KOKOMO, Ind. —Seven Indiana University Kokomo faculty members were honored among the university’s top teachers, by the Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching, or FACET.
Tara Kingsley, associate professor of education, and Melinda Stanley, lecturer in health care management, and were among 21 IU faculty members inducted into FACET, an IU Presidential initiative, designed both to recognize and enhance outstanding teaching throughout the university and to promote continued development of teaching excellence among colleagues at IU and beyond.
Mark Canada, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and interim deputy chancellor, congratulated them on their selection and induction, which took place during its annual retreat Wednesday (June 8).
“Induction into FACET is an honor bestowed on extraordinary teachers, and both Dr. Kingsley and Dr. Stanley fit that description,” he said. “They go the extra mile for their students both inside and outside the classroom.”
Kingsley said being selected is more about joining a community than receiving an award, which she appreciates.
“It’s nice to be with like-minded people who share your vision for student success,” she said. “I’m pleased to be part of a community of educators who are dedicated to teaching, learning, and improving student outcomes, and who will support me moving forward in my career.”
Also at the retreat, Paul Cook, associate professor of English; and Christina Romero-Ivanova, assistant professor of education, won a FACET Innovate Award in the category of community engagement.
Their recognition was for Crucial Events, Creating Empathy: Storytelling with Tomorrow’s Teachers. They worked with high school students in the Tomorrow’s Teachers program, which provides college classes at their schools, to teach them how to use digital tools to create a story about important moments in their lives. They also published their results, to share how other teachers can use this teaching tool.
Cook and Romero-Ivanova both were thrilled to receive the award.
“It means a culmination of the work on our articles that were published this fall,” Romero-Ivanova said. “Winning this award with our published research brings our work with digital storytelling full circle.”
Cook agreed.
“Helping students build empathy, sharpen their critical listening skills, and engage with the larger community are three big planks in my overall approach to teaching,” he said. “Helping students share their stories in a digital medium is just the icing on the cake.”
All finalists in the community engagement category were from IU Kokomo. They also included Olga Korne, senior lecturer in accounting, whose students participate in service learning in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program; and Stephanie Medley-Rath, associate professor of sociology; and Jamie Oslawski-Lopez, assistant professor of sociology, with their #GetEngaged assignment for introductory sociology students to participate in campus or community events as volunteers, and then reflect on their experiences.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.