Westminster Professor Honored
Deseret News
Nov. 24, 2008
By Wendy Leonard
Westminster College professor Nicolas D. More was recently selected as the 2008 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Utah Professor of the Year.
The associate professor of philosophy at Westminster was chosen as the state's winner from more than 300 undergraduate instructors nominated for national awards by their peers.
"More is an amazing teacher and a strong advocate for the quality of undergraduate education," said Mary Jane Chase, dean of Westminster's School of Arts and Sciences and who nominated More. "He is a genuinely unselfish colleague who is known for his exemplary scholarship, as well as his dedication to service in and outside the classroom."
In 15 years at Westminster, More has worked to improve the curriculum, has championed many student efforts and also helped restructure the honors program and council for students.
"My passion for teaching is actually a thinly disguised passion for learning," More said. "Teaching is a joy for me because there's so much I don't know. I like to stay 'keen on the hunt,' as it were, and help students realize the power of their own thinking."
More was recognized Thursday in Washington, D.C., by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, which is an international association of educational institutions, serving more than 3,400 universities, colleges and other programs in 61 countries.
The award, presented annually, was one of 44 state prizes and four national recognitions given by CASE this year. It is the only national initiative specifically designed to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Teachers are generally chosen for their involvement in learning engagement, as well as exhibiting innovative ways of teaching.
Although excited with the privilege, More credited the environment at Westminster for his success, as well as his interaction with colleagues and "the unique students I've had over the years."
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