Fulbright College Names Master Teachers And Advisors

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Interim Dean Donald Bobbitt of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences recognized the 2003 winners of Master Teacher and Master Advisor Awards during a faculty meeting on April 10.

"These awards are given to honor outstanding achievement in teaching and advising," said Bobbitt. "The winners are among our most dedicated and accomplished faculty."

Named Master teachers this year were Douglas James in biological sciences and Charles Robinson in history. Lynn Jacobs in art and Tom Kennedy in history received Master Advisor Awards, while this year’s winner of the Yowell Award for Excellence in Teaching is Elizabeth Bryer, a graduate assistant in the Department of English.

Douglas James is a past winner of the University-wide Baum Faculty Teaching Award, in recognition of his superior skills as a teacher. Over just the past three years, he has taught nine different courses, from freshman to graduate level. In addition, he leads field trips throughout the year, to Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. These trips have become so popular over the years that faculty and students who have already gone choose to tag along on later trips. Throughout his highly productive career, he has won three Fulbright grants to teach in Central America, West Africa and South Asia. Over the years, he has mentored 65 graduate students, many of whom have gone on to enjoy outstanding careers of their own.

Students say that Charles Robinson is a natural teacher. He makes it look easy to engage them and draw them into the study of history. He takes facts and paints them with the personal, with the human situation that deftly illustrates his point. In a department that houses many award-winning teachers, he stands out as one of the best. Colleagues who have observed him teach say that students actually hang on every word. His students say that it is the energy, wit, life and humor he brings to the classroom that make him by far one of their favorite teachers. His commitment to excellence in undergraduate education is clear to his students and his colleagues.

Art historian Lynn Jacobs offers concerned and thoughtful help to all the students she advises, from undergraduates in art survey courses to graduate assistants in the MFA program. She routinely mentors 90 students every semester, knowing in depth what students need in the various programs. Her informed and thoughtful advising has helped many a student graduate on time. She introduced the art department to the very successful advising fair, which has proven critical in recruiting and retaining art students.

Tom Kennedy has proven to be a talented and thoughtful advisor for many years. His long tenure in the Department of History has given him a depth of knowledge about the department and the campus that few possess. He helps students excel by keeping detailed records of their progress and advising them of opportunities for research and publication. He serves as a role model for how faculty should advise students, displaying a humane interest in them while ensuring they are taking the courses they need to graduate.

Elizabeth Bryer, this year’s winner of the Yowell Award for Excellence in Teaching, is praised by students for her openness and fairness. She consistently wins high praise in whatever course she teaches, making her stand out among the many fine graduate students in the English department.