Dr. Lisa Castle, Glenville State College Assistant Professor of Biology, is the first recipient of the $2,500 Pete and Betsy Barr Faculty/Staff Professional Development Award.
The award is funded through the Pete and Betsy Barr Professional Development Endowment Fund established by GSC President Dr. Peter Barr and his wife Betsy. The recipient of the award may use the funds to further his or her professional growth and development. The funds must be used within eighteen months of being awarded.
The Pete and Betsy Barr Faculty/Staff Professional Development Award will be given annually to a member of the GSC faculty or staff in alternating years. The initial round of the award was open to GSC faculty only. Dr. Castle was selected to receive the award from a pool of eight GSC faculty members who applied for the professional development funds. To be considered, applicants had to submit proposals outlining the planned activities that would enhance their professional development. All applications were considered by the Barr Fund Endowment Screening Committee before choosing Dr Lisa Castle as the inaugural recipient. "Betsy and I are extremely pleased that Dr. Castle has been awarded the first Faculty/Staff Professional Development Award. She is a dedicated faculty member, and we salute her efforts to enhance student learning thru interactive teaching," said GSC President Dr. Peter Barr.
Dr. Castle plans to use the award to help increase her effectiveness as a teacher at Glenville State College. The funds will allow her to attend a summer workshop at the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science and the Chautauqua Short Course on evolution. She will also be formulating a talk to be given at the Society of Economic Botany 52nd Annual Meeting in June of 2011presenting results of her case study teaching.
"I'm delighted and honored to be chosen. I feel particularly honored to be the first faculty member chosen. I know that many other faculty members have great ideas for professional development. I'm proud that my proposal was selected from among them, and I look forward to learning from future recipients. I'm already making arrangements to attend my first workshop, and I can't wait to use new case studies in Biology 101. I'll be attending a hands-on skills workshop, applying that skill using technology new at GSC, and presenting results at online and at national meetings. I'm grateful for any opportunity to become a better teacher, but especially grateful that the Pete and Betsy Barr award was set up in a way that allows for learning, application, and follow-through. Funding faculty development is a great way to improve student education at GSC. Pete and Betsy Barr should be commended for financing some of the dreams of faculty and staff," said Dr. Lisa Castle.
Next yearâs Pete and Betsy Barr Faculty/Staff Professional Development Award will be presented to a GSC staff member. An application filing window will be announced in late 2010.
