Brown Receives 2015 SCICU Excellence in Teaching Award
April 24, 2015
HARTSVILLE, SC – Gordon Brown, associate professor of chemistry and coordinator of the chemistry major at Coker College, has been honored with the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) 2015 Excellence in Teaching Award.
The Excellence in Teaching Award was created to honor those faculty members from SCICU’s member institutions who demonstrate the highest standards of teaching that encourage students to strive for excellence in their studies and intellectual pursuits.
“Dr. Brown exemplifies what it means to be a Coker College professor,” said provost Tracy Parkinson. “He is an accomplished scholar, a dynamic presence in the classroom, engaged in countless aspects of campus life and deeply committed to the success of his students.”
Brown, along with faculty members from 19 other private colleges, was selected to receive an award for dedication to teaching. The award includes a professional development grant of $3,000.
“I am honored to be chosen for this award, especially when I look around and see all of the wonderful things that my colleagues at Coker are doing to educate students,” said Brown.
SCICU states that Brown “exemplifies the ideals of a commitment to teaching, learning, undergraduate research and campus engagement. In the classroom, his lively and interactive approach is widely praised by students. Since his arrival at Coker College, he has been committed to the value of undergraduate research, providing numerous opportunities for his students to be engaged in his lab and by his side through the academic year and the summer. His work on microwave spectroscopy has been presented in multiple venues, often including his student co-researchers.”
A member of Coker’s faculty since 2007, Brown received his bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary and his doctorate from the University of Virginia. In 2012, Brown received a three-year, $143,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct research on molecular interactions using low-frequency microwave spectroscopy.
SCICU was established in 1953 with the primary mission of promoting independent higher education in South Carolina. SCICU seeks to advance independent higher education through fundraising, scholarships, research, and by facilitating collaborative activities among its 20 member institutions, which educate nearly 33,000 students each year.
Release written by media relations coordinator Elizabeth McCarley.
About Coker College
Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the “Best Colleges” in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
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