Five College faculty receive Tanner awards
Created in 1952, they honor excellence in teaching undergraduate students.
The Tanner awards were established to recognize excellence in inspirational teaching of undergraduate students. The awards were created in 1952 with a bequest by Kenneth Spencer Tanner ’11 and his sister, Sara Tanner Crawford (and on behalf of their deceased brothers, Simpson Bobo Tanner Jr. and Jesse Spencer Tanner), establishing an endowment fund in memory of their parents, Lola Spencer and Simpson Bobo Tanner. Each of the winners receives a one-time stipend of $7,500 and a framed citation.
Vicki Chanon, psychology and neuroscience department, College of Arts and Sciences
Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why?
The one who contributed most to me ending up here was Dr. John Whalen, instructor for my cognitive psychology class (which I now teach)! His excitement and ability to get students doing cognitive psychology instead of just hearing about it made me want to stay in college forever to continue learning.
What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students?
One of my favorite days each semester is in my sensation and perception course when we take a field trip to the Ackland Art Museum. After learning about cues that help us with identifying objects and with depth perception, students find examples of each cue in the artwork.
Nita Eskew, chemistry department, College of Arts and Sciences
Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why?
Slayton A. Evans Jr. was my research adviser for undergraduate research and later in graduate school. Without his encouragement and belief in me, I doubt I would have pursued a graduate degree. Slayton was a very kind and supportive mentor who challenged and promoted his students. His love of chemistry was contagious!
What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students?
I am fascinated by medicinal plants and their chemical properties. I developed an APPLES service-learning course to investigate antioxidants in purslane grown in the Carolina Community Garden. Last fall, I taught a first-year seminar, Medicinal Plants: Bridging Chemistry, Medicine and Native American Culture. I love to encourage students to make real-world connections with chemistry.
Corey Johnson, biology department, College of Arts and Sciences
Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why?
The entire biology faculty of Coe College. They all modeled fantastic “professoring” with their interactions with me in class and outside. While I earned pretty good scores, they pushed me to my potential. When I turned in work that was mediocre, they let me know. They were always critical but always supportive.
What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students?
One method I’ve used is case-based learning, where students apply physiological concepts to clinical scenarios. This approach encourages critical thinking and helps bridge theory with real-world applications.
Lucy Martin, political science department, College of Arts and Sciences
Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why?
I’ve had an embarrassment of good teachers, including the entire political science department at Kenyon College. Fred Baumann, my first poli sci professor, absolutely tore apart my first college papers. His class taught me the patience to spend time reading and learning thoroughly, and to be a better critical thinker and writer.
What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students?
I got frustrated with the existing resources for teaching coding. With a grant from the Lenovo Foundation, a graduate student and I were able to make custom, interactive tutorials to teach the material in a much more intuitive way. Students reference the tutorials during class and office hours as they work on assignments.
Kym Weed, English and comparative literature department, College of Arts and Sciences
Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why?
Dr. Cathy Romagnolo (Lebanon Valley College) is one. In her literature courses, she empowered us to connect our learning to our lives outside of the classroom. Even though I majored in biochemistry and molecular biology, her teaching inspired me to eventually teach literature courses of my own.
What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students?
I engage students through collaborative research projects grounded in real-world experiences. In my first-year seminar, Healers and Patients, students explore oral histories and research an aspect of health or healthcare that affects the narrators’ lives. Students in my disability studies course assess campus accessibility and develop recommendations based on their findings.
