POINT LOOKOUT, MO — College of the Ozarks presented the Eugene Charles Wittick Teaching Excellence Award to Dr. Joseph Western, associate professor of history, at this year’s Commencement on May 9.

The Eugene Charles Wittick Teaching Excellence Award honors professors who have demonstrated outstanding teaching ability and who have had a major impact on the lives and careers of their students. Honorees have shown exceptional interest in their students, have set an example compatible with the goals of College of the Ozarks, and have attempted continually to improve their teaching.

Western is known for building meaningful relationships with his students by encouraging them to engage deeply with the history he teaches. Students consistently note that his courses help them recognize the value of understanding history and its relevance to their daily lives. They also frequently commend his exceptional preparation for class.

Committed to continual improvement, Western regularly refines his courses and develops creative teaching methods to enhance student learning. His classes have included activities such as glossing reading assignments in the style of medieval scribes and participating in Reacting to the Past exercises, immersive role-playing activities that require extensive preparation and grading. In addition to his classroom instruction, Western has provided students with educational travel opportunities through his participation in the Patriotic Education Travel Program and by co-organizing a trip to Spain and Portugal for history and English students.

“It is difficult to find a faculty member more involved with students on campus than Dr. Western,” Eric Bolger, vice president for academic affairs and provost, said. “Beyond his involvement in numerous campus activities, workshops, microconvocations, retreats, and the revision of the Base Camp Program, Dr. Western serves as an informal mentor to countless students, who can often be found in his office or sharing coffee with him around campus. Additionally, he has brought students, faculty, and staff together in communal worship by establishing weekly vespers prayer services on Tuesday afternoons.”