Topic: College of Sciences and Humanities

May 8, 2009

Carolyn Malone, associate professor of history, is the 2009 recipient of Lawhead Award for Teaching in the University Core Curriculum.

"I was honored and excited to hear that I was selected as the recipient of this award, especially since there are so many excellent people teaching core curriculum courses at Ball State," said Malone, who has taught History 150, Western World history, at Ball State for 14 years.

The Lawhead Award is presented annually to a member of the Ball State faculty and is based on teaching evaluations, contribution to the core curriculum, freshmen activities, service to the community and support letters from faculty and students.

The award was established courtesy of gifts from Victor Lawhead, former dean of Ball State's undergraduate programs, and his wife, Doris Lawhead, a former academic adviser.

Malone served on the University Core Curriculum Task Force II that created the university's new core curriculum. She played a leading role in developing a revised History 150 course for the new core curriculum.

"In History 150, I teach students about key developments, problems and issues in history with the hope that they will think critically about them and see that they are relevant to the world they live in today," Malone said. "Such reflection, I think, is a crucial part of a student's intellectual and personal growth.  Isn't that what the university experience should be about?"

Malone was pleased to be nominated for the award by Tony Edmonds, the George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of history and a previous winner of the Lawhead Award.

"I appreciate the nomination just as I appreciate the ways in which he has supported and encouraged my work as a teacher over the years," she said.

Malone says the Lawhead Award is important because the core curriculum is a significant part of the university experience. The University Core Curriculum covers subjects such as writing, math, history and the arts and serves as the foundation for students' collegiate education.

By Chanel Richards