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KU’s Mortar Board to honor 2008 Outstanding Educators on Dec. 6 and 7
LAWRENCE — Five faculty members at the University of Kansas have been chosen as Outstanding Educators for 2008 by KU’s Torch chapter of the Mortar Board national senior honor society. The group has presented its teaching awards at KU since 1974.
Honorees this year are Sally Cornelison, associate professor of history of art; Laurence Draper, professor emeritus of molecular biosciences; Mark Gerard Haug, School of Business teaching fellow; Carolyn P. Johnson, lecturer in political science; and David Pendergrass, program associate with the Undergraduate Biology Program and the program’s liaison at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park.
University officials and Mortar Board representatives will take part in announcing this year’s Outstanding Educators during halftime of the KU-Jackson State University men’s basketball game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Allen Fieldhouse.
Mortar Board President Kevin Campbell and Mortar Board Outstanding Educator co-chairs Rachel Rasmussen and Annie Van Allen will present certificates to the winners at a reception and ceremony in their honor at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Malott Room in the Kansas Union. Mortar Board members and alumni as well as university administrators and faculty colleagues are among those invited to attend.
Mortar Board members nominate educators for their devotion to academics, teaching style, accessibility, knowledge of their subjects and other special qualities identified by the KU chapter. Mortar Board’s 48 members selected the winners.
Membership in Mortar Board is based on distinguished achievement in scholarship, leadership and service. Students must have a 3.0 grade-point average and hold senior-level status. KU’s Mortar Board chapter was founded in 1912 as the Torch senior women’s honor society. In 1924, it affiliated with the national Mortar Board women’s honor society founded in 1918. Mortar Board opened membership to men in 1975. The KU chapter advisers are Mary Burg, executive assistant to Chancellor Robert Hemenway; Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications; Charles Marsh, associate professor of journalism, and Sandy Garrett, Lawrence Mortar Board Alumni.
Brief biographical information about the Outstanding Educators is listed below, followed by hometown information for KU Mortar Board officers.
Sally Cornelison joined the KU art history faculty in 2002 as an assistant professor specializing in Italian Renaissance art. She was named an associate professor in 2008. She has taught courses in ancient and medieval art as well as Southern Baroque art and conducted seminars in Medici patronage in Renaissance Florence and Ghiberti and the art of Early Renaissance bronze sculpture. She co-taught with Sherry Fowler, associate professor of art history, a seminar on saints, relics and shrines of Christianity and Buddhism. Cornelison received a bachelor’s degree in 1988 from the University of Missouri-Columbia, master’s from Syracuse University in 1993 and doctorate in 1998 from Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. Before coming to KU, Cornelison taught at Syracuse University in Florence, Savannah College of Art and Design and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her research and publications explore the relationships between art and architecture and the cult of saints and relics, patronage, ritual and popular devotion in late medieval and Renaissance Florence. Among her numerous grants and honors, Cornelison received the Ned N. Fleming Trust Award for distinguished teaching, scholarship and service in 2006. She is preparing a book-length study tracing the history of art and the relic cult of St. Antoninus in Renaissance Florence.
Laurence Draper joined the KU faculty in 1968 and since then has taught microbiology and, particularly, immunology to undergraduate and graduate students. His most recent research focuses on bacteriology of and host immune reactivity to the development of periodontal disease that at its worst leads to tooth loss. Draper received bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry from Middlebury College and his doctorate in microbiology from the University of Chicago in 1956. He has also served since 1996 as a faculty adviser for students in all biological science disciplines at the University Advising Center. He has served on the governing committee for the KU human biology degree program for about 25 years. He has been involved with students in the University Honors Program and Freshman Honors Tutorials. Before coming to KU, he was a staff scientist at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., where he studied the effects of ionizing radiation on the immune system. Draper was president in 1996 of the University Council, now known as University Senate. In 1997, Draper received a Ned N. Fleming Trust Award for distinguished teaching, scholarship and service. He was recognized with the 2006 Supportive Adviser Award by the Kansas Academic Advising Network for both his outstanding advising and advocacy for students, particularly in the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.
