Students recognize three professors for Outstanding Teacher of the Year
October 28, 2011
It takes additional enthusiasm, motivation and work to earn the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award.
Three Kent State non-tenure track faculty members were awarded for their hard work in and out of the classroom on Friday during the Celebrating College Teaching Conference luncheon.
“For me, it’s all about engaging students,” said David Dalton, head of the University Teaching Council.
Dalton said students nominated professors, and a faculty committee screened the nominees to select three professors for the award:
David Dumpe, Assistant Professor of Finance:
David Dumpe’s main goal as a Kent State professor is to prepare his students for success in the job market.
“I don’t believe my job is done until my students have a job,” Dumpe said.
Dumpe said outside of class he likes to help his students move forward by looking at their resumes, reviewing cover letters, networking with various employers and advising for the student finance major association. He said he also acts as the provost’s fellow this year.
Dumpe graduated from Capital University with an undergraduate degree in economics and political science. He went into the Air Force for a couple years, helped out with his father’s business back home after that and then attended Kent State to earn a doctorate in finance.
“Having owned my own business, I became more aware about marketing, human resources and accounting,” Dumpe said. “I found that from my perspective, the area that would have helped me most (when working in business) was finance.”
Dumpe received his job at Kent State in 2000, but left for two years to work as a dean at Lake Erie College. He said he returned to teaching at Kent State right after that.
Dumpe said he takes a lot of time to help students further their careers as finance majors.
“I don’t think I’m a particularly outstanding teacher, but I am enthusiastic about the material,” Dumpe said. “The biggest reward I get as a teacher is seeing how many students go on to get careers over the years.”
Richard Stanislaw, Assistant Professor of Political Science:
Richard Stanislaw really enjoys the subject he teaches at Kent State. He likes to hear all of the different opinions his students and colleagues have on issues.
“Issues surrounding politics are complex,” Stanislaw said. “This allows me to encourage students to address the complexities from their individual subjectivities.”
He said he wants to help students understand all of the dynamics that make up the study of politics.
Stanislaw said he has been interested in political science for a long time. He remembers being interested by the Watergate crisis as a kid.
“The whole notion of a “constitutional crisis” at the time was fascinating in an elementary-school-kid sort of way,” Stanislaw said.
Stanislaw began teaching at Kent State in 2005 as an assistant professor of political science. He currently teaches three courses in his department.
Stanislaw wants to thank his students for nominating him for the award. He said he feels humbled to be receiving this award Friday.
“I am of course pleased to be recognized for the craft of my teaching,” Stanislaw said.
Contact Megan Wilkinson at [email protected].
