Candidates selected for the Outstanding Teaching Award are among the most dedicated, highly effective and motivated professors at Kent State. According to the university press release, ten full-time faculty members were nominated by their students.

Aaron Bacue, Communication Studies, Kent Campus

Bacue is an associate lecturer in the school of communication studies with almost 20 years of experience including: teaching communication, coaching public speaking and managing competitive research projects.

Before coming to Kent, he taught at James Madison University, Penn State University and West Chester University. In his statement to the nomination, Bacue said his work is the “catalyst for improving students’ personal and professional lives.”

Elizabeth (Betsy) Carr, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Kent Campus

Carr is a senior lecturer in the fashion school with over 30 years of industry experience previous to coming to Kent State. She has recently become an entrepreneur of her own retail business that has reached national and international success.

She is currently the faculty advisor to the annual fashion show and says her most noteworthy accomplishment is “owning the opportunity to help someone succeed.. I enjoy [this] every day in the Fashion School at Kent State University.”

Abbey Eng, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Kent Campus

Eng is an associate professor of biostatistics in the college of public health. Before coming to Kent State, she spent six years as the primary data analyst on federally and locally funded program evaluations involving mental health, substance abuse and juvenile justice programs in the Cleveland area.

In her widespread interests, Eng is currently working on a grant involving mothers and infants in Northeast Ohio. With teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level, Eng said she incorporates technology in different ways to help students and improve their success.

Timothy Fritz, Engineering Technology, Tuscarawas Campus

Fritz has helped students take their learning and work beyond the classroom. According to Fritz’s statement, “Students from our program have participated in the Kent State Film Festival, Undergraduate Research colloquium, displayed their games in the 2019 “Open World Arcade” event at Akron Art Museum, built a Virtual Gallery for the Akron Art Museum’s 2020 Gamefest,” among many other accomplishments with his students.

Jamie McCartney, Lifespan Development and Education Sciences, Kent Campus

McCartney is an associate professor in LDES and also serves as the program coordinator for the ASL/English Interpreting program. She has been nominated twice for the Outstanding Teaching Award since 2015.

She said her biggest accomplishment is “knowing that I, along with other teachers and the deaf community, have been a part of students getting their degrees and making it possible for them to earn a respectable living and make an impact on the deaf and non-deaf communities.”

William Perrine, Fashion Design and Merchandising, Kent Campus

Perrine is a senior lecturer in the Fashion School where his academic interests include social justice in the apparel industry, sustainable consumption of apparel products, fair trade and the international aspects of the fashion industry.

Previous to Kent State, he taught at Western Michigan University, Iowa State University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and the Izmir University of Economics in Izmir, Turkey. Perrine currently serves as the faculty advisor for the Kent State University Fashion Student’s Organization.

Joan Steidl, Human Services Technology, Ashtabula Campus

Steidl is an assistant professor of Human Services Technology and has been with the Ashtabula campus since 2011. She said her most noteworthy accomplishment has “been able to create an environment where students can learn, grow and embark upon the lifelong journey of becoming their best selves.”

Gregory Tinkler, Biological Sciences, Kent Campus

Tinkler is an associate professor in biological sciences and holds a Ph.D in neuroscience from Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

He joined the department in 2013 and has taught biology and pre-nursing since. According to Tinkler, his favorite moments are when past students follow up “to thank me for preparing them for a biology career, and tell me about being admitted to professional schools or programs, or obtaining advanced degrees or landing a good job.”

Ana Wetzel, English, Trumbull Campus

Wetzel is an assistant professor in the English department at Kent’s Trumbull campus. As a Romanian native, her areas of expertise include Applied Linguistics and Composition Studies.

Wetzel is currently the advisor for the English club and is involved with diversity initiatives on campus. She was recognized for her teaching by Kent State University with the Undeniably Accessible Award.

The selection committee will be meeting to select three winners that will be chosen on Oct. 22.

Kaitlyn Finchler is an assigning editor. Contact her at [email protected].