Shorter College longtime faculty members named 2010 Teachers of the Year by national music association

March 30, 2010 - Shorter’s longtime music faculty members William and Mary Ann Knight have been selected as the 2010 National Teachers of the Year by the Music Teachers National Association (MNTA). The Knights received the award at the organization’s national convention held March 20-24 in New Mexico. Founded in 1876, MTNA now includes 24,000 independent and collegiate music teachers in all 50 states.

The Knights have been fixtures of the Shorter community, as both have a long history with the college dating back to the 1960s. Mr. Knight joined the Shorter music faculty in the early 1960s and served the college for 42 years. Mrs. Knight became a member of the piano faculty in 1965. She will retire in May, having completed 45 years as a member of Shorter’s faculty.

The Knights were selected for the national award after receiving a statewide honor presented by the Georgia Music Teachers Association, a state affiliate of the MTNA. “William and Mary Ann Knight are two of the persons who helped established the outstanding reputation of Shorter’s School of the Arts,” said Dr. Alan Wingard, dean of Shorter’s School of the Arts. “They have been instrumental in teaching some of our best piano performers, piano teachers and piano pedagogues.” During Mr. Knight’s 42 years at Shorter, his students were awarded prizes at state, national and international piano competitions. His 55-year concert career included performances throughout the United States and Central America. Mrs. Knight is well known throughout the region for her excellence as a piano educator.

“It is hard to overstate the importance of the MTNA award,” Dr. Wingard added. “It is a signal honor for two people who have devoted their whole professional lives to being successful teachers and to teaching others how to be successful as well.”

Founded in 1873, Shorter College is a Christian college committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges. The college offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Arts in Leadership. Online courses are also available. Shorter will transition to university status June 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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