The Georgia Independent College Association recently presented the Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award to a Berry College professor.
Berry’s longtime Professor of English, Rhetoric & Writing, Sandra Meek, received $1,000 for demonstrating strong academic skills in the classroom and providing leadership and support to students.
Comments from students who nominated Meek included, “she gives assignments that challenge students and push us outside of our usual bounds, giving exercises and projects that encourage creative and introspective thinking.”
And “she was the first teacher since middle school who made me feel like a new writer again.”
Finally, “she played a pivotal role in the creation of the creative writing program with its associated major and minor, but she did not stop there: She is continually working to respond to emerging student needs and interests, demonstrating her dedication to keeping our curriculum vital and relevant.”
Meek, who has taught creative writing at Berry since 1996, has written six books of poetry, including “Still” which was named a New & Noteworthy Poetry Book by The New York Times Book Review.
The Georgia Independent College Association is an organization established to support private higher education in the state. Along with presenting awards, the association helps private colleges with public policy, increased public awareness, fundraising for student financial aid and collaborative projects.
For more information about Berry’s Creative Writing department, please visit https://www.berry.edu/academics/majors/creative-writing/.
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Written by Public Relations Associate Cammie Wilks
