Photo by Meghan Kenney

Associate professor of sociology Dr. Michele Lee Kozimor presented the Kreider Award Lecture Thursday, Oct. 10 in the Susquehanna Room.

The Award Lecture began at 7 p.m. with a dessert reception where Kozimor greeted every attendee at the door. Once people had found their seats around 7:30 p.m., Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development Kristi Kneas introduced the Kreider Award and made some opening comments about why Kozimor was the recipient of the award.

Kneas noted that the Kreider Award recognizes not only great professors but the strong relationships and mentorships that the recipients have made with their peers and students. Kneas said she considers this award one of the most important faculty awards because it focuses on the relational aspect of teaching.

“Just looking at the crowd, it is clear the impact that [Kozimor] has had on her students and colleagues,” Kneas said. She also said that Kozimor provides an example on how to make an impact while teaching.

Following Kneas’ opening statements, Etown alumnus and assistant professor of sociology at Lebanon Valley College Dr. Barbara Prince ’12 introduced her mentor and good friend, Kozimor. She began with remarks about how Kozimor influenced her life, including how Kozimor inspired her to become a sociologist and professor following college. Prince was also able to get statements from others who Kozimor had taught or mentored, which she compiled into a word cloud that described Kozimor’s impact on the Etown community.

Kozimor’s lecture began with some introductory comments before she had every member of the audience get up and add paint to a canvas, which would later be used as a metaphor for the art of teaching. Kozimor has never been a conventional teacher; she always does her best to go out of the box and teach in a memorable way. As she said while talking about the art of teaching, it “refers to less tangible elements in instruction. [It is] course design married to instruction – the unique way that teaching unfolds.” She compared teaching a lecture to creating a painting.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be beautiful, but it’s going to be art! Just like when I don’t know if it’s going to be a good lecture, it’s going to be a lecture!” she said.

To finish the painting that the attendees made together, Kozimor used a blow dryer to push the paint around, since it was all in a puddle before. She then added some pyrite dust to add some sparkle and “positivity” and “creativity” before entering the question and answer portion of the evening.

Kozimor said that she teaches the best when she teaches like herself. She said that she got the award because of alumni, current students and other faculty. She said she sees it as both an honor and a tribute to the students that she has worked with over the years, as well as people like her mentor Dr. Donald Kraybill, who taught sociology at Etown. She sees each student as a “blank canvas” in many respects. She said this award is her paying forward what instrumental teachers in her life have given her.

The Kreider Award is awarded annually to a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching and mentoring. The award is named in honor of professor of history emeritus J. Kenneth Kreider and professor of business emerita Carroll L. Kreider because of their “inspirational service to countless students at Elizabethtown College.” Students, faculty, alumni and staff members are able to nominate a faculty member and the recipient is eventually decided by the Professional Development Committee.

Kozimor was recommended based on her varied and accomplished work as a professor and scholar. She teaches what her students have called an impactful first year seminar, and she empowers all of her students to “be the best they can be.” The committee noted her innovative teaching methods as well as the strong and positive impact that she has made on the campus community.