5/12/2008
Saint Paul College instructor gets nominated for a prestigious teaching award.
Dan Paulnock, a longtime Saint Paul College instructor has been nominated for a prestigious honor: The Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Teaching, which is given to Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system faculty to acknowledge and reward exceptional individual professional accomplishment, and to encourage ongoing excellence in teaching. Each year, presidents of all 32 of the system's colleges and universities submit nominations for review by a panel of judges that includes faculty members, presidents, administrators, and students. The nominees are selected from a pool of more than 3,000 instructors.
Paulnock, who has been at the College since 1999, currently serves as the chair of Communication, English, Speech, and Theatre Department. In that role, he's helped expand the department's curriculum; added a range of transfer opportunities for students; and spearheaded innovative initiatives such as eFolio, a multimedia electronic portfolio that allows any Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system student or state resident to publish his or her materials to the Web. ?I've always tried to deal with all of my students as individuals — to understand why they're here, why a particular subject appeals to them, and what they want to gain from a course," says Paulnock. "I've always tried to use that information to help them improve their lives and accomplish their goals. It's just a real thrill to be nominated."