ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences recently presented awards of excellence to faculty and staff during the college’s annual picnic, held at Winged Deer Park.Dr. Nancy Scherer, dean of the college, presented the awards. More than 50 faculty and staff members were in attendance.

The Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching went to Dr. Ester Verhovsek, an associate professor of radiography in the Department of Allied Health Sciences and coordinator of the master of science in allied health program. She is also a faculty member for the allied health leadership concentration.

The college has received consistent feedback from Verhovsek’s students who laud her organization and commitment to improving learning outcomes, both in on-campus and virtual classrooms at the undergraduate and graduate level.

ETSU expanded its radiography program last year by offering a cohort at Covenant Health System’s Sevier County hospital, and by adapting her courses to a format incorporating Wimba, Verhovsek was instrumental in providing students in Sevier and surrounding counties the opportunity to pursue a degree in radiography. Wimba is a real-time collaboration tool that allows groups to meet online for lectures.

Debbie Dotson, an assistant professor of dental hygiene and coordinator of the online bachelor of science in dental hygiene program in the Department of Allied Health Sciences, received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Service.

Dotson was awarded a Toshiba America Foundation Innovative Project grant that provided three computers and accompanying software for the dental hygiene clinic so students could experience a paperless office learning experience. She has played a leadership role in several dental hygiene faculty search committees and coordinates the annual student awards program.

Dr. Shane Keene, an assistant professor and director of the cardiopulmonary science program, received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Research. He is also the assistant chair for the Department of Allied Health Sciences.

Keene is a frequently published researcher with 26 peer-reviewed publications to his credit. He has also participated in six presentations, two of which are on the national level and four on the state level.

The Outstanding Staff Award went to Crystal Gilland, who serves as office coordinator for the college. Her knowledge of ETSU policies and procedures was cited as providing a substantial resource to the dean’s office, where she has worked since the beginning of the college.

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