Two Tyler Junior College professors have distinguished themselves as endowed teaching chairs for 2017.
The TJC Endowed Chair for Teaching Excellence program enables professors to nominate and reward their peers who demonstrate excellence as educators.
This year’s recipients are:
• Ryan Button, sociology professor, “The Dorothy Fay and Jack White Endowed Chair for Teaching Excellence”
• Alfonso Ippolito, speech professor, “The Thomas H. Shelby Jr. Endowed Chair for Teaching Excellence”
Winners were surprised during their respective classes with a fanfare of applause and balloons, followed by presentations of certificates and checks from TJC President Dr. Mike Metke and Dr. Juan Mejia, TJC provost and vice president for academic and student affairs.
“I wish to congratulate this year’s recipients, Ryan Button and Alfonso Ippolito, and thank the TJC Faculty Senate and its selection committee for their focus on identifying teaching excellence,” Mejia said. “They are truly among some of the finest educators in the country.”
Endowed teaching chair recipients receive $2,000 for each of two years ($4,000 total), which includes a $1,500 cash stipend and $500 for professional development for each year. The professional development portion may be applied toward a personal professional development plan, including travel, books, conferences and equipment.
Ten full-time TJC professors were nominated by their peers to apply for the award. Of the 10 nominees, eight professors chose to undergo the intense application process.
Those eight nominees were: Button; Suzanne Cheeseman, associate degree nursing professor/coordinator; Latasha Goodwin, TSI writing professor; Ippolito; Frank Kimlicko, music professor; Jeffrey Owens, history department chair and professor; Philana Pace, art professor; and Clint Selman, psychology professor.
Since the program’s inception in 1990, 76 professors have been designated as distinguished TJC endowed chairs.