Chancellor’s Awards honor faculty

Eleven Liberty University faculty members were honored this month with the announcement of the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching. This is the second year for the awards, which were instituted by the Center for Teaching Excellence.

According to Center for Teaching Excellence Director Sharon Wheeler, the awards are given based on category, allowing for teachers at all levels to be recognized – whether they are graduate or undergraduate, residential or online.

“Many times, stories of faculty successes don’t get out beyond their department,” Wheeler said. “We want to get the word out to the students.”

This year, Wheeler’s ties to the award became personal when her daughter, Psychology Professor Trilby Cox, was recognized for her work as an undergraduate online faculty member.

Cox, who teaches from her home in Paris, France, said she has always felt support at Liberty and was thankful that the administration recognized the work of online professors.

“I am very humbled to have received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, especially as I know there are a great many online faculty who do an outstanding job for the school,” Cox said.

Because the award-winners are selected by a committee of Deans, Wheeler wasn’t aware that her daughter was being honored until the recommendation came out of the committee.

Some award winners – such as Dr. Mark Hensley, who teaches in the undergraduate online School of Religion – juggle other ventures while still connecting with their students. According to his website, Hensley currently serves as Senior Pastor for Hilltop Baptist Church in Green River, Wyo. in addition to his work as a professor.

“When I read the note of congratulations informing me that I had been chosen to receive the Chancellor’s Award, I was immediately moved to tears,” Hensley said.

Hensley said he makes it a point to connect with his students as much as possible through email and words of encouragement. He admits that juggling his time “takes discipline,” but he found the energy to do so through his relationship with the Lord.

“I remind myself often that my main priority is honoring the Lord Jesus as a minister of the gospel and as a pastor,” Hensley said.

Like Cox, fellow award-winner and Associate Professor and Director of School Administration Program Dr. Samuel Smith counts himself blessed to work in the Liberty community.

“There are so many excellent instructors at Liberty, and I count it a privilege to work alongside them,” Smith said. “My greatest reward is teaching in an environment that gives faculty the freedom to present ideas through the lens of biblical truth.”

The integration of a Biblical worldview is one of the criteria for winning the award, according to Wheeler. Faculty members apply for the award online and winners are chosen based on best practices in teaching and incorporation of Christian values. Teachers must also submit samples of work produced by themselves or by their students.

Wheeler said winners of the Chancellor’s Award are given a cash prize and will be recognized with the presentation of a certificate during Commencement.

The full list of winners can be found on the Center for Teaching Excellence page on the Liberty website or by emailing CTE@liberty.edu.