Dr. Tony Vinci receives the 2022-23 University Professor award

Dr. Tony Vinci, Professor of English, was one of four Ohio University faculty members that received the 2022-23 University Professor (UP) award for outstanding teaching. Since its founding in 1970, the UP program has recognized more than 260 professors for their teaching excellence.

The winners will be recognized at the 2022 Faculty Awards Reception and Ceremony on Tuesday, March 29, in the Baker University Center Ballroom. The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Each honored faculty member receives a monetary stipend and the opportunity to teach a course of their choosing as a means of enriching the undergraduate curriculum. Their names are also engraved on bronze plaques found outside the University College offices in Chubb Hall.

“For more than 50 years, Ohio University has recognized outstanding undergraduate teaching through the University Professor award. University Professors demonstrate both excellence in teaching and a deep commitment to student learning. Finalists and winners embody Ohio University’s commitment to the intellectual and personal development of its students,” said Katie Hartman, associate provost for faculty development.

The 2022–2023 University Professor recipients are:

Jacob Hiler, Marketing
Hiler’s proposed course, “Content Creation and Influencer Marketing,” will delve into the psychological and sociological principles underlying the phenomena of influencer marketing and content creation. The course will revolve around an experiential learning opportunity where students will be guided in the creation of content strategy for a content creation project of their own. Students also will learn about best practices and strategies for monetization, as well as how to recruit sponsors and work alongside brands. 

Christi Camper Moore, Dance
Camper Moore’s proposed course is titled, “Eyeing the Everyday.”  The course utilizes theories and creative-based practices in the arts to explore connections between/among observation, emotion, communication, and action. It examines relationships with the environment, technology, and how attuning to everyday observations and experiences informs learning, motivation, creativity, and collaboration across disciplines and career interests.

Tony M. Vinci, English
Vinci’s proposed course, “Apocalyptic American Fiction: Trauma, Intimacy, and Ethics After the End of the World,” will explore how narratives about the end of the world might help us grapple with three fundamental but elusive features of contemporary American life: trauma, intimacy, and ethics. 

Jacqueline Yahn, Teacher Education
Yahn’s proposed course title is “Writing for Change” and will require students to harness knowledge of their career field and/or key area of interest to develop a writing for change project. The course positions students to exercise social responsibility as they create content for real-world audiences. It is designed as a “semi-flipped” class to ensure students have time to prepare for class discussion with their peers and workshops led by guest presenters

Other finalists for the 2022-23 University Professor award included Raymond Frost (Analytics and Information Systems), Lauren McMills (Chemistry and Biochemistry), Soichi Tanda (Biological Sciences), and Lisa Wallace (Communication Studies).

Each fall semester, a pool of recipients is chosen from nominations collected from the OHIO undergraduate student body. Undergraduate students nominate any full-time, tenure-track assistant professor, associate professor, or professor for this prestigious award. Finalists are selected in the spring semester, and a selection committee reviews the course proposals, observes each finalist in class, and interviews them.

This year’s selection committee included the following undergraduate students:

• Luvina Cooley, Anthropology
• Megan Handle, Social Work
• Haley Janoski (committee chair), Communication Studies
• Chandler Jent, Global Studies
• Kevin Lewis, Film
• George Matsumura, Chemical Engineering, Physics
• Nick Schramm, Human Biology
• Trey Speakman, Middle Childhood Language Arts and Social Studies

 “The students who participated in the selection committee were fantastic. These students volunteered their time to observe classes, interview finalists, and review course proposals. They were committed and professional throughout every step of the process. I am honored for the opportunity to work with them and support their efforts,” said Hartman.

For more information on the University Professor program and past recipients of the award, see the University Professor website.