Newsmakers in Education

Dudley Murphy, associate professor of art and director of Drury University's visual communication program, is the recipient of Drury's 2009 Distinguished Faculty Award. Murphy began teaching at Drury in 1978 and has since designed the visual communications program and initiated the installation of the art department's first computer lab. Murphy's work has been showcased at Contemporary International in Chico, Calif., the Nelson Gallery in Kansas City and St. Louis Art Museum.

Ozarks Technical Community College has chosen the winners of its 18th annual Excellence in Education Awards. The honorees, who will each receive a plaque and a monetary award made possible by a donation from the Turner Family Foundation, are:

Barrie Talbott, full-time instructor, developmental English; Lyndsey Fronterhouse, adjunct instructor, composition; Kristina Bridges Templeton, administrative/professional support staff, coordinator of video production; Debbie Carlstrom, clerical/technical support staff, secretary to the vice president of information technology; and Jason Ayer, general institutional support/custodial staff, maintenance technician/electrician.

Evangel University named Donna Washburn chairwoman of the behavioral sciences department. She is a graduate of Evangel, where she earned a bachelor's degree in social work, and she earned her master's degree in social work from Missouri State University. A licensed clinical social worker, Washburn joined Evangel's faculty in 2001.

Five Drury University faculty received the 2009 Faculty Awards. The honorees are: Teresa Carroll, assistant professor of biology, Faculty Award for Teaching; Panos Leventis, assistant professor of architecture, Faculty Award for Scholarship; Amy Lewis, assistant professor of business administration, Faculty Award for Leadership; Jeffrey VanDenBerg, associate professor of political science, Faculty Award for Liberal Learning; and Valerie Eastman, associate professor of psychology, Faculty Award for Advising.

Pauline Nugent, professor of modern and classical languages at Missouri State University, was one of 15 educators recognized by Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education with a 2009 Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. The awards are granted based on several factors, including effective teaching, innovative course design and delivery, effective advertising and nurturing student achievement.

Dawn Medley was promoted to vice president of enrollment services at the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute, where she previously was director of enrollment management. She holds a bachelor's degree in English education from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master's degree in human service administration from Southeast Missouri State University.

Betty Schoolfield and David Stair are recipients of Distinguished Service awards from the Evangel University Alumni Association, in recognition of their contributions to Evangel. Schoolfield has served as executive administrative assistant to George Crawford, vice president for business and finance, for 31 years, and she also performed human resources functions prior to the school's establishment of a human resources department. Stair joined Evangel's coaching and teaching staff in 1976 and has served as director of athletics since 1982. He oversees daily operations of intercollegiate athletic programs for the school.

Espy Elementary School in Nixa was one of 314 U.S. schools named as a 2009 Blue Ribbon School. Espy is one of 10 Missouri schools receiving the honor, which recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or have made dramatic gains in student achievement, helping to close gaps among minority and disadvantaged students. The schools will be honored at a Nov. 3 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The Evangel University Alumni Association is presenting its 2009 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award to Rev. Herbert Cooper during the school's Oct. 9 homecoming chapel service. The award is presented to Evangel graduates younger than 36 who have made significant contributions in their career fields, churches, communities, states, nation or to Evangel. Cooper is pastor of People's Church, a multicultural church in Oklahoma City.

Parkview High School's speech and debate squad placed fifth in the nation at the National Speech Tournament, held by the National Forensic League, June 14-19. Parkview students who placed in the tournament were: John Thornton, ninth place, storytelling; Devin Kelsey, top 20, Lincoln-Douglas Debate; Jeremy Eutsler, top 35, prose reading; Alex Ndikum and Mitchell Smith, top 40, public forum debate; and Thomas Andrews, top 50, commentary.

Paul Kincaid, chief of staff and assistant to the president for university relations at Missouri State University, was selected for induction into the Public Relations Society of America's College of Fellows. Kincaid, along with 10 others, was selected to receive the honor based on career work and leadership in the field of public relations. Induction will take place Nov. 7 during the PRSA 2009 International Conference.