Jackie Glasgow, assistant professor of education at Southwestern College, has been selected to receive the Kansas Independent College Association (KICA) Faculty of Distinction award.  Glasgow, along with the other 17 honorees, will be recognized at a workshop and award reception in Newton on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

“Jackie is an amazing educator and her dedication to teaching and learning is largely responsible for the success of our Ed.D. program,” says Southwestern College provost Andy Sheppard.  “She is an incredibly talented professor so KICA’s outstanding teacher award is both fitting and well deserved.”

The KICA Faculty of Distinction program celebrates excellence and achievement among faculty at the 18 accredited private colleges and universities in Kansas.  Throughout their existence, these colleges (which include the oldest colleges in Kansas) have emphasized the importance of classroom teaching, personal attention to each student, and a commitment to character, values, and learning through every facet of their graduates’ lives.  The 2015 KICA Faculty of Distinction honorees are exemplars of this approach to college education and serve as models for educators everywhere.

“It’s inspiring to know these faculty and see how they live the mission of our independent colleges,” said Matt Lindsey, president of the KICA.  “A common thread we saw among them is their gift for balancing a commitment to hold each student accountable for real, meaningful learning and a strong sense of empathy for the value of each student as an individual.  Or as one nominee was described, they help every student ‘to find their voice,’ which is central to forming college graduates with the ability to succeed wherever they go.”

Faculty of Distinction honorees are nominated by the president and/or chief academic officer of each KICA member institution.  This year’s recipients encompass multiple disciplines, including the natural and physical sciences, business, education, and several social sciences, as well as art, theatre, and language.  They include departmental chairs, individuals who teach and contribute to student life and athletics, and adjunct instructors who are practicing professionals in their chosen field.