On May 11, 2016, Colorado School of Mines awarded the inaugural Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMS) Honor Fund for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards. Clinton Parapat, an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering, was presented with the Learning and Perseverance Award and a prize of $800. Chris Lebaron, a student of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, received the runner up award of $200.
Recipients of the award are asked to recognize a faculty member who inspired or assisted them in overcoming adversity. Both students chose Megan Harris, who serves as the academic advising coordinator at the Center for Academic Services and Advising (CASA), as the person who had been most influential in helping them succeed academically at Mines.
Professor and Department Head of AMS Willy Hereman presented the three awards at CASA, along with AMS faculty who had been instrumental in the creation of the award, Terry Bridgeman, Holly Eklund, Gus Greivel, and Debra Carney.
The newly endowed fund was created to honor Carol Job, Sharon McAuliffe and other dedicated faculty by recognizing excellence in teaching and learning in Applied Mathematics and Statistics.
Carol Job taught mathematics at Mines for more than ten years before she passed away in January 2015. Prior to her time at Mines, Job had taught elementary and high school students for 36 years. Job recruited her best friend and teaching colleague, Sharon McAuliffe, to join her at Mines, during which time the two served as mentors and role models to their fellow colleagues. Jobs and McAuliffe became known for their ability to encourage students to persevere and overcome obstacles. AMS retired and current faculty, as well as friends and former students of Carol Job and Sharon McAuliffe, established the annual award to be given to an exceptional student who has shown perseverance, hard work and dedication. The AMS Honor Fund for Excellence in Teaching and Learning encourages collaboration while acknowledging remarkable teachers and their extraordinary students.
The faculty of AMS would like to thank all who helped realize the educational vision of Carol Job and Sharon McAuliffe in their efforts to bring these awards to fruition.
Contact:
Deirdre Keating, Information Specialist, College of Engineering and Computational Sciences | 303-384-2358 | dkeating@mines.edu
Kathleen Morton, Digital Media and Communications Manager, Colorado School of Mines | 303-273-3088 | kmorton@mines.edu
