At Gillings, teaching counts

Honoring and celebrating our teachers

Chat with the Deans. Photo by Linda Kastleman

Earlier in the week, Anna Maria Siega-Riz, PhD, professor of epidemiology and nutrition, and our associate dean for academic affairs, Greg Bocchino, EdD, director of student services, and I held one of our regular Chat with the Deans in the School’s Armfield Atrium. We had the delight of interacting with several of our health policy and management (HPM) BSPH (Bachelor of Science in Public Health) students. They said they love the Gillings School of Global Public Health, their program, their cohort and the faculty and staff members with whom they interact. They especially mentioned how much they appreciate HPM’s Cathy Padgett, career services coordinator, Jeffrey Simms, MSPH, clinical assistant professor, and Karl Umble, PhD, clinical assistant professor and adjunct assistant professor of health behavior. They talked about their helpfulness, supportiveness and accessibility, among other things.

Then, on Thursday Dr. Camara Jones, president-elect of the American Public Health Association visited the School. What an impressive woman. Dr. Jones said that students at the Gillings School are colleagues and collaborators, and that’s not true at all schools. Her comments warmed my heart, because that’s how it is here, and it’s how I want it to be.

Dr. Karl Umble (2nd from left) and Dr. Susan Ennett (4th from right). Photo by Jo Anne Earp.

So, it is fitting that last week, two of our faculty members, Susan Ennett, PhD, professor and vice chair for academic affairs in the health behavior department, and Karl Umble, PhD, were honored with two of the University’s most prestigious teaching awards, during halftime of the basketball game against Florida State University.

Ennett was one of four to win the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction. Umble was one of five to receive the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

Susan Ennett, PhD

Karl Umble, PhD

At this School, the quality of teaching matters, and teaching counts. I’m proud of that and proud of Susan, Karl, Jeffrey and Cathy and all our students, with a special shout-out to our BSPH students!

February is teaching month: stay tuned! Barbara