On May 2, 2023, the Collegial Faculty and Staff Assembly convened to recognize seven outstanding faculty and staff members for their commitment to Klein College of Media and Communication’s values of professionalism, research and service.
Each year, the Klein Faculty Council receives nominations for the five faculty awards. The council then considers the quality, impact and prestige of each nomination and votes for a winner. The annual awards celebrate recent outstanding achievements in research, creative activity, teaching and service.
The five faculty awards and the 2023 winners are
Faculty Professional Award: Lauren Bullock, STHM ‘03, assistant professor of instruction in advertising and public relations,
Junior Teaching Award: Sarah Landwehr, assistant professor of instruction in journalism,
Senior Teaching Award: Jennifer Lovrinic Freeman, assistant professor of instruction in advertising and public relations,
Research for Pedagogy Award: Logan Molyneux, associate professor in journalism and
Faculty Service Award: Matt Fine, associate professor of practice in media studies and production (MSP).
In addition to the five faculty awards, there are two awards for staff
Service to Students Award: Allie Miller, director of Klein College of Media and Communications Global Opportunities (Global Opportunities) and
Service to Staff Award: Rochelle Davis, executive assistant to the dean.
Learn more about the awards and winners below.
Faculty Professional Award: Lauren Bullock
The Faculty Professional Award recognizes the continued professional engagement and industry service of a faculty member outside of the university.
Bullock is the co-host of The Leadership Educator Podcast, a series that has been running since June 2020 and now has over 100 episodes on all podcast streaming platforms. Now in its eighth season with over 30,000 subscribers from over 20 countries, the podcast is a platform for professionals like Bullock and her guests to share their expertise in leadership education.
Former Chair of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations Joe Glennon supported Bullock’s nomination, noting the importance of leadership education during a time of increased focus on social issues. “Through her work with the podcast, Lauren maintains deep professional engagement, builds relationships with thought leaders, and impacts industries outside of the university,” Glennon wrote.
Bullock is a strong voice in the leadership education field, and her work raises the profile of the leadership part of our public relations major.
Junior Teaching Award: Sarah Landwehr
The Junior Teaching Award is presented to a faculty member with nine years or less of teaching experience. Nominees must submit records of teaching activities, student and peer feedback and a statement of their teaching philosophy to be considered.
Landwehr believes that education is essential for growth and democracy and that journalism is a means to reveal the truths of society. “Lessons are designed to inspire students with real-world examples of incredible journalism from the past and in modern times,” she said.
In her photojournalism classes, Landwehr encourages self-reflection and gives plenty of feedback on student assignments to help them grow as future journalists. Journalists are the watchdogs of society, and teachers are the watchdogs of students, she said.
After observing a class, Assistant Journalism Department Chair Larry Stains and Associate Professor Karen M. Turner reflected on Landwehr’s ability to foster comradery between students. “She has a winning way of not letting anyone hide in the back of the room,” Stains wrote in his assessment.
Senior Teaching Award: Jennifer Lovrinic Freeman
The Senior Teaching Award honors a faculty member with ten or more years of teaching experience. Nominees must also submit records of teaching activities, student and peer feedback and a statement of their teaching philosophy to be considered.
Freeman has been teaching at Temple University for 16 years and is the co-director of the advertising internship program and has worked hard on redeveloping the program now that many internships are remote or hybrid experiences. This involved adjusting the curriculum to ensure students still had a meaningful experience even in a more distanced professional world.
“Jennifer is a strong instructor who combines subject area expertise with a clear understanding of course construction and teaching strategies,” Glennon wrote in his observation.
Amongst Freeman’s core teaching principles are preparedness, relevance, empathy and creative problem-solving. These principles guide her and her students to move from theory to practice while taking care to understand how their skills will transfer to their internships and post-graduate life.
Research for Pedagogy Award: Logan Molyneux
The Research for Pedagogy Award is an opportunity for faculty to be recognized for their research or creative work in pedagogy and the ways it contributes to the quality of the courses they teach.
Molyneux teaches the MMC 8985: Teaching in Higher Education course in the media and communications doctoral program.
“Teaching about teaching, leading discussion about leading discussion, or writing an assignment about how to write an assignment can be quite tricky,” wrote Jan Fernback, KLN ‘89, who originally developed the course.
This task gets even trickier when you consider teaching it online. Molyneux took the initiative to redevelop it for the online environment and uploaded it to Canvas Commons so others could also access his work. The Faculty Council applauded Molyneux’s choice to make his work an open resource.
Faculty Service Award: Matt Fine
The Faculty Service Award recognizes faculty members for their contributions to the university, student activities, professional associations and the community beyond what is expected of someone in their position.
“Over the years, my service has changed based on Temple’s needs and growth. However, the goal to support the University and its students has remained consistent,” Fine wrote.
In his 17 years at Temple, Fine has organized several ceremonies and summits, including the Sports Media Summit and the annual MSP Year-End Awards Ceremony. He also organizes submissions and nominations for awards outside of Temple that media studies and production students can be recognized for.
Fine is also an administrator of the Harry A. Lieberman Foundation. The foundation donates a scholarship to Klein students that are interested in sports production and is home to the Finish Line Program, which helps students pay outstanding tuition debt.
Service to Students Award: Allie Miller
This year's Service to Students Award recipient is Miller for her eight years of service to Klein College students.
As the director of Global Opportunities, Miller has worked tirelessly with students interested in studying away or abroad.
“Allie goes above and beyond to assist students in all aspects of their study away experiences,” wrote Student Success Program Coordinator Hannah Braid, CPH ’20. Even after students arrive in their new education location, Miller is never more than a WhatsApp away, Braid wrote.
From choosing classes, financial planning and the emotions that come with leaving the nest for new experiences, Miller supports students every step of the way.
Assistant Professor of Instruction Steve Ryan worked with Miller to develop the Power of London study-abroad experience and noted that she was always reliable, responsive and unflappable in the face of any obstacles that come with traveling abroad.
Service to Staff Award: Rochelle Davis
Finally, one faculty member was honored for her incredible service to the Klein College staff.
As the assistant to Klein College Dean David Boardman, Davis effectively manages the dean’s time and accessibility to students, faculty and staff in the school.
In addition to her ability to schedule and delegate, many rely on Davis’ calming presence, noted Assistant Director at Information and Technology Services (ITS) for Klein College and the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts Robert Velez.
“She often provides levity when the air is tense, which helps produce optimal outcomes,” Velez wrote.
Technology Engineer at ITS Sammip Parikh agrees with Velez, noting that Davis has an incredible way of relieving his stress during every single one of their interactions.
Congratulations to the 2023 faculty and staff awardees!