Three Butler professors receive awards for teaching excellence

El Dorado, Kan. – Butler Community College recently announced the recipients of its annual teaching awards. Jared McGinley was named this year’s Master Teacher, and Masako Maeda and Teresa Thompson both received the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence in Teaching Award. 

Since 1973, the Butler Community College Education Association (BCCEA) has selected a faculty member who exemplifies the qualities of student engagement, scholarship, exemplary teaching ability, service to the college and service to the association. This year’s winner, Department Chair for Marketing and Entrepreneurship Jared McGinley, has taught at Butler for 21 years and serves as co-advisor for the Butler chapter of Future Business Leaders of America. 

“I am very grateful to the Butler Community College Education Association for all that they do, including this award,” said McGinley. “It is very humbling to be recognized by my peers, whom I greatly admire and respect for their dedication to Butler and its students. In my two decades at Butler, I’ve been blessed with a supportive administration and talented staff and faculty. But mostly, I’ve been blessed to build relationships with students from all walks of life, who have taught me more than I have taught them.”   

The John & Suanne Roueche Excellence in Teaching Award is given out by the Faculty Development Team and is based on student nominations. Adjunct Professor of Japanese and ESL Masako Maeda, having been at Butler for more than a decade, was surprised by the recognition. “I am truly honored to receive the Excellence Award,” said Maeda. “I feel very fortunate to be part of Butler. Butler has been very supportive, caring, and [has] provid[ed] me with valuable learning opportunities.” 

Teresa Thompson, department chair for Early Childhood Education, also received the Roueche Excellence in Teaching Award. Having started at Butler in 1996, Thompson has guided nearly three decades worth of Butler education students. “Receiving [this] in the last semester of my teaching career is highly gratifying,” said Thompson. “I value it even more since it was my colleagues and students who nominated me. I have been honored to be a part of the Butler Early Childhood Education Program and will miss the students and faculty greatly.”