20 minute read
Faculty Excellence Awards
Dr. Christopher Gilbert gave the keynote address for the Sharon Walker Faculty Excellence Awards banquet in December. He has worked with Morningside in the past as an outside evaluator for the Walker Awards. Gilbert is a professor of political science at Gustavus Adophus College in St. Peter, Minn., where he has taught since 1991. He has published extensively on religion and politics in the United States, including four books, most recently “The Political Influence of Churches,” which he co-authored with Dr. Paul Djupe of Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He is the recipient of two all-campus outstanding teaching awards from Gustavus students and faculty, and he received the Gustavus Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award in 2007. Gilbert has a doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis. He lives in St. Peter, Minn., with his wife, two sons and two cats. Here is a shortened version of his keynote address.
Faith, politics,
We’re here tonight to celebrate excellence, particularly excellence in teaching, something I know exists in abundance at Morningside College. I teach about faith and politics, or religion and politics as we would say in my field. It remains to me an endlessly fascinating topic, sitting at the intersection of two particularly important sets of American institutions, and the intertwining of the two continues to spawn endless controversy in the political and religious arenas, and endless subjects of study for those of us in the scholarly professions. For many of us who choose to examine religion and politics, whether in the U.S. or around the globe, the reaction of peers has often been noteworthy, usually for the wrong reasons. It’s too simple to say that political science is divided into two camps – those who take seriously the idea that religion matters in the political realm and those who do not – but it often feels that way. The religion and politics scholar always has to look out for those who see the entire line of inquiry as taboo – the two topics one never, ever discusses in polite company, right? I know many of you do understand the levels of anxiety that come with feeling that one has to justify one’s place in academia. I’m sure you’ve seen stories recently in The Chronicle of Higher Education or elsewhere about specific departments and programs targeted as no longer necessary or justifiable in tight budget times, and the liberal arts seem to be front and center in those stories. Those cuts and attacks don’t strike equally across academic disciplines, and within political science it’s exceedingly rare to have to worry about justifying one’s choice of topics. One of the frustrating features of the study of religion and politics within political science, then, is our particular reaction to the scorn of our more secular colleagues. My field has turned inward, choosing to talk with one another, even to create our own journal to give ourselves publication outlets safe from the doubters. This both helps the field – it’s good to publish and it’s wrong that research is denied publication in the discipline at large because most other political scientists decline to take religion seriously – but it also hurts the field, giving us an insular mindset that helps to perpetuate the idea that there are two camps and we need to protect ourselves from the doubters.
Walker Awards Dinner Keynote Address and the liberal arts “candy store”
Building bridges
Coming from a liberal arts tradition, literally in my blood through generations of family who attended and then taught at schools like Gustavus and Morningside, my natural inclination is always to seek to build bridges across disciplinary divides. One of the reasons I became a political scientist was because my mentors in college showed me repeatedly that good political scientists could not, dared not, confine their interests just to politics. No one is a good political scientist without some strong grounding in history, in sociology or – in my case as an empirical social scientist studying religion – without some working knowledge of psychology and theology, not to mention math and statistics. I often tell students a particular story about how I came to choose religion and politics as my academic specialty. Usually I present this as a story of the liberal arts – that the key course setting me on my path toward this field of inquiry was, pause for dramatic effect, a required course, something my school forced me to take that ended up shaping my future. This is a great story to haul out at registration time as students navigate the requirements we set out for them. But there’s another way to look at this story, for it’s technically true but not completely honest to imply that I was forced somehow into taking The History of Religion in America in the fall of 1985. The truth is I didn’t need that particular course; I had already satisfied the distribution requirement the summer before. But I wanted that course, partly due to the subject matter but mainly due to the fact that I loved the professor and wanted to take another course with him. To this day, I really have no idea what Dr. Steve Gordy personally thought about religion and politics, the intent of the American founders with respect to church-state relations, or any of the other pressing issues he introduced to me long ago in that course. This, I have come to understand, is the greatest gift he could have passed down to me as a future professor, and it’s been a sustaining gift in my own teaching career. The larger culture loves to paint a portrait of academia as the last bastion of liberalism, the place where crafty out-of-touch ‘60s wannabes lead an unsuspecting captive audience to the dark side. This portrait, we on the front lines of higher education know, is a caricature, and we find it particularly insulting for what it says about our students. I never asked Steve Gordy why he chose to take the approach of making all his commentary on his subject matter professional, and only professional. But this has become a guidepost for my own ventures with students into the thickets of church-state relations. Making a difference
Steve Gordy made a difference in my education and career path. The choices he made mattered for my future, and I suspect in different ways for the futures of my classmates as well. I’ve been to many faculty meetings lately where our curriculum inevitably gets compared to a graveyard – let’s find out where the bodies are buried, that sort of thing. My stories tonight should remind us all that curriculums might just as well, and much more positively, be described as candy stores – places where we need to invite students to look around, sample and see what they like in both expected and unexpected ways. The decisions we make as faculty matter. We profess both our subject matter and our love of that subject to our students. We make a difference in their lives by asking them timeless questions and guiding them to their own understandings about those questions. It’s why we get out of bed in the morning, and it’s also why, from time to time, we decide to require particular courses in particular fields of study. I’m glad someone made that decision for me 25 years ago. I’m still enjoying wandering through this particular candy store.
