Shelly Rodgers, a strategic communications professor in the Missouri School of Journalism, is the first 2018 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence recipient. She was surprised with the award and a $10,000 check while in a meeting with her colleagues.
“I am so deeply indebted and just humbled by this entire process and this award.” Rodgers said.
Rodgers said she wants to use the Kemper award as a platform to continue to keep the university’s diversity and inclusion efforts going through her classrooms and in future teaching material.
The university said the Kemper Fellowship has celebrated outstanding faculty for 28 years. Liz McCune is the Associate director of the MU News Bureau.
“This truly is one of the most exciting times of year at Mizzou.” McCune said. “We’re delighted to honor the many contributions of our Kemper fellows.”
The fellowship is in memory of 1926 MU graduate William T. Kemper. The fellowship fund was established in 1991, after the Kemper foundation donated $500,000 to honor outstanding teachers at the University of Missouri, according to the Kemper Fellowship Awards website.
