Governor recognizes three VCU professors as outstanding faculty

By Mike Porter

Three Virginia Commonwealth University faculty members have been awarded the state’s highest honor for teaching excellence at Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities.

Gov. Timothy Kaine last week recognized three VCU faculty as among 15 throughout the commonwealth to receive the 2006 Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, or SCHEV.

The VCU faculty recognized were Joann N. Bodurtha, M.D., M.P.H., professor of human genetics, pediatrics and obstetrics-gynecology, and Alpha A. "Berry" Fowler III, M.D., professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine, both of the VCU School of Medicine; and James T. McLeskey Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the VCU School of Engineering.

“The Commonwealth of Virginia benefits from the scholarly research and academic expertise of these dedicated instructors,” Kaine said. “Their accomplishments in the classroom, in the laboratory, and in the field have helped place Virginia’s colleges and universities among the finest in the nation.”

The award recognizes faculty for their excellence in teaching, research, knowledge integration and public service. The 15 recipients, who were selected from a pool of 87 candidates nominated by their peers, were honored during a ceremony at the Library of Virginia.

The Outstanding Faculty Awards were launched in 1986 and are administered by SCHEV. Each honoree receives $5,000.