I am writing with the good news that Dr. Lisa Reilly, The Goulding-Woolery Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Department of Physical and Computational Sciences, will be recognized in Charleston tonight as a finalist for Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia Professor of the Year. The evening begins with a reception at the Governor’s Mansion, followed by a banquet and awards program at the Culture Center.
In addition to Dr. Reilly, the finalists are David Cerbone, a philosophy professor at West Virginia University; Mary Elizabeth Ellzey, an English and modern languages professor at Shepherd University; Powsiri Klinkhachorn, a computer science and electrical engineering professor at WVU; and Kateryna Schray, an English professor at Marshall University. Nominations were open to 43 colleges and universities in the State.
The award, which was created to recognize and reward academic innovation among college and university professors in West Virginia, comes with a $10,000 cash prize. Interviews of the five candidates took place January 24, and the recipient of the 2013 Professor of the Year will be announced at the banquet tonight.
This marks the third time in five years that Bethany has had a finalist for the prestigious award. Dr. John Burns, Professor of Biology, and Dr. Jay Buckelew, now Professor of Biology Emeritus, were previous honorees.
I know you join me in congratulating Dr. Reilly on this special honor and wish her well tonight. Her accomplishment represents a high level of achievement by her and Bethany College.
