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Payne Receives 2012 New Teacher of the Year Award
Shelley Payne
Title: Assistant Professor of Health and Sport Sciences
Department: Health & Sport Sciences
Dr. Shelley Payne, assistant professor in the Department of Health and Sport Sciences was awarded the 2012 New Teacher of the Year award during the Academic Honors Convocation, May 9.

One nominator described Payne as someone who has "exhibited phenomenal work in the area of teaching. This is truly (her) passion." Supporting letters from colleagues and students alike praise Payne's enthusiasm, high standards, and professionalism. As one colleague put it: "One of (Payne's) greatest strengths is the ability to spur a student to greatness. Payne has a personality that encourages students to perform at the top level at all times. And the ability to make good students great." One of Payne's students wrote that Payne is "not just a professor or an advisor to me, but is also a mentor and a person we can trust with our lives. She has a passion to see us succeed and help in any way possible."

Even as Payne has excelled in the classroom, she has also encouraged colleagues to see new ways of approaching teaching especially through new pedagogies like team-based learning. As Joan Rocks, department chair, wrote: "(Payne's) efforts have "brought a renewed energy to all our instructors...and have helped me elevate my passion for teaching as well."

The New Teacher of the Year award is intended for an Otterbein faculty member at the Assistant Professor rank who is in his or her first three years of service to Otterbein. Recipient is student and peer-nominated and must exemplify the following characteristics:
  • Mastery of subject matter in their discipline or in interdisciplinary teaching;
  • Highly effective organization and communication of material;
  • A spirit of enthusiasm which enriches the instructor's own teaching and learning;
  • The ability to arouse the curiosity of beginning students and to stimulate advanced students to creative work; and
  • The ability to interact with students beyond the classroom through activities that integrate and should expand the learning environment.