Walker Awards 10 Morningside College presented the 2010 Sharon Walker Faculty Excellence Awards to Dr. Kimberly Christopherson, assistant professor of psychology; Dr. William Heyborne, assistant professor of biology; and Dr. James March, professor of music. The awards, presented for the first time in 2003, are funded by a generous gift from Morningside alumni Jim and Sharon Walker 1970 of Wayzata, Minn. Outside evaluators selected the recipients, and criteria for selection included teaching excellence, effective advising, scholarship and service to
Kimberly Christopherson
Walker Awards 10 Dr. Kimberly Christopherson joined the Morningside College faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of psychology. She received a faculty excellence award for her commitment to excellence in teaching and her overall dedication to the profession. Christopherson thrives on being in the classroom. In addition to having a well-grounded philosophy of teaching, she knows the latest developments in teaching technology and is able to use the technology effectively. She also helps advisees develop appropriate goals for themselves and the skills necessary to achieve those goals. A colleague noted that Christopherson serves as a role model for students by setting high standards for excellence. Despite being on campus only a few years, she has taken on several important leadership roles. Her scholarly work is timely and relevant and has been published in journals and presented at regional and national conferences. But there also is a passion for helping students to develop their own research ideas into completed projects. Last year she mentored nine students through independent research projects, some of which won first-place awards at the college’s Palmer Student Research Symposium. Her students also have presented at regional and national conferences. Christopherson has a doctorate from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. William Heyborne Dr. William Heyborne joined the Morningside College faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of biology. Award evaluators commended him for embracing the joy of teaching and spreading the joy of learning. Relating to each student personally is a top priority for Heyborne. He connects with students using friendly repartee and creative pedagogical techniques. His efforts pay off in terms of high praise from students, who thank him for being a “best professor” and teaching courses that are “tough but worth it.” A careful and dedicated advisor, Heyborne carried 42 advisees last year, and he demonstrated an intimate knowledge of each student’s individual aspirations. His dedication to students is further indicated by the fact that he has re-focused his research to accommodate Morningside student collaborators. Heyborne “is willing to work hard to make this college a better place for both students and faculty,” according to one of his colleagues. He served on eight campus committees last year, including the faculty senate. His service also extends into the Sioux City area and is highlighted by the Creature Outreach program where he and Morningside students use live animals to educate the general public about science, nature and conservation. Heyborne has a doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
James March
Dr. James March, professor of music, has been teaching at Morningside College since 1986. When award evaluators observed him with students, his passion for both teaching and life-long learning quickly became evident. INTRO He had invited students to his home for breakfast and a working lab on
Morningside College presented the 2010 the topic of the day as part of their classwork. His interaction with Sharon Walker Faculty Excellence Awards to Dr. Kimberly Christopherson, assistant professor of students at home and in the classroom was masterful, according to the evaluators, and they reported that his courses were perhaps the most psychology; Dr. William Heyborne, assistant professor of biology; and Dr. James March, professor of interconnected of those they observed. World history, physics, art and music. The awards, presented for the first time in 2003, are funded by a generous gift from design were all interwoven into the coursework. Another part of March’s service to the college has been his work with Morningside alumni Jim and Sharon Walker 1970 of one of Morningside’s sight-impaired students, and a braille project to better communicate Wayzata, Minn. Outside evaluators selected the recipients, and criteria for selection included teachwith this student in ways that once would have seemed impossible. Because of this, the student is now closer to a career involving his passion for music and the piano. ing excellence, effective advising, scholarship and service to Morningside College during the previous academic year. Read Evaluators commented that March’s teaching and scholarship appeared to be a near-perfect on to learn more about this year’s award recipients. “marriage,” as was the integration of his passions and hobbies. A pianist himself, one of BIOS March’s passions is instrument building. He has crafted both keyboard instruments and cello bows. March has a doctorate from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.Kimberly Christopherson Dr. Kimberly Christopherson joined the Morningside College faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of psychology. She received a faculty excellence award for her commitment to excellence in teaching and her overall dedication to the profession. Christopherson thrives on being in the classroom. In addition to having a well-grounded philosophy of teaching, she knows the latest developments in teaching technology and is able to use the technology effectively. She also helps advisees develop appropriate goals for themselves and the skills necessary to achieve those goals. Photography on next three pages by Doug Burg, Burg Studios. A colleague noted that Christopherson serves as a role model for students by setting high standards for excellence. Despite being on campus only a few years, she has taken on several important leadership roles. Her scholarly work is timely and relevant and has been published in journals and presented at regional and national conferences.
