UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award
Finalists: Brian Byrd, Kim Hall, Yang Zhang
We congratulate Dr. Brian Byrd, professor in the Environmental Health Sciences program, this year’s recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. Throughout his eighteen years at WCU, Dr. Byrd has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to teaching, scholarship, and service.
His efforts have empowered numerous cohorts of students to discover their life purposes, acquire employable skills, pursue graduate degrees, and contribute positively to our region and state. Likely due to his own academic journey, Dr. Byrd is highly motivated to provide students with opportunities to help them succeed. His support is clearly appreciated and is reflected in letters of support from his former students. Dr. Byrd encourages students to explore with curiosity, trust their creativity, collaborate globally, and present their work at academic conferences. In fact, he actually had his interview for the BOG award virtually because he was with students presenting at a professional conference.
Dr. Byrd’s passion, dedication, and commitment to making a positive difference align perfectly with the values this award celebrates.
Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award
Finalists: Sarah Jackson, Emily Naser-Hall, Jenna Powers
Congratulations to Dr. Emily Naser-Hall, Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies and Graduate Program Director in the Department of English Studies, who was selected as this year’s recipient of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Dr. Naser-Hall is recognized for her engaging, inclusive, and student-centered teaching. Student feedback consistently highlights her ability to foster a supportive and dynamic classroom environment where individuals feel respected, encouraged to participate, and challenged to think critically. Her interactive approach incorporates discussion, humor, and active learning, and helps sustain student engagement and deepen understanding, even when course material is complex.
The committee was particularly impressed by her intentional and reflective approach to teaching. She meaningfully incorporates student feedback into course design, adapts materials to enhance learning, and employs evidence-based pedagogical practices such as scaffolding and active learning. Her teaching encourages students to explore the cultural and political dimensions of film and media, while fostering empathy by treating students as active collaborators in the learning process. Dr. Naser-Hall’s use of “productive confusion” to stimulate curiosity and intellectual engagement further reflects her thoughtful and innovative approach to teaching.
Taken together, these qualities exemplify the spirit of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and committee members agreed that Dr. Naser-Hall is highly deserving of this recognition.
Innovative Scholarship Award
Finalists: Chad Hallyburton, Beth Harmer, Mindy Weathers & Meghan Gangel
We congratulate Dr. Beth Harmer as the recipient of the 2026 Innovative Scholarship Award. Dr. Harmer’s research exemplifies the best of engaged, community-centered scholarship.
Her work directly addresses two of the most pressing challenges facing Western North Carolina: the opioid epidemic and critical workforce shortages in behavioral health services. At the heart of her efforts is Project AWE (Addiction Workforce Education), a learning initiative housed at WCU that trains peer support specialists and future certified alcohol and drug counselors to strengthen substance use recovery services across the region. Her Scholarship of Application stands as a model for how faculty research can translate directly into improved outcomes for the people of Western North Carolina.
Thank you!
While the CFC coordinates the process for the selection of these three awards, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the dedicated work of the 2025-26 committees:
UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award committee:
Alvin Malesky (chair), Channa De Silva (last year’s winner and next year’s committee chair), Hannah Buala, Joy Bowers-Campbell, Ethan Cheng, Isaiah Feken, James Hogan, Luke Manget, Minu Thomas, and Paul Yanik. CFC ex-officio member: Anabel Livengood.
Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award committee:
Faculty members included Andy Hansen (chair), Sean Mulholland, Lisen Roberts, Minu Thomas, Mona Torabi, and Ike Webster. Student members included Zachary Curfiss, Destina Erdem, Bipana Bohori, Morgan Harshaw, Mason Parlier, and Henrietta Sackey. CFC ex-officio member: April Tallant.
Innovative Scholarship Award committee:
Francine Sheppard (chair), Kia Alimohammadirokni, Georgia Ennis, Kloo Hansen, Steve Kniss, Kofi Lomotey, Lori Oxford, Joe Sun, Elisabeth Wallace. CFC ex-officio member: Scott Seagle.
