Kevin Z. Smith, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Director of Student Publications, received the eighth annual Paul E. Edwards Award for Teaching Excellence. Donna Snyder, Professor of Business Technology, was honored with the Award for Excellence in Academic Advising. Fonda Hawley, who teaches courses for the Applied Design program in Clothing and Culture and Clothing Construction, was presented with the Rousseau-Wolfe Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award. These awards are made possible through gifts made in support of faculty development to the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc.
Paul E. Edwards Award for Teaching Excellence
Kevin Z. Smith
Each year the Faculty Development Committee recognizes a Pierpont faculty member who devotes an inordinate amount of time and energy to both professional and student development by bestowing the Paul E. Edwards Award for Teaching Excellence, which is named in honor of Dr. Paul E. Edwards, former provost for the community college.
Kevin Z. Smith could not be present for the awards ceremony because of a prior teaching commitment, but student Molly Born accepted the award on his behalf and read a statement he had prepared.
"Teaching is a constant learning process," Smith wrote about his teaching philosophy. "With each passing semester, with new students, I learn a little bit more about myself as a teacher and person. I try to take from them an understanding of how to be a better teacher. That's my goal with each passing semester, to be a better teacher next semester. I don't think you can ever be too good, especially at something you love. The people who succeed are constant students of their profession."
A Fairmont native and long-time West Virginia journalist/educator, Smith brings 25 years of journalism experience to the classroom where he teaches reporting, mass communications, photography and oversees the student newspaper, yearbook and internships.
He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from West Virginia University and a master's degree in mass communications from Miami University (Ohio). He has been a Pierpont faculty member since 2004.
As a professional journalist, he worked for the Grafton Mountain Statesman, the Parkersburg Sentinel, the Times West Virginian in Fairmont, the Dominion Post in Morgantown and the Cincinnati Enquirer. He also worked as a reporter for the Bloomberg Financial News in Washington, D.C., as well as working as a game statistician for CBS Sports, The SportsChannel and the Big East Football Network. From 1995 to 2000, he was a Visiting Professor of Journalism at Miami University (Ohio). He has served three times as a teaching mentor at The Washington Center for Internships in Washington, D.C., helping journalism students from around the country gain useful and hands-on training in covering national politics. This year he helped four FSU journalism and political science students attend a two-week seminar on the Presidency and the Media and then attended the inauguration of President Barrack Obama with his students.
As a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Smith has represented the U.S. on trips abroad to South Korea, North Korea and Taiwan, meeting with international journalists in attempts to improve press freedoms. This year he has been invited to attend an international conference in Wales to take part in a discussion regarding the future of journalism. For SPJ, he has served on the national board of directors, as national secretary/treasurer, as chair of the ethics committee and president-elect. Pierpont and FSU's student publications have won 26 national awards under his guidance.
Molly Born
Excellence in Advising Award
Donna Snyder
The Excellence in Advising Award is presented to honor demonstrated excellence and commitment to the significant force that academic advisors play in the education, personal development and success of their advisees. It is offered as a tribute but also as encouragement to all faculty advisors to persist in their efforts to help students achieve.
Award recipient Donna Snyder was described as a person who is dedicated to the academic success of her 125 advisees and who is the resident expert of advising procedures and techniques for her colleagues. Snyder, who has taught for 23 years, coordinates the Business Technology program and advises many of the students in that major as well as serves as an advisor and mentor for Business Education and M.A.T. students with a Business Education teaching emphasis. In addition, Snyder has served for many years as an advisor in the Academic Advising Center where she guides incoming freshmen and students with undeclared majors on their academic path.
"It is evident to students and colleagues alike that Donna thoroughly enjoys meeting and working with students through the advising process. Her door is always open to students who have questions or need advice," said President Blair Montgomery.
Rousseau-Wolfe Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award
Fonda Hawley
Adjunct faculty members help to deliver higher education both on campus and throughout the college's 13-county service area. The Rousseau-Wolfe Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award is named in honor of Roger Rousseau and Marilyn Wolfe, two very dedicated former community college employees.
Fonda Hawley has served Pierpont and Fairmont State University as an adjunct faculty member since 1977 and has made significant contributions with her expertise in content and teaching, as well as her constant support of her students.
She has a bachelor's degree from Concord College and a master's degree in Vocational Education from West Virginia University. She is a retired Family and Consumer Sciences teacher from Mannington Middle School, where she taught consumer education. As a teacher, she received the West Virginia Middle School Consumer Educator Award in 1991 and the West Virginia Outstanding Teacher Award from the West Virginia Family and Consumer Sciences Association in 1995.
For Pierpont, she teaches lab-based classes and online classes. Her online classes are considered "best practices" in action and are used as a model by other faculty members. Her teaching style is engaged and effective.
"Fonda maintains high energy for teaching and has embraced new technologies," Montgomery said. "She typifies the commitment of our community college adjunct faculty workforce, so necessary to keep the doors open and the programming fresh. She represents all of the expertise, the commitment and dedication so critical to the delivery of the community college curriculum. She typifies the best of our adjunct faculty."