Why she is passionate about psychology: Like most people interested in psychology, I enjoy understanding why people do the things they do. But what I really love is the research in my discipline. The idea that human behavior can be predictable and can be researched is exciting to me, and it is the way that I enjoy learning more about why people do the things that they do. Why she got into teaching: I had some great professors when I was in college who inspired me, challenged me and transferred their love of their discipline to me. All of these professors made class interesting, challenging and accessible. I wanted to be able to do the same thing. As I moved through graduate school, I focused my research on issues of teaching and learning and worked just as hard on my teaching skills as I did my research skills. Why she loves teaching at Morningside: I love that I work on a campus where people really do care about teaching. I have been a part of several official and nonofficial groups on campus where the focus has been solely on teaching and learning. I do not think that this is as common as it should be in higher education. I also enjoy teaching at Morningside because I get to know many of my students very well. When I was in graduate school, I was routinely teaching lecture bowls of 100 to 200 students. It is very difficult to get to know any of your students in that atmosphere and very difficult to do the types of things that I am easily able to do at Morningside, such as small-group work, in-class activities, group discussions and lab-type class periods. This type of active learning benefits my students greatly. One of her favorite class activities: My favorite class activities are the research projects that I require in some of my classes. Having research skills is important for an educated person. I enjoy helping students through the whole process from idea inception to dissemination. I’m happy when we get to the data analysis phase and students start to see why statistics can be so exciting. In psychology it is often the statistical analysis that tells you if your prediction was correct or not. I am always impressed with the interesting ideas students develop for their research projects and how involved they get in the process. How she interacts with students outside of class: I interact with students outside of the classroom in many ways. I always encourage students to visit my office when they have questions or need some assistance on my homework assignments. I am faculty advisor to the Undergraduate Psychology Association and work quite closely with that group on its activities. I also work with several students on their senior thesis projects and other independent research projects. As a department, we go on several trips to various psychology research conferences. In the classroom, you often do not really get to know your students’ personalities. Working with students closely on research projects and traveling with them during conferences really allows me to get to know them in a way that is often difficult in the classroom. A fun fact about her that people may not know: I LOVE to cook. I do not really have any certain specialty, but what I do is make from scratch what most people would buy preprepared. In my house, we have not bought canned soup for at least five to six years. I always make my own. I make my own pasta when time allows and will often bake bread.
