Published on February 17, 2011 by Natalie Heard  

History professor Jason Wallace was honored with the 2011 Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teacher award in February.

“While there were several exceptional candidates nominated this year, Dr. Wallace received the strongest, most passionate support from his students,” said biology professor Lawrence Davenport, who chaired the selection committee for this year's award. 

Award candidates were nominated by seniors and faculty in Howard College of Arts and Sciences. Greater consideration is given to professors with strong support among student nominations. Wallace was credited by many students for his “life-changing” work in their lives, Davenport said.

Recent history graduate Hunter Martiniere said Wallace was, “the first professor to demand more of me than I was willing to offer at the time. “It was he who taught me how to think and prepared me for the world ahead".

Wallace credited his award to “generous students and kind colleagues," and noted that his teaching is inspired by his own former professors. “They helped me to see that the classroom need not be driven by trends, personality, or felt needs,” Wallace said.

Wallace said his favorite part about teaching is when clarity breaks through confusion. “The dynamic of being overwhelmed by an author or a historical event, and then recognizing significance or new horizons of meaning, keeps the classroom rewarding.”

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.