The Pratt-Heins Foundation Awards were awarded this morning at the University of Nebraska at Kearney Faculty/Staff Opening Convocation by Tom Tye, Trustee of the Pratt-Heins Foundation. Since 1981, the Pratt-Heins Foundation has recognized members of the university faculty for their outstanding contributions in the areas of Scholarship and Research, Service and Teaching.
Award for Scholarship and Research was awarded to Michael Mosher, Associate Professor of Chemistry. According to Tye, Mosher has been consistently recognized for his teaching skill: from receiving the outstanding teaching assistant award from Texas Tech University in 1992; the UNK Creative Teaching Award 1999; the UNK Faculty Mentoring Award 2000; and the UNK Most Grants Award 2000.
Tye said, “He has been very active in his professional associations and in particular he presently serves as chair of the Nebraska section of the American Chemical Society.”
Mosher received his B.S. from the University of Idaho; his M.S. from Dartmouth College; and his Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. He has published his research in over 25 journal articles or text. His teaching career at UNK began in 1995 in the Chemistry department. He is trained in Organic Synthesis and enjoys teaching Organic Chemistry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. He is also very interactive with his students when it comes to his research and engages them in all aspects of his scholarly work.
Pratt-Heins Service Award was presented to Dick Jussel, Retired English Professor and Director of the Honors Program. Jussel has given tireless service to this university. He is a difference maker. Without his contributions, UNK would be a noticeably different institution.
His educational background includes a B.A. degree from Nebraska Wesleyan, Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Northern Colorado. He came to KSC in 1969. During his tenure he has been the Martin Chair, Distinguished Professor of English, the Director of General Studies and until recently, the Director of the Honors Program.
Tye added, “Jussel has strived to help bring the best and the brightest students to UNK. He has helped students expand their educational vision and focus.” He has funded scholarships for UNK students, taken students to national conferences or to European Vistas to provide them with every opportunity to excel.
He has also been extremely active in his community, his church and in volunteer organizations. He has taught Sunday school, sung in the choir, sponsored youth activities and has been a Boy Scout leader.
Pratt-Heins Teaching Award was awarded to Dennis Potthoff, Associate Professor of Teacher Education. “This year’s recipient exemplifies all the characteristics of a UNK teacher including innovative teaching, research linked to teaching and service activities in support of teaching,” said Tye.
Potthoff earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He began his teaching career in 1979 teaching and coaching middle school and high school students in Lexington, Lincoln and Wilbur, Nebraska and Ontario, Canada. He joined the UNK faculty in 1996 as an Associate Professor and serves as chair of the Teacher Education Department. Potthoff has received the Cooper Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, the UNL Parent’s Association Teaching Award and has been a nominee for the Wichita State University Teaching Award.
