Faculty members receive awards for teacher achievement

April 24, 2015

Eight University faculty members received Teacher Achievement Awards during the annual faculty and staff dinner on campus April 24.

Faculty members Usen Akpanudo, Steven Breezeel, Gary Hill, Dale Manor, Kelly Neill, Scott Ragsdale, Jim Shelton and J.D. Yingling are the 2014-15 award recipients.

Akpanudo, a native of Nigeria, has been a member of the University faculty since 2007. He is currently an associate professor of education in the Cannon-Clary College of Education, and he holds an Ed.D. from Eastern Michigan University.

Breezeel, originally from Champaign, Illinois, is an associate professor of history and social sciences in the College of Arts and Humanities. A member of the University’s faculty since 2001, he holds a Ph.D. from University of Illinois.

Hill, associate professor of physician assistant studies, joined the faculty in 2005. Originally from Searcy, Arkansas, he is also the clinical coordinator of the PA program, and he holds an M.P.A.S. from University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Manor has been employed at Harding since 1996. A Livingston, Tennessee, native, he is a professor in the College of Bible and Ministry and earned his Ph.D. from University of Arizona.

Neill, originally from Paonia, Colorado, is an associate professor of music in the College of Arts and Humanities. He began teaching full time at the University in 2004 and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Ragsdale, associate professor of computer science in the College of Sciences, has been a faculty member at Harding since 1985. An Atlanta, Georgia, native, he holds Ph.D from Nova Southeastern University.

Shelton, originally from Searcy, has been a member of the Harding faculty since 2006. He is a professor in the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration and holds a Ph.D. from University of Mississippi.

Yingling, originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, has been a member of the faculty since 1998. He is an associate professor of Kinesiology in the College of Sciences, and he holds Ph.D. from Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Each honoree was presented with a $5,000 check and framed certificate commemorating the award.