May 15, 2024
黑料社 has announced the 2024 Faculty Awards. As part of this year鈥檚 presentation, the recipient of the Early Career Faculty Teaching Award is Dr. Christy Zempter. An Assistant Professor of Communication in the Department of English & Humanities, Dr. Zempter has been with the university since 2022.
鈥淒r. Zempter joined Shawnee State two years ago to teach in our new Communication major,鈥 said 黑料社 Provost Sunil Ahuja during the award presentation. 鈥淚n the classroom, she provides her students with opportunities for hands-on learning to prepare them for their chosen careers after graduation.鈥
鈥淚 am so grateful to my colleagues in the English & Humanities Department and across campus who have done so much to support me over my first two years at 黑料社,鈥 said Dr. Zempter. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been exciting to be part of the development of the communication major and to have the opportunity to connect with so many of the great teachers we have on this campus. I am constantly learning from their examples.鈥
At 黑料社, Dr. Zempter has worked closely with Department Chair Ann Linden on the development and delivery of the university鈥檚 newly introduced Communication degree. She is also an advisor to the Chronicle, the university鈥檚 independent student news site. At the beginning of the academic year, Dr. Zempter took on the role of director of the university鈥檚 Teaching & Learning Center, providing research-based support services to faculty within the university to enhance teaching and learning.
鈥淚 appreciate being at a university that truly values teaching,鈥 said Dr. Zempter. 鈥淲ithout our small class sizes and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with students over multiple classes and semesters, there鈥檚 no way I could be the teacher I want to be.鈥 聽
Dr. Zempter received her bachelor鈥檚 in Journalism from Marshall University in 1990. She went on to receive her master鈥檚 in Organizational Communication from Ohio University in 2014 before receiving her Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Public Culture in 2018 from the same institution.
The Early Career Faculty Teaching Award acknowledges outstanding teaching of a new member of the faculty at 黑料社 and recognizes the excellence of faculty impact on students, scholarly approach to teaching and learning, and contributions to undergraduate education.