Oklahoma Christian University awarded professor of English, Cami Agan, the Distinguished Professor Award, which marks the first time a female professor received this title.
Although the Distinguished Professor Award is given to extraordinary professors, Agan said there is more to this award than its name.
“The Distinguished University Professor title is actually a rank increase or a promotion, rather than just a one-time award, which is why I am all the more humbled to receive it,” Agan said. “Faculty cannot ‘apply’ for this rank increase; they must be nominated by the Dean, the Faculty Association and approved by the Provost.”
Agan explained how the Distinguished Award takes many years to process and achieve.
“The process for achieving the rank is also more in-depth than the usual promotion: it requires an outside observer, an outside review of my dossier or supporting documents, observation of my teaching and interviews with former and current students, as well as the usual letters of recommendation and evidence of fulfilling requirements,” Agan said. “As a result, it took almost two years to officially receive the title, thanks to the hard work of the Rank, Tenure and Promotion committee.”
Agan said this award came about because people took time out of their own lives to reward someone else.
“Former Provost Dr. Jeff McCormack then took the time to review their recommendation and nominate me officially, and our current Provost Dr. Brian Starr continued the process when he came on board,” Agan said. “Members of the Rank and Tenure committee also had to observe me teach, which means they had to sacrifice time away from their work to complete their process; I don’t take that for granted.”
As a result of receiving this award, Agan said she is humbled to know the people around her have noticed her work as a professor.
“It is very rewarding and humbling for several reasons. My peers in the Faculty Association unanimously voted for me to be put forward as a candidate, which means the people I work with have noticed and wanted to reward my work,” Agan said.
Agan said receiving the award not only answered a longstanding prayer of being an impact on students, but she is also the first female professor at Oklahoma Christian to receive this title.
“Hearing from former students who have taken time out of their lives to speak to the committee and recommend me means the most; it’s every faculty member’s prayer that we make an impact on students, and so it’s humbling to hear their words and praise,” Agan said. “Lastly, I am the first woman ever to receive this rank at Oklahoma Christian, and so I am very proud to start what I hope will be a pattern for my current and future colleagues. As a wise woman once said, I may be the first, but I will not be the last.”
Although this award is a result of many years of teaching, Agan said her students are the ones who continuously teach her how to be better.
“I’ve learned so many interesting things about the content I teach, the subject I research, and most importantly, the people I am privileged to teach. My classes are discussion-based or seminar-style, so I always say that the magic of learning is an exchange, a give-and-take process that counts on students’ minds as much as mine,” Agan said. “The moments where classes have developed insights together have been the most rewarding and it never gets old. Students teach me every day and they make me a better teacher every day.”
Agan pointed to the importance of education continuing to be encouraged amongst some who claim it is not needed anymore.
“For those teaching in the humanities, like me, there has been a shift towards viewing university education as nothing more than vocational training,” Agan said. “Even though there are dozens of studies supporting the fact that a diverse education with arts, literature, and history makes for a better, more ethical, more balanced person who is better at their job, this fact doesn’t always seem to be getting through to people.”
Agan said she is thankful for the professors before her who helped her reach this accomplishment.
“I am grateful to all the professors I had through my years in higher ed, and I wouldn’t have achieved this rank without them,” Agan said. “In particular, I am thinking of my mentor, Dr. John Maple, who also achieved this rank, who was my European History teacher and who passed away a few years ago. I’m honored to share this rank with him.”
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