2021-2022 Faculty Award Recipients (COE)
The best of the best!
Washington State University’s annual faculty awards, administered by the Office of the Provost, are given to honor those faculty members who epitomize the highest levels of excellence in the pursuit of the university’s mission and goals. Each fall the provost calls for nominations for these awards. In the spring, we celebrate!
College of Education well represented!
The 2021-2022 round of faculty awards as a good one for the College of Education. Of the 12 awards given out, our college was represented with **FOUR** faculty being honored. That’s the most of any college!
Honoring our winners
Here are the faculty award recipients for our college:
Sola Adesope
Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award — Research, Scholarship & Arts
There’s no question about it: Sola Adesope’s research crosses disciplines and breaks down barriers. The professor of Educational Psychology has won national early- and mid-career awards for his stellar research portfolio, as well as a slew of others, and each time he does, a contributing factor cited includes his penchant for collaboration and cross-discipline.
The Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Research, Scholarship and Arts is presented to a member of the faculty for their major research or creative contribution or series of contributions completed at WSU. The contribution can be empirical, theoretical, or artistic, but must be widely recognized as highly meritorious and must have had a significant impact.
The naming honors Washington State University benefactors Lee and Jody Sahlin.
Eric Johnson
Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award — Outreach and Engagement
Eric Johnson’s impact on the community and those with whom he works is far and wide. Eric focuses on language-minority education programs and language policies in public schools. His interests include language policy and planning, the application of policy as practice, immigrant communities, parent and community engagement, bilingual education, and Hispanic Serving Institutions. And, because he has put his whole self into the research, he rarely does this work merely sitting at a computer. Eric is involved in his the communities with whom he does his research.
The intent of the Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Outreach and Engagement is to honor truly exceptional accomplishments through activities directed toward extending instruction, research, and supporting resources to a broader public. Activities encompassed by this award are either outstanding singular accomplishments or a record of excellence in outreach and engagement including:
Enhancing the public’s appreciation of WSU.
Phillip Morgan
Distinguished Teaching Award
This should surprise nobody. Absolutely nobody. Year after year, when students are surveyed, one name frequently comes up as the classroom instructor they most enjoyed, and that’s Phillip Morgan. There’s no question, Dr. Morgan has a unique ability to engage and stimulate students and convey excitement related to his kinesiology courses (anatomical sciences). He values an immersive classroom experience and having all students feel welcomed. Dr. Morgan’s research interests include instructional strategy for delivery of content in physical activity & health and, sport coaching methods and principles. And while research and delivery are two separate skills, Dr. Morgan proves they can both be done at the highest level.
The President’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Career-Track Faculty is presented to a member of the faculty in recognition of truly outstanding accomplishments in the establishment of excellence in the instructional programs of Washington State University. Activities encompassed by this award may be either outstanding singular accomplishments or a record of excellence over a period of years.
Zoe Higheagle Strong
Faculty Diversity Award
Zoe Higheagle Strong (Nez Perce tribe) is a very busy person. In addition to her role as assistant professor of Educational Psychology, she directs the Center Native American Research and Collaboration, and is also Executive Director of Tribal Relations & Special Assistant to the Provost/Executive Vice President.
She is an Indigenous scholar who conducts research on social, emotional and environmental factors that shape adolescent development and educational outcomes. This dovetails well with the requirement for this award, which is to recognize distinctive and outstanding teaching, research or creative work and/or service/outreach that advance diversity at WSU.