McPherson College announces the recipients of the 2021-22 Teaching Awards. The college presents the awards each year at the annual Honors Convocation to one tenured and one non-tenured faculty member. This year’s recipients are Dr. Shane Kirchner and Matt Porter.
A committee of three students and last year’s teaching award recipients reviewed a record of 75 nominations in each category from students and faculty colleagues to select this year’s honorees.
The committee selected Dr. Kirchner, professor and chair of teacher education, for the tenured award. Described in one nomination as “definitely leads by example,” Dr. Kirchner models the mission of the program he leads, which is to develop service-oriented educators.
Nominations from his students included appreciation for the interest he takes in them and comments about his contagious, positive attitude. One student’s most memorable class session was when Dr. Kirchner, in dress pants, suit coat, and tie, turned a cartwheel in front of the class. “He deserves this award for the dedication, passion, and enthusiasm he brings to every class,” one nomination said.
This year’s non-tenured award recipient, Matt Porter, is an assistant professor of business. The selection committee identified three consistent themes seen in the nominations for Professor Porter. His students appreciate the quality of their classroom experience, his interest in their success, and are grateful for the lengths to which he has gone to accommodate them during the pandemic.
One nomination stated, “He has gone above and beyond to support students all the way through COVID. Professor Porter has paid for things like cameras and boards that work online so that students can experience the same learning at home or in quarantine as they would in class.”