COLUMBIA, Mo. – Jeffrey C. Huff, assistant professor of computer graphics and programming (CGP) at Missouri State University-West Plains, recently was honored by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon with the Missouri Council on Public Higher Education’s Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education.
The 15 recipients of this year’s award were recognized during a luncheon in their honor on Wednesday, April 4, in the Reynolds Alumni Center on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia. The annual award honors outstanding faculty from post-secondary public schools, colleges and universities within the state. The recipients were selected by their respective institutions for effective teaching, innovation in course design and delivery, effective advising, service to the institution’s community, and commitment to high standards of excellence.
“Mr. Huff is an outstanding example of the caring and skilled faculty who work on this campus,” said Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Drew Bennett, who attended the event with Huff. “He is an excellent teacher and a very productive faculty member. He is well deserving of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education.”
In nominating Huff for the award, his peers at Missouri State-West Plains praised him for his “students come first” approach. “Jeff always has time for students, and they regularly visit him in the office for advice on classes, projects, ideas or just a friendly chat,” they said.
Huff also stays on top of the latest technology, a must in the field in which he teaches, his peers noted. “He regularly makes sure the students have the opportunity to use the ‘tools of the trade’ by making them available to students. For example, Jeff initiated a project to get a tool kit containing iPads, Androids and other devices for his students to use. He also has sparked many similar initiatives to keep students on the leading edge of technology in the CGP field. He is truly dedicated and continuously staying ahead of the curve, in terms of mastery of the subject matter,” his peers explained.
His teaching style also keeps students engaged through assignments that emphasize a “hands-on” approach, “the best form of teaching,” his nominator said. “Jeff is versatile and does an excellent job online, as well as in the classroom. He is always ahead of the curve on technology for the online students. Jeff responds quickly to student questions and problems, and develops an environment that is conducive to true learning and retention.”
Huff has spent 12 years with Missouri State University-West Plains teaching computer graphics and programming courses, first as a per course faculty member and, beginning in 2001, full time. He earned his Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Technology in 2002 from Missouri State University and his Master of Science in Administrative Studies degree in 2006 from the same university.
For more information about the Associate of Applied Science in Computer Graphics and Programming degree or any of the degree offerings at Missouri State-West Plains, visit the campus’ website at http://wp.missouristate.edu.