Dr. Linda Wulff-Risner, associate professor of agriculture at Missouri State University-West Plains, recently was honored 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 Thursday, April 4, at the Scruggs University Center on the campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
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
“Dr. Risner is a dedicated and passionate teacher who cares about her students and strives to help them succeed,” Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Shirley Lawler said. “She goes above and beyond expectations to ensure students learn the latest information and techniques that will prepare them for their chosen career.
“She also actively participates in our evaluation and assessment processes and is willing to serve on committees and task forces for the purpose of improving our learning outcomes. She leads by example, and we are thrilled to have an educator of her caliber among our faculty,” the chancellor added.
Praise from peers
In nominating Risner for the award, her peers praised her for constantly seeking out new opportunities to learn. They specifically pointed out her pursuit of credit and non-credit courses to expand her knowledge of plant science, horticulture and aquaphonics so that she could better serve students in these subject areas.
She has used this new-found knowledge to develop new courses and improve current courses to better meet the needs of students.
As the primary adviser for agriculture students, Risner has maintained an “open door” policy, making herself available to meet with students outside of normal office hours.
She also keeps members of her Ag Club actively involved on campus and in the community through a variety of projects sponsored by the student organization. In addition, she has taken students to state and national Professional Agriculture Student (PAS) Organization conferences, where they have placed in numerous competitions.
Community activities
Risner, herself, has been actively involved in a number of community projects and initiatives over the years, including the Ozark Farmers Co-Op, the GOFARM Farmers Market, the American Small Farm Conference, and area high school vocational agriculture and 4-H programs. She also hosts the annual Ozarks Medical Center Blue Jean Ball.
Risner received four degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia: a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1976, a Master of Science in Agriculture in 1978, an Educational Specialist-Extension and Agriculture Education degree in 1988, and a Ph.D. in Education-Practical Arts and Vocational Technical Education/Agriculture Education in in 1996.
She has been a member of the Missouri State-West Plains faculty for eight years.
For more information about degree offerings at Missouri State-West Plains and how you can apply, visit wp.missouristate.edu or call 417-255-7955.