May 27, 2010
WVU Parkersburg faculty member honored as top psychology professor in the country.
CONTACT: Dr. Phil McClung, professor of psychology, 304-424-8268.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A West Virginia University at Parkersburg faculty member is the top psychology professor in the country.Dr. Phil McClung, WVU Parkersburg professor of psychology, has been named the 2010 Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award winner.
The national honor is awarded by the Society for the Teaching of Psychology to the best psychology professor at one of the country’s community colleges.
The award’s selection criteria centers on instructional effectiveness. The guidelines also take into account the importance of service excellence and the scholarship of teaching and learning in line with the model of the well-rounded teacher-scholar.
College officials described Dr. McClung as a role model and leader for students, faculty and staff.
"This prestigious award is further confirmation of what we already know about Dr. McClung," Dr. Rhonda Richards, senior vice president for academic affairs, said.
"He is an outstanding faculty member who inspires and engages his students and is a selfless supporter of the college on every front," she added. "We are proud of his many accomplishments."
Dr. McClung will receive $1,000 and be recognized at the American Psychological Association’s 2010 convention in San Diego, Calif. in August. He will also be featured in the October issue of "Teaching of Psychology."
He received an associate degree from Parkersburg Community College and his bachelor's, master's and doctorate from West Virginia University.
Dr. McClung has been a faculty member of WVU Parkersburg's Social Sciences Division since 1990. Prior to that, he served in various capacities in the college's Student Services Division beginning in 1978, including a tenure as director of its Career Planning and Placement Center.
He teaches courses in psychology, human development, personality theories, industrial psychology, ecological psychology, organizational psychology, and psychological assessment.
In 2007 and 2008, he was named a runner-up for the West Virginia Professor of the Year annual award sponsored by the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia.
The Society for the Teaching of Psychology is dedicated to providing an understanding of the discipline by promoting excellence in the teaching and learning of psychology. The organization serves as a resource for services, access to a collaborative community and opportunities for professional development.
