Barlow Awards Recognize Faculty Excellence
Maurie Luetkemeier and Scott Messing are the 2008 recipients of the Barlow Award for Faculty Excellence at Alma College.
First presented in 1982, the Barlow Awards recognize faculty members
for excellence in teaching; scholarly, creative or performing work; and
college and community service. Recipients receive $1,000 cash grants.
Recipients are nominated by faculty, administrators, alumni and student
Barlow Trophy nominees and reviewed by the Faculty Personnel and the
Barlow Award committees. The president selects the awardees, who are
presented at commencement.
Maurie Luetkemeier, at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute last fall.
Luetkemeier,
professor of exercise and health science, was described as a
“well-respected scholar” and “an excellent teacher” by one of his
colleagues.
“His creativity in the classroom and laboratory should be commended,”
wrote the colleague. “His innovative demonstrations and well thought
out examples in the classroom and laboratory have established him as
one of the finest teachers we have on our campus. His recent sabbatical
at Gatorade has brought recognition for the college and provided
research opportunities for students.”
His commitment to the exercise and health science department, the field
of exercise physiology and Alma College also were commended.
“Maurie is always willing to take on any extra responsibilities if he
thinks it will benefit the institution as a whole,” wrote his
nominator. “His role as science division chair during the PKAL
evaluation serves as an excellent example of this commitment. Maurie
went ‘above and beyond’ in making sure that this process was a success.”
Luetkemeier joined the Alma faculty in 2001. Last fall he conducted
research at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute through its visiting
faculty program. He has a Ph.D. from Ohio State University.
Scott Messing
Messing,
the Charles A. Dana Professor of Music, was recognized for his “clarity
in teaching” and “willingness to help students.”
“Dr. Messing tackles teaching in a way that is methodical, thoughtful,
purposeful and clear,” wrote his nominator. “He has the remarkable
talent of meeting students where they are and taking them successfully
to the next step. The music students at Alma College receive personal
guidance on research and writing by a professor who is a musicologist
and has written three books.”
He also was cited for his humor, his dancing in the Nutcracker ballet
and directing of spring musicals, and his involvement in the Gratiot
County Players, a community theater organization.
“He embodies Alma College’s high standards of academics and education,
and the college’s mission to foster a student-centered environment,”
wrote his nominator.
Messing has taught at Alma since 1982. He is the author of a two-volume
scholarly work on “Schubert in the European Imagination,” which
analyzes the public perceptions of composer Franz Schubert after his
death in 1828. Messing has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
The Barlow Awards are made possible by a gift from Joel Barlow to
recognize faculty members who have “contributed the most, by their work
and example, often at personal sacrifice, to furthering the education
mission of the college.”
Posted: Wed, April 30th, 2008 at 12:00AM
