The 2007 Ohio Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics has been awarded to Dr. William J. Higgins from Wittenberg University. The award was presented to Bill by the Bill Friel, member of the Teaching Award Committee, on April 13, 2007, at the Spring Section Meeting.
Bill Higgins began his
teaching career twenty-five years ago, and has been immersed in the
pursuit and promotion of excellence in teaching ever since. From
attending a multitude of mini-courses and workshops on teaching to
presenting colloquium talks and other presentations on teaching at
professional meetings; from directing numerous research projects and
Honors Theses to acting out Galois’ death in classes; from being
nominated for a teaching award at an institution while there as a
visiting professor on Sabbatical Leave to serving in significant
leadership roles for the Ohio Section; from consulting with National
Project NExT Fellows to being a mentor to young colleagues, Bill has
exemplified the care and characteristics suggested by the name of our
award.
Bill’s colleagues and
students have repeatedly cited his patience and persistence, and his
commitment and ability to work with students at both ends of the
academic spectrum. One student wrote “I can still picture Dr.
Higgins pausing during a lecture and saying to me, with a nice smile,
‘you don’t look convinced,’ and then repeating a point that was
not well understood.”
More than one student also noted the “Tons of Time” our Award Winner spends outside of the classroom helping students master their mathematics. It is not clear, however, if that included the time that Bill spent being, as one student put it, “a crucial member of the Math Intramural Volleyball Team.”