ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University has named Drs. Kristi Brownfield and Jon Mitchell winners of this year’s Outstanding Faculty Awards.
This is the first year the award has included two categories. Mitchell, associate professor of biology, is the 2020 Foundation Faculty Excellence Award winner. Brownfield, assistant professor of sociology, is the 2020 Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award winner.
The Early Career Faculty Award is presented to an early career, full-time faculty member who demonstrates a strong record and commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service. Brownfield, who has worked at Northern since 2015, received a letter of nomination from NSU Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Courtney Waid-Lindberg.
Waid-Lindberg praised Brownfield’s tenacity, passion and commitment to service. According to the letter, Brownfield played an integral role in the task force that spearheaded the creation of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Outside of Northern, she has been active in service to the Midwest Sociological Society and the Great Plains Sociological Association.
Brownfield Known for Classroom Innovation
“Most importantly, Kristi is a dedicated teacher that does not shy away from innovation in the classroom,” Waid-Lindberg wrote. “She is creative and takes risks, as she employs active learning techniques and has implemented a flipped classroom model in several of her courses with success.”
Northern’s Foundation Faculty Excellence Award recognizes faculty for excellence in teaching and learning, a sustained commitment to faculty service, and achievements in research and creativity within their discipline. Mitchell, who has worked at Northern since 2010, received a letter of nomination from NSU College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Dr. Alyssa Kiesow.
Kiesow’s letter stated that Mitchell is a great educator and scholar, exhibiting excellence in all areas: teaching and advising, research, and service.
Mitchell Vital to Success of Biotech Program
“Dr. Mitchell is integral to the success and growth of the biotechnology program and to the promotion of research activities in- and outside of the classroom,” Kiesow wrote. “Without his leadership in scholarship and contributions to curricula, the biotechnology program would not be thriving as it is today.”
Mitchell often serves as an undergraduate research advisor to students, according to the letter. He also started a program with the Department of Health to monitor West Nile virus in Brown County, and he received funds from Howard Hughes Medical Institute to include functional gene experiments and extend bioinformatics analyses with bacteriophages into freshman biology labs.
Praised for Excellence in and out of Classroom
NSU Provost Dr. Michael Wanous praised both 2020 Outstanding Faculty Award winners for excellence inside and outside of the classroom.
“Dr. Brownfield’s peers noted that she is an outstanding teacher, integrating scholarship into her teaching. She is also known for her skill in strategic assessment of academic programs,” Wanous said. “Kristi is highly regarded by the faculty for her excellence in all three of the domains of teaching, research, and service. She is highly recognized in the sociological research community in the Midwest.”
Wanous said Mitchell is well-known for getting students excited about learning.
“Dr. Mitchell is recognized as an amazing teacher, especially for his ‘hands-on’ approach to the learning process,” Wanous said. “His students get so excited about what they are learning that they want to continue their learning beyond the classroom. Thus, many work on undergraduate research projects with Dr. Mitchell. Jon is known as a prolific recruiter of prospective students and is well known in the South Dakota scientific community.”
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.