Faculty members honored at commencement
WAYNESBURG – Three faculty members received the 2013 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Awards during Waynesburg University’s commencement exercises Sunday.
Presented annually, one award recognizes a faculty member with a history of teaching excellence. A second award recognizes a faculty member with a relatively recent history of teaching excellence. The third award is given to a non-full-time faculty member at any Waynesburg University site.
Debra Clarke, assistant professor of education and chairwoman of the department of education, received the 2013 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a faculty member with a history of teaching excellence.
A colleague stated, “She just gives and gives and gives. She’s always willing to listen and make things better. She’ll take an idea and just roll with it.”
The nomination noted that Clarke is the adviser to both the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education and the Waynesburg University chapter of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association.
Clarke holds a bachelor of science and a master of arts from West Virginia University.
Dr. Emmanuel Yogo, assistant professor of physics, received the 2013 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a faculty member with a relatively recent history of teaching excellence.
A student nomination stated, “Dr. Yogo is committed to helping his students in any way that he can. He strongly encourages class participation, which challenges students to look ahead and be prepared to give their own input during the lectures. This challenges his students to be more than just idle listeners.”
Yogo serves as the adviser of the engineering club.
In addition to a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, he holds a bachelor of science from the University of Bordeaux and a master of science from Pierre & Marie Currie University.
Theodore Zobb received the 2013 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a non-full-time faculty member. Zobb is an MBA lecturer for the university’s graduate and professional studies program.
A nomination stated, “Ted has been teaching for over 10 years with great success. He actively engages his students through his experiences and skill sets, often giving career advice outside the classroom.”
He received his bachelor of science in business administration from Robert Morris University and his master of business administration from Waynesburg University.
The Lucas-Hathaway Charitable Trust has established an endowed fund that provides two annual teaching excellence awards for full-time faculty members and one award for a part-time faculty member. Faculty members were nominated by students, faculty or alumni. Each recipient of the Lucas-Hathaway Award for Teaching Excellence received a commemorative plaque and a $1,200 award. The Trust is funded by J. Richard Lucas and C. Joan Hathaway Lucas, members of the Class of 1950.