Karen Williams
A family and consumer sciences professor at the University of Wyoming has been recognized for excellence in teaching and service to students.
Karen Williams, in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, is one of six regional recipients of the Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences Award from the USDA Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.
Catherine Woteki, chief scientist and undersecretary for USDA’s Research, Education and Economics, presented the award during the recent APLU meeting, in Denver.
“This award is a great honor, but it is really a recognition of our college, its support for teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning, and of our students,” says Williams. “I learn more from the children I work with and the college students I'm privileged to teach than they learn from me. I have the best job in the world.”
Frank Galey, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Donna Brown, associate dean and director of the Office of Academic and Student Programs in the college, accompanied Williams. Brown, one of the nominators, was head of family and consumer sciences when Williams was recommended.
Recipients are evaluated on classroom teaching ability, use of innovate teaching methods, service to students and professionalism and scholarship.
“It’s really a nice honor – a tremendous honor,” says Galey. “Her innovation in the classroom and in the curriculum has been fantastic. She is a leader campuswide in assessment and outreach education. Her online offerings and ability to navigate the online education in this state have really helped lead our outreach programs.”
Brown notes William’s leadership within the department and across the UW campus in teaching and assessing students for critical and creative thinking, professional skills and behaviors, and global and multicultural awareness. Brown says Williams was instrumental in developing several degree programs and options on the UW campus, including the distance degree option in professional child development.
Williams also helped develop and now directs the college’s distance Bachelor of Applied Science degree program.
Williams joined UW in 1993 as an instructor in the College of Education. She became an assistant professor in 1995 in family and consumer sciences, an associate professor in 2001 and professor in 2006. She was head of the department from 2005 to 2010.
