Broward College Recognizes Seven Outstanding Faculty with $70,000 in Awards

Fort Lauderdale, Fla (April 11, 2017) – Seven outstanding faculty members were honored with the 2017 Broward College Foundation Endowed Teaching Chair Awards. The program, now in its 26^th year, is funded by businesses and donors who provide grants to fund one year of professional development, projects to improve classroom excellence, and efficiency for deserving faculty. The awardees were selected following an in-depth review of their professional work by a panel of their peers.

“Twenty-six years ago, our Foundation believed the faculty's dedication to students deserved to be honored and we are thrilled to continue the tradition by celebrating these seven faculty. Their dedication to our students is one of the reasons Broward College is recognized as one the best higher education institutions across the nation,” said Broward College President J. David Armstrong, Jr. as he surprised each recipient during their classes. “The awards signify an investment in their professional development and, by extension, an investment in the future of our students.” 

The awarded faculty are: 

• ​Jan Johnson, Sheldon J. Schlesinger Endowed Teaching Chair – A professor of Fine and Applied Arts at the A. Hugh Adams Central Campus, Johnson began teaching with the College in 1998. She also was a recipient of the Endowed Teaching Chair Award in 2012.    

• Dr. George Peter, Bank of America II Endowed Teaching Chair – A professor of Nursing since 2003, Peter earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Chamberlain University. He is a former president of the Indian Nurses Association of South Florida, where he served from 2008 to 2010. 

• Dr. Kevin Walsh, Otto Burkhardt Endowed Teaching Chair – A senior professor of Political Science, this is the second Endowed Teaching Chair Award for Dr. Walsh, having previously been awarded in 2008. 

• Jody Harris, Causeway Lumber Company Endowed Teaching Chair – An associate professor of Mathematics, Harris has been involved with the “Linked Education and Employment Outcomes.” The program helps students create imaginary startup businesses, build a prototype, and make a “Shark Tank” presentation to a panel of judges. She was named Professor of the Year in 2006.

• Shireen Puig, Blockbuster Entertainment Endowed Teaching Chair – An assistant professor of English since 2008, Puig has a Masters in English as a Foreign Language from Nova Southeastern University. She has served as the Developmental English/Writing Coordinator for the A. Hugh Adams Central Campus and Willis Holcombe Center in downtown Fort Lauderdale for the past nine years.
• Dina Durand, George and Wilma Elmore Endowed Teaching Chair – Durand is an assistant professor of Business.  She earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan in 2005 and is an active member of numerous campus organizations. 

• Dr. Russell Betts, AT&T Endowed Teaching Chair – An assistant professor of Chemistry on North Campus, Betts won Professor of the Year in 2016. He also is the recipient of the Teaching with Innovative and Persistence Strategies (TIPS) grant. 

For more information about Broward College and its outstanding faculty, please visit www.broward.edu.