BOR honors two KSU programs with research awards
Kennesaw State University earned two marks of distinction at the Georgia Board of Regents’ annual Awards for Academic Excellence presentation held May 7 in Atlanta‚ bringing to seven the number of times the institution has been honored among its regional and state university brethren since 2000.
Georgia
(Sep 18, 2003) — Kennesaw State University earned two marks of distinction at the Georgia Board of
Regents’ annual Awards for Academic Excellence presentation held May 7 in Atlanta‚
bringing to seven the number of times the institution has been honored among its regional
and state university brethren since 2000.
A total of five University System of Georgia faculty members and three academic programs
received either Teaching Excellence or Research in Undergraduate Education awards‚
which are meant to recognize and reward excellence at the USG’s 34 member institutions.
Both of Kennesaw State’s recipients‚ Associate Professor of English Sarah Robbins
and the RN to BSN Online Nursing Completion Program‚ were honored in the Research
in Undergraduate Education category.
"Academic excellence is the mainstay of the university system’s mission‚" said Regent
Daniel S. Papp‚ vice chancellor for academics and fiscal affairs. "We are fortunate
to have a stellar group of dedicated‚ talented faculty in Georgia that is attuned
to innovation and involvement with students."
Robbins‚ a faculty member at Kennesaw State since 1993‚ has helped shape the scholarship
of teaching and learning through a number of nationally recognized and innovative
endeavors. As director of the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project (KSU’s National Writing
Project site)‚ as well as several programs funded by the National Endowments for the
Humanities‚ she has done extensive work with area teachers to improve their instruction
and develop leaders in the field who can collaborate effectively with colleagues for
meaningful school reform.
"The Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project serves as an exemplary national model for university−public
school partnerships‚" Linda Noble‚ dean of KSU’s College of Humanities and Social
Sciences‚ said‚ citing Robbins outstanding leadership as a primary reason for the
program’s success.
"To date‚ more than 160 teachers from area public schools have participated in summer
institutes built on a teachers−teaching−teachers model‚" Noble added. "Teachers completing
these institutes have in turn performed countless hours of staff development in their
individual schools and districts. Dr. Robbins and the colleagues involved in her project
have had a powerful effect on the improvement of teaching at all levels of education."
The RN to BSN Online Nursing Completion Program has made a similar impact on its participants‚
addressing the urgent need for more baccalaureate−prepared nurses by reaching out
to those students who find it inconvenient‚ if not impossible‚ to complete their coursework
in a traditional manner.
The roots of the program date back to 1997‚ evolving from a desire among faculty members
in KSU’s College of Health and Human Services to incorporate modern instructional
technology into nursing education. The result has been a program that allows students
to take courses exclusively online if they choose‚ with the added bonus of scheduling
hands−on course activities according to their own personal schedules.
"The great thing about the program is it allows registered nurses who have full−time
jobs to complete their education from home‚" said David Bennett‚ chair of Kennesaw
State's School of Nursing.
Three faculty members who have been instrumental in the development and implementation
of the program‚ Beverly Farnsworth‚ Christina Horne and Janice Flynn‚ shared the spotlight
at the awards presentation.
"I wanted them to accept the award because they have done much of the work‚" Bennett
said. "They have been the leaders of this online project."
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.