | Department of Graphic Design and Industrial Design | College of Design
Russell E. King | E.P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering | College of Engineering
James A. Knopp | Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Janet F. Spears | Department of Crop Science | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Professors
Hugh A. Devine | Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management | Department of Natural Resources
John J. Seater | Department of Economics | Poole College of Management
Alumni Association Outstanding Research Awards
Alexander Deiters | Department of Chemistry | College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Tony K. Stewart | Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Orlin D. Velev | Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | College of Engineering
Alumni Association Outstanding Extension and Outreach Awards
John C. Begeny | Department of Psychology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
David Hinks | Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science | College of Textiles
Lukasz M. Mazur | Business Development | Industrial Extension Service
Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards
Kofi Boone | Department of Landscape Architecture | College of Design
Christopher J. Crosbie | Department of English | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Chad V. Jordan | Department of Plant Biology | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Dudley M. Marchi | Department of Foreign Languages and Literature | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
These are photos from last Friday night’s annual Evening of Stars gala. Eighteen NC State alumni and friends were honored by the Alumni Association, individual NC State colleges and the Wolfpack Club.
The awardees have excelled in their careers, made a difference in their communities and given back to their alma mater. They were recognized for career accomplishments and contributions to NC State during the event at the Prestonwood Country Club in Cary.
You can see a list of winners here. For behind-the-scenes photos of the event, visit our Flickr gallery.
What is the key to being a successful teacher? Any success I’ve had as a teacher is derived, I think, from my passion for compelling ideas and creating conditions for students to be curious and intellectually challenged. I’ve found that students more often than not rise to the learning occasion. I see my role as setting high expectations, modeling intellectual curiosity and being available to mentor, challenge and provide resources for students to be successful. I’m not afraid to show my enthusiasm and students tell me that it is contagious. “If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. If you let me experience, I will learn.” This well-known quote by Lao Tau aptly captures my philosophy of teaching.
What is the key to being a successful teacher? I feel there are several keys to being a successful teacher. First, it is important to establish a healthy student-teacher relationship that is based upon trust and respect; this helps to create a welcoming learning community. I also think that a successful teacher is encouraging; it is imperative to help motivate students to believe in their abilities both in and outside of the classroom. Third, a successful teacher uses culturally relevant methods to help students learn course content; it is necessary to incorporate students’ experiences as well as popular culture and recent events into course materials. Last, a successful teacher makes course content applicable to students’ futures; it is essential to provide real-world activities that can be applied to students’ professional lives.
Chris Hughes, one of the co-founders of Facebook, is delivering the 
Former NC State Chancellor Larry Monteith ‘60 remembers when he was a department head in 
The Alumni Association recognized some of NC State’s greatest stars this weekend, honoring 18 alumni and friends of the university for their professional and personal accomplishments and their continuing support of NC State, the Alumni Association and the Wolfpack Club.
COLLEGE DISTINGUISHED AWARD RECIPIENTS
Judi Grainger ‘72 EDD received her undergraduate degree from East Carolina University, but she spent most of her weekends in those days hanging out at NC State. That’s because Grainger was dating an NC State football player. “I had more friends here at NC State than I did at East Carolina because all my social life was here in Raleigh,” she says.
A valuable lesson learned at NC State: I had a lot of courses with this guy who studied all the time. That’s all he ever did. You would ask him to go out with a group of friends, but he would never go. He always had to study. One day, I said, “You are going to miss out on so much if you study all the time. I think you need to mix it up a little bit.” He said, ‘No, I’ll mix it up when I’m out of school.’ Do you know, about a month later, he was killed in a car accident? And that stayed with me for the rest of my life, that you need to fix your priorities so you can mix it up a little bit and have fun while you’re doing serious things, too. You need to live life to the fullest each day.
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