Award Nomination
“Dr. Kaylor has been described by students as one who is innovative in designing assignments that truly engage students in the learning process. She is known for encouraging students to give back to their community, who leads by example in her service to our campus and to our community, and one who encourages students to consider multiple perspectives and engage in critical thinking.
The hallmarks of this professor’s commitment to engaging students include the following:
- She teaches not only about the theories and concepts in her subject area, but also encourages students to engage in learning and to make connections by providing opportunities to engage in projects that encourage real-world application.
- She is committed to bringing “learning to life” by incorporating innovative pedagogical approaches and projects in almost every class they teach. They utilize a variety of technology platforms to meet student needs and help students feel connected to their classmates and their campus.
- Dr. Kaylor challenges students and encourages them to consider ways that they can make a difference in their communities. Over this past year, she worked tirelessly to create an interdisciplinary program to bring students of diverse majors together to share their ideas to raise awareness for social issues. This program included a variety of experiential teaching strategies that include a common reading project, an on-campus visit by the book’s author, a field trip, and an art supply drive.
- She not only excels in the classroom, but they are also dedicated to extending the boundaries of learning beyond our campus. She has written several grants to offer more than a dozen continuing education workshops and educational opportunities for community members at OHIO Lancaster.
- Perhaps most noteworthy is that you can almost always find Dr. Kaylor giving back to our students, our campus, and our community. She coordinates our WITS program for to expose junior high students to career opportunities in STEM fields. She chairs our annual Celebrate Women conference that brings internationally-renowned speakers to campus and provides professional development for other women. She coordinates our Take Back the Night event each year to educate and promote awareness for important social issues. She recently had a proposal accepted for a 10-day study abroad opportunity in Thailand for OHIO students. And, when she’s not busy with those efforts, she serves as faculty advisor for two (2) student organizations at OHIO Lancaster.
The following is a testimony shared by 2023 graduate, Dina Reasoner, who wrote about the impact Dr. Kaylor’s teaching has had during her time at OHIO Lancaster:
“Dr. Kaylor’s classes changed my life. She is incredibly talented and intelligent and yet humble. She teaches her courses in a way that promotes critical thinking, diversity, and inclusion. She truly wants her students to learn and succeed. I am a better student and person because of her”."