Mark Gerard Haug, lecturer in business, was recently named a School of Business teaching fellow, an honor for outstanding teaching by nontenure track faculty members. He came to KU in 1995 after receiving his doctorate that year from the University of Colorado in research and evaluation methodology. Haug is a 1997 graduate of the KU School of Law and has practiced in the area of complex tort litigation. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University. Haug’s teaching focuses on business statistics, supply chain management, operations management, incentive planning and business law. Members of KU senior classes in 2004 and 2005 chose Haug as a finalist for the HOPE (Honor for Outstanding Progressive Educator) Award, the only award given exclusively by students to recognize teaching excellence. In 2007, the School of Business cited Haug and Mark Hirschey, business professor, as outstanding faculty with the Guy O. and Rosa Lee Mabry Best Research Paper Award for their “January Effect” research and analysis of stock returns during the month of January as it relates to market efficiency and calendar anomalies. Haug has also done management consulting for numerous private sector clients.
Carolyn P. Johnson joined the political science faculty in 1989 where she currently is a lecturer specializing in constitutional law. She received a bachelor’s degree in communications from KU in 1981 and a law degree from the University of Iowa in 1983. She then practiced law with an emphasis in litigation until 1987. Because many of her students plan to study law, her classroom work is geared toward preparing for law school and careers in the legal profession. She counsels students about taking the Law School Admissions Test. She particularly enjoys working with female students interested in balancing a legal career with having a family. Johnson has worked with students involved with mock trial activities. She currently works with Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates and in 2004 was named a Walter Galuzzi Outstanding Award nominee from Douglas County United Way for her CASA volunteer work. Because of Johnson’s CASA connection, several of her former students have gone on to become CASA volunteers themselves who work with abused children in the court system.
David Pendergrass, who joined the KU faculty in 2003, is a program associate with the Undergraduate Biology Program. “Dr. D.” is the biology program’s liaison at the Edwards Campus and is a lecturer on biochemistry, neurobiology and other molecular bioscience courses. He earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies with emphasis in human biology in 1987 from Southeast Missouri State University and a doctorate in biochemistry in 1997 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Since 1987, he has conducted continuing education seminars and taught microbiology and molecular biosciences, anatomy and physiology, genetics, neurobiology and developmental biology and chemistry at the high school through college levels at locations in Kansas and Missouri. In 2007, he founded Dr. D. MCAT Prep Inc., a tutorial series for Medical College Admission Test preparation for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students. In addition, he has established The David “Dr. D.” Pendergrass Scholarship for students enrolled in the molecular biosciences degree completion program at the Edwards Campus to cover tuition costs for students.
Mortar Board officers for 2008-09 are listed below by hometown, major, level in school, parents’ names, high school and leadership role.
GREELEY COUNTY
From Tribune 67879
Brad Cardonell, senior in biology with a business minor preparing to study medicine, son of Randy and Tracey Cardonell; Greeley County High School; tapping/initiation co-chair.
JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66206
Todd Crawford, senior in finance preparing to study medicine, son of Jeff and Kim Crawford; Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village; treasurer.
From Leawood 66209
Kevin Campbell, senior in human biology preparing to study medicine, son of John and Mary Campbell; Rockhurst High School, Kansas City, Mo.; president.
Laura Delcore, senior in human biology preparing to study medicine, daughter of Romano Delcore; The Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo.; vice president.
From Leawood 66211
Lyndsey Orpin, senior in human biology, daughter of Stanley and Michelle Orpin; Notre Dame de Sion High School, Kansas City, Mo.; alumni relations chair.
From Olathe 66062
Christine Hartigan, senior in journalism and mass communications (strategic communication emphasis), daughter of Matthew and Kathleen Hartigan; Olathe East High School; historian.
From Prairie Village 66208
George Revis Lewis, senior in history and political science with a minor in classics, son of Shawnee Mission East High School; tapping/initiation co-chair.
SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Clearwater 67026
Annie Van Allen, senior in finance and marketing, daughter of John and Karen Van Allen; Clearwater High School; outstanding educator co-chair.
From Wichita 67226
Morgan Fulmer, senior in human biology, daughter of Britt and Brenda Fulmer; Trinity Academy; community service chair.
SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66614 and Fairmont, W.Va.
Rachel Burchfield, senior in journalism with a minor in leadership studies and special concentration in political science, daughter of Joy Burchfield of Topeka and Larry Burchfield of Fairmont, W. Va.; Washburn Rural High School; secretary.
TEXAS
From McKinney 75070
Rachel Rasmussen, senior in human biology preparing to study dentistry, daughter of Neal and Nancy Rasmussen; McKinney High School; outstanding educator co-chair.
WEST VIRGINIA
From Fairmont 26554 and Topeka, Kan.
Rachel Burchfield. See SHAWNEE COUNTY
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