Shorter University faculty honored with teaching awards

June 6, 2011 - Two Shorter University professors, Dr. Chuck Wynn and Mr. Chuck Chandler, were recently honored for their commitment to teaching and scholarship. Dr. Wynn received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship and Mr. Chandler received the Vulcan Materials Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award.

The President’s Award, which includes a $4,000 cash prize, was presented to Dr. Wynn who serves as professor of history and education. The President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship recognizes the achievement of a tenured associate professor or full professor.  Dr. Wynn has worked in his current position at Shorter since the fall of 2010. Prior to that, he served as dean of Shorter’s School of Education and associate professor of education. He holds a doctoral degree in social studies education from Georgia State University and a Master of Arts in history and a Bachelor of Arts in history and psychology from the University of West Georgia.

Shorter University Provost Dr. Craig Shull presents Dr. Chuck Wynn with the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship.

During the award presentation, Shorter University Provost Dr. Craig Shull applauded Dr. Wynn for his excellent teaching skills. “He is highly respected by the faculty for his ability as a “teacher of teachers,” having provided us with a great theoretical background for the development of our learning communities. I will quote from one of his nominations that, I believe, clearly outlines why he deserves this recognition:  ‘To begin with, he is a master in the subject matter he teaches.’  ‘He employs excellent teaching methodologies in all of his classes, every day.’  ‘He takes time with students to ensure they are learning what they need to learn’.”

A Rome native and graduate of Model High School, Dr. Wynn lives in Rome with his wife, Terri, and their son, Taylor.

The $1,000 Vulcan Materials Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award was presented to Mr. Chuck Chandler, assistant professor of voice. This award is given to a junior faculty member who displays strong campus leadership, creative course development, pioneering teaching methodology and instructional support along with model classroom teaching. The professor must also be helpful in advising students and illustrate a willingness to spend individual time with students in order to assist them academically.

Shorter University Provost Dr. Craig Shull presents Mr. Chuck Chandler with the Vulcan Materials Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award.

Mr. Chandler has served as a member of the faculty at Shorter for three years and received his undergraduate degree in vocal performance from Florida State University and a master’s in vocal performance from the University of Kentucky where he is a doctoral candidate.

 “During this past year, I have heard comments all year long as to what a great contribution he has made to his school and to his students,” Dr. Shull said.  “In particular, people kept saying to me, ‘his students are performing at an outstanding level.’ In statements from the numerous nominations he received, he is described as ‘an encouraging, intellectual, and inspiring mentor and teacher,’ as ‘the bee’s knees,’ and ‘he not only teaches his students how to sing, but how to be great people in general’.”

Mr. Chandler and his wife, Rianne, live in Rome.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian university committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges, and the Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its lists of best value and best Southeastern colleges.The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Leadership. General education and calculus courses are offered in an online format, and Shorter recently launched online programs that lead toward the Associate of Science, the Bachelor of Business Administration, and the Master of Accountancy degrees. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.