Dr. Hanstedt named 2014 Virginia Professor of the Year
November 20, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education have named Dr. Paul Hanstedt, professor of English at Roanoke College, as the 2014 Virginia Professor of the Year. Hanstedt was selected from nearly 400 top professors in the United States.
The award recognizes the most outstanding instructors across the country - those who excel in teaching and positively influence the lives and careers of students. It is the only national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.
"This is the first time a Roanoke faculty member has been selected for this award," Dr. Richard Smith, vice president and dean of the college, said. "This award is very selective. Only one faculty member among all colleges and universities in Virginia - both two year and four year institutions; public and private - is recognized each year. Congratulations to Paul on this very significant honor.
"Hanstedt, who has taught at Roanoke College since 1996, has received numerous awards throughout his academic career. In 2013, he received the State Council of Higher Education's Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2009, Hanstedt spent a year in Hong Kong as a Fulbright Scholar, helping more than a dozen universities in Asia transform from a three-year British model to a four-year American model. At Roanoke, he received the 2006 Innovation Award for collaboration in general education reform, the Dean's Council Exemplary Teaching Award in 2000 and the SGA Faculty Leadership Award in 1999.
Hanstedt was one of the campus leaders in Roanoke's revision of its general education program, serving as director of general education for five years. He now consults with colleges and universities in the United States and abroad about curricular matters.
"We are not surprised to learn that once again, Dr. Paul Hanstedt has been recognized for his teaching," Roanoke College President Michael Maxey said. "We are not surprised by this because we've known for years how engaged Dr. Hanstedt is with his students. He truly cares about his students and about the craft of teaching. He's a passionate advocate for the liberal arts and general education and he's a great choice for Virginia Professor of the Year."
Hanstedt has published numerous articles, writing for The Chronicle of Higher Education; the Association of American Colleges and Universities' flagship journal, "Liberal Education"; the Modern Language Association's annual publication, "Profession"; and a variety of scholarly journals. Hanstedt is the author of two books, "The Faculty Guide to General Education" (Jossey-Bass/Wiley) and "HongKonged, or: the Neurotic Parents' Guide to a Year in Asia" (Adams Media). His work was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in Nonfiction in 2011 for "Grief and the Village," published as "What Do You Say?" in Brain, Child magazine in March 2011.
Hanstedt can be found on Twitter at @curriculargeek.Hanstedt holds a B.A. from Luther College, a master's degree from Iowa State University and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
CASE and the Carnegie Foundation have been partners in offering the U.S. Professors of the Year awards program since 1981. Additional support for the program is received from Phi Beta Kappa, which sponsors an evening congressional reception, the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education and other higher education associations.
This year, a state Professor of the Year was recognized in 31 states. CASE assembled two preliminary panels of judges to select finalists. The Carnegie Foundation then convened the third and final panel, which selected four national winners. CASE and Carnegie select state winners from top entries resulting from the judging process. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center that supports needed transformations in American education through tighter connections between teaching practice, evidence of student learning, the communication and use of this evidence, and structured opportunities to build knowledge.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a professional association serving educational institutions and the advancement professionals at all levels who work in alumni relations, communications, fundraising, marketing and other areas.
Interested in knowing what the Virginia Professor of the Year wants in a paper? Dr. Hanstedt finally comes clean and admits what he wants.