University wide awards recognize faculty for outstanding teaching

GREENVILLE, NC —   East Carolina University this year awarded 10 faculty members with university wide teaching awards. The recognized faculty members have distinguished themselves as some of the university’s finest educators, according to their nominees, and were recognized for their achievements at the spring commencement.

The recipient of the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching is Judith Hunt, an associate professor in the Department of Management. Hunt frequently teaches the capstone course in the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, Business Policy.

This course requires a broad knowledge of the various areas in business and careful supervision of students involved with group projects. The students produce a policy paper recommending action for a real business problem. The regard Hunt’s students have for her is evidenced by the frequency of her choice for the MBA hooding in the College of Business Graduate Recognition Ceremony. The criterion for this selection is based on who had the greatest influence on the students’ education.

There are six recipients of the Board of Governors Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award. They are: Gregg Hecimovich, Kevin Moll, David Rowe, Sharon Sarvey, Paul J. Schenarts and Louis Warren.
Hecimovich, an assistant professor in the Department of English, teaches literature courses and literary theory at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Hecimovich said the three most important aspects of his pedagogy are creative student projects, illustrated paper grading and extensive use of digital resources such as podcasting and streaming audio.

Kevin Moll, an associate professor in the Department of Theory, Composition and Musicology, teaches the Music History and Literature series for majors, Introduction to American Music for non-majors, and a seminar in Music of Rococo and Classic Era for graduate students. He is director of East Carolina University’s Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program with teaching and advising duties. Moll believes that an academic specialist has an obligation to render her or his expertise accessible to the layperson. Students commented on how he makes the music accessible to them.

David Rowe, an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, directs the Health Fitness Specialist degree program for the department which has more than 100 declared majors and several hundred intended majors. Rowe uses innovative exercises and examples designed to improve students’ understanding of abstract concepts and measurement problems as well as to improve their analytical skills. His students comment on his organization, high standards, humor and fairness.
Sharon Sarvey, an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Nursing, teaches pediatric nursing. She combines classroom learning and clinical learning. Sarvey stresses the importance of students reflecting on what they have learned and experienced. This is done through discussion and writing that critically analyzes experiences. She also integrates research with her teaching so students understand the importance of professional research and nursing practice.

Paul J. Schenarts is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine. Dr. Schenarts is in Trauma Surgery and Surgical Critical Care and is director of the Surgical Clerkship. He has an active role in the education of third and fourth year medical students as well as students from the Physicians Assistant Program. He serves as educator of all levels of residents in the Surgery, Emergency Medicine, OB/GYN, and Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation training programs. He also is responsible for the coordination and evaluation of residents from each of these programs while on the Trauma and Surgical Intensive Care rotations. For the Surgery Clerkship he developed a new curriculum that provides a global.