PIQUA — Edison State Community College faculty members Dr. Joshua Scully, of Urbana, and Levi Smith, of Covington, have been named recipients of the Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award from the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE).
Edison State nominated Scully and Smith for the award based on the institution’s criteria, with special consideration of demonstrated excellence and awards received throughout the past academic year.
Scully, who retired from his position as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the end of May, has been held in high regard by his students and fellow faculty members at Edison State. He has participated in several service activities, including serving on curricular committees, enrollment events for STEM fields, and high school outreach programs. Scully works hard to ensure the chemistry courses at Edison State have the most current curriculum and equipment, resulting in significant changes over the past few years.
In the past three years, the Chemistry Department has experienced staffing challenges, leaving Scully as the lone full-time faculty member in the department. Throughout this time, he’s kept the department moving forward, putting student success at the forefront. These efforts serve as a prime example of a faculty member going above and beyond what’s expected of him.
Scully’s students also provided positive feedback. One stated, “I cannot say enough great things about Josh, as he is always engaging students in the learning process and willing to individually help his students as needed.”
“Josh is one of the best professors I know,” added another student. “He is informative, understanding, and truly cares about his students’ success. He’s a great instructor and very passionate about his class.”
Smith, Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems, is also held in high regard by his students and coworkers. During his time at Edison State, Smith developed the new Interactive Media Program. In an ever-changing computer industry, he was also instrumental in converting Edison State’s Computer Information Technology program to a more current option in Computer Information Systems.
Smith serves as a member of multiple committees and projects, volunteers his time in support of students, and participates in numerous activities to enhance and support the College. In 2019, he launched Edison State’s chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), allowing students to gain more experience and network with professionals in the computing field.
One of his students said, “Levi is a very knowledgeable instructor and is always patient with each student in the class. He’s very friendly and enthusiastic to teach a subject he’s passionate about. If a student needs help, he’s always willing to help. His goal is to make sure that students understand the class subject.”
Scully and Smith were among colleagues from SOCHE’s 22 member institutions honored, including Antioch College, Central State University, Franklin University, Sinclair Community College, the University of Dayton, Wilmington College, and Wittenberg University.
Formed in 1967, SOCHE is a regional consortium of 22 colleges and universities in southwest Ohio to promote educated, employed, and engaged citizens. SOCHE is the trusted and recognized regional leader for higher collaboration, working with colleges and universities to transform their communities and economies through the education, employment, and engagement of nearly 200,000 students in Ohio. For more information about SOCHE, visit www.soche.org.
