Faculty Recognized as Models of Excellence

Bethel’s College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) has a nearly 30-year history of peer-recognition for its faculty members through the Faculty Excellence Awards. These awards were created in 1987, during a difficult time in Bethel’s history. As a measure of perseverance, hope, and encouragement for one another, faculty members pooled money from their own pockets to fund the first Faculty Excellence Awards. Teaching and Service were the two categories honored until 1991, when the Scholarship award was added.

Three CAS faculty members were honored at the Fall 2014 Celebration Chapel:

Joey Horstman, Associate Professor of English, College of Arts & Sciences

Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching

Horstman was nominated by Marion Larson, professor of English, who had these remarks about his teaching:

“Horstman’s love of his discipline and care of his students is amply evident in his teaching. While he connects with his students through his sense of humor, he also encourages them to ask good questions, to explore a wide range of ideas, and to embrace new perspectives. He constantly tinkers with his classes, trying different approaches and creating innovative assignments to help his students grasp the material more fully. In addition to his deep desire to facilitate student learning, he is deeply committed to his own education. Horstman is an excellent example of what is means to be a lifelong learner who models what he teaches.”

Adam Johnson, Professor of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences

Faculty Excellence Award for Scholarship

These are a few highlights from Johnson’s nominator, department chair and Professor of psychology Joel Frederickson:

“Johnson’s scholarship is outstanding. He conducts sophisticated and highly respected research while including students as colleagues in the process. His research is so well regarded by his peers in neuroscience that he has been invited to present his data at several prestigious universities and to lecture internationally. Equally impressive is his work with students. He has enabled Bethel students to collaborate with him, co-authoring juried articles across several disciplines. Moreover, Johnson’s scholarship influences his teaching. For example, when he was not satisfied with the textbook for one of his classes, he wrote his own! Both Johnson’s scholarship and collaborative spirit are impressive. He is most worthy of recognition for his scholarship.”

Joyce LeMay, Associate Professor of Business, College of Arts & Sciences

Faculty Excellence Award for Service

Colleague Stephen Whiting, associate professor of business, nominated and presented LeMay with these words of praise:

“LeMay’s service to Bethel alone would well qualify her for this award. She has served diligently on numerous committees and task forces, has been involved in several initiatives to better serve students, and consistently makes herself available as a wise resource for colleagues. Her term as Faculty Senate president is just one example of the service-oriented leadership that she has consistently provided. This service only complements her equally impressive service to her profession, her church, and her community. Clearly, LeMay is appropriately recognized with this award as both a humble leader and a role model for service in every area of her life.”

The recipient of the Bethel Seminary Faculty Excellence Award is chosen based on nominations from colleagues and students and the results of course evaluations.

Peter Vogt, Associate Professor of Old Testament, Bethel Seminary St. Paul

Seminary Faculty Excellence Award

Student comments supporting Peter Vogt’s nomination:

• “Dr. Vogt was tremendous. Great heart for students and the subject matter. He was able to make his points with leaving room for other opinions and questions.”
• “Peter is an excellent professor, and I admire his willingness to delve into issues related to MFT in which he has limited experience. If the pace of the course were able to be slowed down, I think we could have had significant more discussion that would have been even more transformational. Thank you, Peter!!”
• “Professor Vogt has a deep love of the Old Testament and his passion really aids in his teaching. He made the OT interesting and exciting!”
• “Dr. Vogt is amazing professor who is not only a master in his field and as an instructor but he genuinely loves God and desires his students to be able to master and excel in Hebrew in order that they might love and follow Him more closely. This by far has been the best course that I have taken while at Bethel.”