Professors do much more than educate and teach; they act as role models and mentors for younger generations. Their knowledge and impact can stay with a student far beyond the classroom. To recognize the amazing educators working at Kent State University, the Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award was established to honor their remarkable achievements.
Glenn W. Frank was a Kent State professor in the Department of Geology from 1953-1984. He was widely known as a strong teacher, a Kent State University alumnus, and an early winner of the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teaching Award in 1969, as well as a recipient of the Kent State University President’s Medal in 1986. Frank was widely thought of as a hero, having convinced the students to leave the Commons after the May 4, 1970, shootings.
The Kent State Alumni Association and the University Teaching Council sponsor the Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award. This new award, combining the former Distinguished and Outstanding Teaching Awards, honors all full-time and part-time faculty and is presented to four individuals who demonstrate extraordinary teaching and a commitment to impacting the lives of students in and out of the classroom. Students and alumni nominate faculty through an anonymous application process.
The 2025 Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Awards Recipients include:
- Tracy M. Dodson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CEN, associate professor at the College of Nursing, Kent Campus
- Jessica Leveto, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, Ashtabula Campus
- Tina Patel, associate professor of interior design in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Kent Campus
- James Redfearn, Ph.D., associate professor of biological sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, Kent Campus
Dodson recognizes that students have busy lives. Some are raising families or are working to pay off the cost of higher education. Dodson tells her students to come to her if they are struggling.
“I do care about them because I want them to know, ‘Don’t give up on your dreams,’” Dodson told Kent State Today. “I know it is hard going to school and trying to work, but you can do this. Let’s work together and find a way to make you successful.”
Leveto acknowledges her students' tenacity as a driving factor for her teaching style.
“My students are extraordinary; they pursue education despite what might be described as obstacles,” Leveto wrote. “What may appear as barriers are, in fact, conditions that sharpen their focus, resilience and curiosity.”
Patel’s teaching has evolved to balance the rigor of design education with empathy and care for students’ well-being, especially in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Design education is demanding,” Patel said. “After COVID, I’ve made space for check-ins and reflective pauses where we can think about what’s going on and communicate openly. It’s about finding that balance between maintaining high expectations and understanding the different challenges students face.”
Recognizing that educators play a significant role in students' lives is something that Redfearn often brings into his classroom.
“I remember going through a tough time academically in the ultrasound program at Kent State Salem and seeking out his guidance,” wrote a student nominator. “I felt like a failure, but he assured me that the challenges I was facing weren't because I wasn't worthy of being there or capable of learning the material. Even though I left the Salem Campus, his words inspired me to keep searching for something that helped me shine, because I now knew it was possible.”
Congratulations to the 2025 Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award Finalists:
- Hayley Arnold, Ph.D.
- Samantha Bonaduce, DNP, RN, CNE
- Jean Engohang-Ndong, Ph.D.
- Matthew Holm, DMA
- Susan Kunkle, Ph.D.
- James Winter, MFA
Learn more about the Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award.
