During the month of September, two UNC Charlotte faculty members were recognized for integrating community-engaged learning in their outstanding teaching practices.
Dr. James Cook, professor of psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is the first recipient of the Provost’s Faculty Award for Community Engagement at UNC Charlotte. Established in 2012, the award honors a tenured faculty member whose teaching, research and service embodies the University’s commitment to civic involvement and whose work strengthens the relationship between UNC Charlotte and the larger community. The recipient of the receives a $2,500 grant and will be UNC Charlotte’s nominee for the Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award given by Campus Compact.
In the three decades since he joined UNC Charlotte, Cook has actively and consistently engaged in community-based participatory research with local community groups, provided hands-on community training for students and served on the boards of several local organizations. Learn more here.
Psychology professor Kimberly Buch is the 2013 recipient of the highest teaching honor bestowed by UNC Charlotte, the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence.
Dr. Buch, a faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, defines her teaching goals by her ability to become a “facilitator of learning” for her students. This philosophy has been a driving force of Buch’s research, teaching and service practices since joining UNC Charlotte in 1987. Well-known for engaging students in community issues and partnerships, Buch is the faculty advisor for Niner Neighbors, a student-led organization that provides temporary housing for the homeless. She also is actively involved with one of the University’s most visible campus-wide community service initiatives, Stop Hunger Now. Learn more here.