SU Honors Three With Faculty Mentor Awards

SALISBURY, MD---Dr. Catherine Beise and Dr. Karen Papke-Shields of the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business and Dr. Miguel Mitchell of the Henson School of Science and Technology are this year’s recipients of the Faculty Mentor Award. Given by the Faculty Development Committee and Teaching and Learning Resources (TLR), the awards encourage and financially supports innovative projects that aim to enhance instruction and learning at Salisbury University. Beise, an information systems management professor, is integrating WebCT, on-line learning logs and video-teleconferencing to simulate global virtual teamwork in her class, Global Information Technology Management. Students are organized into virtual teams and interact with their classmates using these communication technologies. Her goal is to prepare students for the technologically advanced global workplace. Papke-Shields, an operations management professor, is teaching students how to use enterprise resource planning systems (ERP). Such software is used worldwide to integrate multiple functions of a business such as human resources, payroll and finance. Her project incorporates SAP, the world’s largest vendor of ERP systems, to enhance students’ understanding of business processes and further develop skills in information systems. Mitchell, a chemistry professor, is developing laboratory science exercises to help students understand the practical uses of chemistry in business and industry. Each laboratory program contains application-oriented experiments which demonstrate the science’s relevance for those who are not majoring in biology or the health sciences. Mentors chosen by the Faculty Development Committee are awarded up to $3,500 from TLR. “It is a think tank for faculty,” says Dr. Alice Bahr, dean of libraries and instructional services. “The goal is to encourage faculty to rethink the learning process.” Mentors use their projects to develop ground-breaking techniques that can be used in multiple disciplines. The application deadline for the next Mentors Award is April 1. For more information visit www.salisbury.edu/library/tlr/mentors/mentors.htm.