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Reese receives D&E Award for Teaching Excellence

Photo courtesy of Davis & Elkins College Dr. Denice Reese receives the Lois Latham Award for Teaching Excellence from Davis & Elkins College President Chris A. Wood, right, and a surprise congratulatory visit from her son, Lucas Warner.

ELKINS — Davis & Elkins College Professor of Nursing Dr. Denice Reese was honored Thursday with the College’s top faculty recognition, the Lois Latham Award for Teaching Excellence. The award, along with more than 60 others, was presented during the annual Academic Awards and Recognition Convocation in Myles Center for the Arts Harper-McNeeley Auditorium.

The Lois Latham Award is presented annually to an outstanding D&E educator who is characterized by their distinguished intellectual career; enthusiasm for scholarship and intellectual curiosity; and, most importantly, by evidence that it is their professional calling to nurture the intellectual and personal growth of others. Nominations for the award are submitted by faculty, staff and students.

“What an honor and delight to receive the Lois Latham award,” Reese said. “Davis & Elkins puts undergraduate teaching and advising at the top of its faculty priorities. Increasing students’ knowledge, improving their critical thinking skills, and building their capacity and confidence to successfully step into lives and careers of heartfelt caring are worthy and rewarding ways to serve. I thank my colleagues for selecting me to join the ranks of winners of this award and my students for being my inspiration every day.”

A resident of Tucker County, Reese has been a member of the D&E faculty since 2004. She instructs pediatric nursing, disruptions in health and mental health, nursing school success strategies and pharmacology, and is a Certified Health Simulation Educator. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and received the Director’s Award for Outstanding DNP Graduate. She also holds a Master of Science in nursing, Bachelor of Science in nursing and Bachelor of Arts in biology from Case Western Reserve University.

The Academic Awards and Recognition Convocation also recognized students’ academic achievement in each academic program as well as leadership on campus.

The top student honor, Dean’s Award, was presented to Kendyl Taylor of Elkins. The annual award given to a senior selected by the Office of Academic Affairs, was presented by Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Rob Phillips.

Selected for the Junior Marshal Awards were Julia Hancock of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, and Samantha Kirk of Harrisville.

The Faculty Senior Award was presented to MacKinzie Smith of Renick.

Departmental Achievement Awards presented during the ceremony were:

Biology and Environmental Science, Bailey Aab of Clendenin; Laura Dean of Buckhannon; Kelly Smith of Virginia Beach, Virginia; MacKinzie Smith; and The Robert E. Urban Memorial Award, Gavin Burnham of Woodstown, New Jersey.

Business and Entrepreneurship, Felix Buck-Gramco of Gorringen, Germany; Matthew Dyck of Airdrie, Canada; Pedro Gaspar of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Tobias Gibbons of Leigh-On-Sea, England; Briana Hoffman of Gainesville, Virginia; Emily Morgan of Elkins; and Logan Phillips of Coalton.

Chemistry, Christopher Berman of Williamstown; MacKinzie Smith; The CRC Press Achievement Award in Chemistry, Sydney Carter of Carrsville, Virginia; and the POLYED Undergraduate Award in Organic Chemistry, Matthew Chapman of Berkeley Springs.

Education, Lauren Cain of Elkins; Leenette Fincham of Mill Creek; Alyssa Jacobs of Hartly, Delaware: and Skylee Watson of Elkins.

Communication and English, Emily Alexander of Strasburg, Virginia; Alexis Smith of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Kassandra Williams of Shenandoah Junction.

Religion and Philosophy, Megan Carder of Salem.

Tatiana Jardetzky Scholarship in Foreign Languages and Cultures, Caitlynn Guzman of San Jose, California.

Creative Arts, Robert Fields of Pecks Mill; Joshua Rankin of Rupert; Abigail Sowards of Huntington; and the Pendleton Prize in Theatre, Megan Augustine of Slidell, Louisiana.

History, Ester Bolmenaes of Tibro, Sweden; Holden Sions of Moorefield; and The James H. Swanton Prize in History, Benjamin Chenoweth of Elkins.

Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, Ricard Castan of Falling Waters; Lauren Lunemann of New Milton; David Magda of Chillicothe, Ohio; and Summer Turner of Bowden.

Nursing, first year, Hailey Cogar of Mill Creek; Sarah Figueroa of Huttonsville; and Leticia Riddle of Belington; second year, Leela Densmore of Belington; Elise Joe of Belington; and Kristy Shifflett of Harman.

Psychology and Human Services, Sociology and Criminology, Jamey Perrine of Rock Cave; Eleanor Rossiter of Suffolk, England; and Haley Wiseman of Elkview; Zoe Sampson of Lewisburg; and Kyle Seago of Earlysville, Virginia; and The Dorothy F. Roberts Achievement Prize, Cody S. Turner of Moorefield.

Sport Science, Jade Allee of Sierra Vista, Arizona; Nicole Armstrong of Lexington, Kentucky; Taylor Drumm of Granville, Ohio; Tyler Twyman of Vinton, Ohio; Raleighanne Weaver of Butte Falls, Oregon; Kaylee Yergeau of Port Orchard, Washington; and The Minnick-McCoy Award, Tessa Stewart of Mason, Ohio.

Special Achievement Awards presented were: Charles H. Potter II Scholarship Award, Richard Davy of Moorefield; Outstanding Junior awards, Lydia Eichhorst of Manchester, Maryland, and Carson Crawford of Moorefield; Outstanding Senior awards, Abbagayle Peterson of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania; and Sam Behrens of Leonardtown, Maryland.

An organization and a staff member each received the Campus Impact Award, an honor that recognizes good works that have made the campus a better place. The International Student Organization was selected based on multiple accomplishments including the weekly Cultures, Caffeine and Conversation, events at The Icehouse, inaugural Multicultural Event, and the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce After Hours, among others.

Interim Director of Student Recruitment and Success Angie Scott also was chosen for the Campus Impact Award for her efforts in recruitment and retention of students.

The annual Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards that recognize a senior male and female who exemplify love of and service to humankind were presented to Kelsie Roby of Petersburg and Kyle Seago.

Students also were recognized for inclusion on the fall president’s list and dean’s list, and membership in honorary fraternities.

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