2014 Celebration

Thursday, November 13, 2014

The Bishop Herbert Welch Meritorious Teaching Award was established in 1962-63 by the New York Alumni Association for the purpose of recognizing outstanding teachers at Ohio Wesleyan University. All full-time teaching faculty members on regular appointment are eligible to be nominated. The basis for selection is to be distinguished service in teaching which has made significant contribution to the academic climate at Ohio Wesleyan University. Bishop Herbert Welch was the fifth president of Ohio Wesleyan University and served as the president of Association of Ohio College Presidents and Deans from 1907-1908. This award is named in honor of his commitment to education and support of faculty.

The Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers was established in 1963-64 by William H. Ryan ’29 and Frances Shankland Ryan ‘29 of Sacramento, California, to identify, encourage, and honor Ohio Wesleyan faculty members with high potential as teachers. Candidates for the award must have been full-time members of the Ohio Wesleyan teaching staff for at least three years prior to the year of selection, and have had less than ten years total experience in the teaching field. Mrs. William H. Ryan named this award in honor of her father who served as president of the Andrews Institute for Girls in Willoughby, Ohio.

This year’s title, “No-Higher-Honor” comes from Dr. William Louthan, a winner of both the The Bishop Herbert Welch Meritorious Teaching and Sherwood Dodge Shankland awards. Dr. Louthan served Ohio Wesleyan University as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs having the opportunity to give this award to other recipients for fourteen years. Dr. Louthan would begin his speech each year with this phrase, “There is no higher honor than to be a member of the teaching faculty at Ohio Wesleyan University.” This phrase is still used today by current President Rock Jones as there is, “no higher honor than to be recognized by one’s faculty peers for excellence as a teacher at Ohio Wesleyan University.”