University Times

Charles Hinderliter, Johnstown (UPJ) campus professor of psychology, was named the 1997 recipient of the Dr. Edward A. Vizzini Teacher of the Year Award for "promotion of academic excellence in the classroom." The award, established in honor of Edward A. Vizzini, a former UPJ professor and natural sciences division chair, is presented each year by the division for superior achievement in teaching as recognized by students and faculty. Hinderliter is a member of an ad hoc committee of the college's educational policies committee set up to review proposals for new majors, a presidential steering committee to organize a program honoring teaching and learning and the natural sciences division's faculty status and department research ethics committees.

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Jerlean Daniel, assistant professor of social work, was one of nine women honored at the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh's "Tribute to Women" luncheon. The event honors women from the Pittsburgh area who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in the workplace and community.

Daniel was presented the Leadership Award in Education. She is the immediate past president of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a 95,000-member organization of early care and education professionals committed to enhancing the quality of early childhood programs. From her leadership position, Daniel encourages the field to use its voice on behalf of children and families to help restructure the country's social agenda. Locally, she chairs the Advisory Council of the Allegheny County Early Childhood Initiative. Wen Fang Tang, assistant professor of political science, has been named a national fellow for the 1997-98 academic year at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

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Mary Amanda Dew, associate professor of psychiatry, psychology and epidemiology, was given the Outstanding Teacher Award by the Graduate School of Public Health. The following faculty members were recognized by this year's second-year medical students by being presented with the class's Excellence in Education award. The award was given by the students in recognition of the faculty members' extraordinary commitment to teaching in the second-year curriculum: Pre-Clinical Course Educators: William deGroat, Michael Donahoe, Georgia Duker, Daniel Edelstone, Sydney Finkelstein, Franklin Fuchs, James Johnston, Cynthia Lance-Jones, Peter Land, Gregory Naus, Lawrence Nichols, Michael Painter, Bruce Pitt, Nina Schor, James Shaver and Roger Simon. Problem-Based Learning Facilitators: Frank Bruns, William Follansbee, Donald Fraley, Peter Land, Michael Painter, Beth Piraino, Warren Rosenblum, Robert Schor, James Shaver, Roger Simon, Adam Slivka, Robert Stowe, Arnold Wald and Mark Zeidel.

Previously, there had been no established mechanism that allowed students to recognize a group of exceptional educators. This year, second-year students were asked to choose individuals who were instrumental in their learning. Clarity of ideas, accessibility to students, and enthusiasm for communication were among the characteristics considered in choosing outstanding educators.