WAUKESHA –Two members of the faculty and two from the academic staff at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha have been named Arthur M. Kaplan Fellows for 2003-04. The faculty and staff enhancement program recognizes outstanding contributions to education made by UW Colleges faculty and academic staff.
The award is given to individuals who make “significant and innovative improvement of instruction or of service to students.” The four nominees selected by the campus Steering Committee to be honored this year are: Catherine Bengston, Christel Taylor, and Gary Udovich, all of Waukesha, and Alexei Krioukov, Whitefish Bay.
A student herself at UW-Waukesha from 1989-1993, Bengston also served as lead math tutor during that time and went on to UW-Whitewater for a degree in education. After doing some substitute teaching, she returned to the university campus as a math specialist in 2000. Late in getting started on her own career, she is seasoned in life’s experiences, which influences her sympathetic counseling of students – both in one-on-one tutoring and in her classes – who are struggling with the academic milieu. She assists them in assessing their needs and guides them through the rough areas. She focuses on study skills, needed not only in students’ understanding of math but also in the rest of their academic lives.
An assistant professor of mathematics, Krioukov came to the UW Colleges in 1998, starting at UW-Manitowoc and transferring to the Waukesha campus in 2001. During the last two semesters, he has used an interactive software program to improve the performance of students taking introductory algebra, raising the success rate from 60 to 90 percent. Known as ALEKS, the innovative program, with its constant practice and immediate feedback, engenders a better attitude toward solving problems. It appeals to students living in the age of technology, making math fun! Krioukov, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Petersburg State University, Russia, and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, has worked to spread the use of this program among his colleagues on campus and throughout the UW Colleges.
Taylor, who has been teaching English at UW-Waukesha since 2001, lures her colleagues into collegial discussion with an open door to an accessible supply of chocolate. Accustomed from previous experience to teaching English composition in computer classrooms, she has coached other members of the department in computer use for English 102 and pioneered the teaching of English 101 in the computer classroom for all 13 UW Colleges campuses. Formerly an advisor to the student newspaper, she now serves as campus coordinator for the ESFY (Engaging Students in the First Year) program and chaired the planning committee at the spring conference. She facilitated the “Cracker Barrel” session at the conference and participates on the working group to implement the ideas gleaned from it. A graduate of Illinois State University, Taylor also earned a master’s in writing there.
Successful in educating (drawing out of) students to solve problems they considered impossible, associate professor of chemistry Gary Udovich has quietly, patiently, and innovatively been making students out of pupils at UW-Waukesha since 1976. Amid his enthusiastic presentation of complicated concepts, he maintains complete faith in every student’s ability to meet the challenge, and that does not waiver even when it requires he go to exceptional lengths to turn on the light of understanding. Udovich holds a bachelor’s in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from Carroll College and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Wyoming.
With each Kaplan fellowship comes a $250 purse, matched by the Friends & Alumni Foundation of UW-Waukesha. The recipients can use the money to further enhance their creative approaches to education.
Former UW Centers (now Colleges) Chancellor Lee Grugel established the award in 1993 on the retirement of Kaplan, who had served the UW Colleges for eight years in the capacities of vice chancellor, provost, and acting chancellor. Kaplan was committed to improving the quality of instruction and service to students at UW Colleges campuses. The awards can be presented at each of the thirteen UW Colleges, which are the freshman-sophomore campuses of the University of Wisconsin.
For information about programs, admissions, or financial aid, contact the Student Services office at (262) 521-5200 or visit the campus Web site at waukesha.uwc.edu. |
