Matthew Buechner wins HOPE Award

By Abigail Bolin

Monday, November 16, 2009

Standing in front of a sold-out crowd at the Kansas-Nebraska football game Saturday, six finalists listened for their names.

As Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little announced the winner and the other finalists began to clap, Matthew Buechner had yet to recognize his name. Completely astonished, Buechner blankly looked around until the weight of winning the award actually set in.

Buechner, associate professor of molecular biosciences, was announced as the winner of the Honor for an Outstanding Progressive Educator Award during the first quarter of Saturday’s football game at Memorial Stadium.

“I’m floored that the students voted for me,” Buechner said. “I was among some fantastic teachers, and I am completely surprised that I won.”

The HOPE Award, which was established by the Class of 1959, is the only honor given exclusively by students recognizing teaching excellence.

“The award is important because it’s from our students, which, at the end of the day, are our customers,” Kelly Welch, HOPE Award finalist and lecturer in business, said. “We’re trying to better serve them in a way that will benefit them 10 to 20 years down the road.”

The senior class sent nominations via e-mail, and the six faculty members receiving the most nominations were interviewed by the representatives of the Board of Class Officers and its Senior Advisory Board. In addition to Buechner, the other finalists were Kerry Benson, lecturer in journalism, Mark Gerard Haug, lecturer in business, Diane Nielsen, associate professor of education, Kelly Welch, lecturer in business, and Misty Schieberle, assistant professor of English.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” Schieberle said. “It’s a sign that I’m doing things right and it motivates me to do well and continue to meet my students’ needs.”

Although students complete teaching evaluations at the end of each semester, the HOPE Award is public recognition of the teacher’s ability. This is Buechner’s third time to be nominated, and he said he recognized how multiple classes had appreciated his teaching efforts.

“Biology courses have the reputation for being dull and difficult. I try to find a way to bring the subject to life,” Buechner said. “I have been very lucky to have classes where I connected really well with my students. I get so excited about the material. I try to focus on teaching in a way that makes them excited about science, too.”

Schieberle, who is in her second year at the University, said she felt honored to be a finalist because students recognized her. She expressed the importance of evaluating oneself as a teacher.

“The award is critical for faculty in the way it reminds us that students are reflective of their education,” Schieberle said. “It’s their opportunity to give feedback on the impact we’ve had, to show we’ve taught them something they can use beyond their time at KU.”

Buechner said that he felt greatly honored to win the award and that it had been a humbling experience. He said the only way to express his gratitude would be to say thank you to the students who found him memorable and took something away from his class.

“He has a passion for what he teaches and for his students,” Lindsay Pruitt, Overland Park sophomore and one of Buechner’s students, said. “He truly cares about his students and wants them to learn, succeed and do well. He should feel very proud of himself for what he’s accomplished and that his hard work is recognized.”

Schieberle and Welch both said that being nominated meant a great deal to teachers and although the process was anonymous, they wished they could express their gratitude directly to the students who had nominated them.

“Thank you, it truly means a lot to me,” Schieberle said. “I’m incredibly grateful to the students. It reminds me why I do this.”

Follow Abigail Bolin at twitter.com/abby_rhode.

— Edited by Abbey Strusz

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