Dr. Kim Christopherson
assistant professor of psychology
Dr. Bill Heyborne
assistant professor of biology
Why he is passionate about biology: How can you NOT be passionate about the living world? Living things are amazing, beautiful and strange beyond anyone’s imagination. With millions of species on the planet, one could work a lifetime and never run out of fascinating stories waiting to be discovered. I also find immense joy in sharing the natural world with others. Why he loves teaching at Morningside: What’s not to love!? When in the job hunt, I was specifically looking for schools like Morningside: smaller, liberal arts in focus, and in a community where I could raise my family. After arriving at Morningside, I found even more than I was looking for. Not only was Morningside a small, liberal arts school in a good community, but Morningside was a dedicated group of professionals working to create a great atmosphere for teaching and learning. I am fortunate to call many of my colleagues friends. One of his favorite class activities: I particularly enjoy having students conduct original research. This is something that I require in all of my upper-division courses, and this is the place where students get to apply their learning about both the subject matter and the process of science. This is often a stressful and frustrating experience both for me and for the students – just like doing science in the real world. Working through the various issues and frustrations is part of the process. And, in the end when the students have a great project to present to our campus community, it all seems worth it. How he interacts with students outside of class: Some of the ways that I have been involved with students outside the classroom here at Morningside include working with them on research; participating in the Adopt-a-Faculty Member program and Into the Streets; serving as faculty advisor for Beta Beta Beta and Creature Outreach; and becoming a faculty member of Omicron Delta Kappa. I interact with students outside of class for two primary reasons. First, I remember very well my own interactions with faculty outside of the classroom and the positive influence that had on me and my learning. Second, I spend time with students outside of the classroom because I enjoy being around young people. In many cases, students also make great colleagues. It is quite enjoyable to work with students on research projects, service projects and outreach education. How he is contributing to his academic discipline: I am interested in many aspects of community ecology, including predator-prey interactions and biodiversity. My Ph.D. research, conducted at the University of Northern Colorado, focused on the biological roles of snake venoms. My work with venoms has already resulted in two publications and 10 conference presentations, and I am still working on publishing more of this work. Most of my current research focuses on two groups of animals: reptiles/amphibians and terrestrial gastropods (land snails). My students and I are involved in survey projects for both groups as we attempt to document the local biodiversity. Past projects have included work in insect community ecology, animal behavior and forest entomology. These interests can easily be expanded into research involving undergraduates. In fact, I mentored a project in insect community ecology that was presented this year at the Iowa Academy of Science meeting with a recent alumnus as lead author. A fun fact about him that people may not know: I am an avid cyclist. Last year I completed my first full RAGBRAI, and I plan to ride for the second time this summer. When the weather is warm enough, I will bike to campus several days per week.
How he got into his academic discipline: I began studying the piano when I was about 5 years old and really have never stopped. I was involved in a variety of musical activities during high school and decided that, despite starting my college career as a chemistry major, I wanted to continue taking piano lessons in college. My college piano teacher was an influential mentor, and I soon realized that my true passion was music. Why he is passionate about music: Music moves people. It can inspire, encourage, comfort or support. It affects us whether or not we have any formal musical training. The great 19th-century composer Franz Liszt once said, "If music has one advantage over the other media through which a person can represent the impressions of the soul, it owes this to its supreme capacity to make each inner impulse audible without the assistance of reason." As musicians, we are informed by our studies, but always guided by our inner creative impulses. As teachers, we may present the same basic concepts year after year, but even if the material is the same, the students are not, resulting in an endless variety of aesthetic experiences. Why he loves teaching at Morningside: I love teaching here because of the students. Morningside College provides the sort of small liberal arts environment that is so conducive for them to discover and develop their potential. I am able to work in the classroom and studio with engaging students at all levels, from beginning non-majors who have always wanted to play an instrument through piano performance majors who aspire to careers in music. I also have been encouraged and given the flexibility to pursue my own interests and passions, discovering in the process that many of these interests have direct parallels to my work at Morningside. I have had the opportunity to research and build numerous instruments and even to teach an instrument-building seminar in May 2005. Next year I will embark on a study of recording techniques that will hopefully lead to a series of recordings within the music department. One of his favorite class activities: As I have mentioned, one of my passions is instrument building. Since I was in graduate school, I have been fascinated by early keyboard instruments and the impact the sound and design characteristics of these period instruments have on performance practices of early music. Over the years I have built fortepianos, harpsichords and clavichords and restored a number of interesting period pianos. I am currently building a copy of a 1728 English bentside spinet using drawings I obtained from a museum in Scotland. I enjoy having students to my home to play and listen to the various instruments I have in my collection. These experiences inform the interpretive choices they make when performing on modern instruments. Besides, it is fun to talk about and experience music in settings other than the classroom.
How he contributes to his
academic discipline: Over the years I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with a tremendously
professor of music
gifted saxophonist, Dr. William Perconti, on several recording projects. Many of the works we recorded were first performances on CD, and several others were premieres. I also recorded Brahms’ “21 Hungarian Dances” for piano four hands with my wife, Kathryn, for Centaur Records. She and I perform regularly throughout the region and serve as adjudicators for many local, state and regional competitions.
A fun fact about him that people may
not know: For the past 27 years, I have spent time each summer on Hatteras Island in North Carolina. One of my favorite activities at the beach is flying high-powered stunt kites.
