Herman Frederic Lieber award, Robin K. Morgan

"To put it very simply, I cannot think of anyone on our campus who has done more to promote excellence in teaching."

—Clifford Staten, professor and dean of social sciences, IU Southeast

Good teachers have a lasting impact on their students and a positive influence on fellow faculty members. Robin Morgan has succeeded on both counts.

When the campus established the Institute for Learning and Teaching Excellence (ILTE) in 1997, finding the right director for the program, which focuses on improving faculty teaching skills, was vital. Morgan fit the profile for a bold, efficient and creative director.

With her leadership, the institute has undertaken a variety of partnerships, fellowships and workshop programs and has become a model for similar faculty development efforts being undertaken on other campuses. More than half of the full-time faculty members at IU Southeast have participated in one or more of the institute’s programs.

Morgan attributes her success to her own quest to improve as a teacher. “I encourage participation and build upon shared experiences and case study material to illustrate principles and concepts being taught,” she said. “The climate in my classroom is one in which students are free to debate, question and openly discuss concepts and issues.”

Morgan’s distinction in the classroom was recognized in 2000 with two awards—the IU Southeast Distinguished Teaching Award and the Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology Award. She also has received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching (FACET) and is a four-time winner of the Teaching Excellence Recognition Award.