Professor of speech Jacqueline Ganschow
became the College's tenth faculty member
to receive the prestigious honor of "Piper
Professor of 2005" from the Minnie Stevens
Piper Foundation.
Professor of Speech Communication Keeps Del Mar College in Lead for Holding Highest Number of Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Awards Across the State
Jacqueline Ganschow becomes College’s Tenth “Piper Professor” for her excellence in teaching
Eligibility for nominations is by invitation only. So when Del Mar College administrators received word that Jacqueline Ganschow–professor of speech in the Department of Communications, Languages and Reading–was named a “Piper Professor of 2005” by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, kudos for the educator became the order of the day during the May 10 DMC Board of Regents meeting.
Ganschow is the tenth Piper Professor at Del Mar College. The institution retains the highest number of Piper Professor awards received by any public or private two or four-year college or university in Texas.
Begun in 1958 with eight awards, the Foundation’s roster of Piper Professors includes outstanding professors from public and private higher education institutions. Currently, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation gives annually 15 awards of $5,000 each to Texas professors for superior teaching at the college and university levels. The Foundation selects the honorees on the basis of nominations submitted by each college or university President’s Office. Nominations are by invitation only with each institution allowed to submit only one individual for the award.
A former Del Mar College student, Ganschow earned her associate of arts degree from the College in 1972. She then earned bachelor and masters degrees in speech from Southwest Texas State University before returning to Del Mar as a part-time instructor in 1975. In 1981, she joined the Communications Department as a full-time faculty member and became department chair in 1989, serving in that role for 10 years.
Ganschow’s teaching philosophy, as noted in her own write-up for the nomination packet, encompasses the idea of “laughing at myself and with my students [to create] an energy in the classroom and an environment that is supportive. My classes are demanding and my expectations for myself, as well as my students, are high; but I believe much of the student learning does come from the play activities, exercises and assignments I implement.”
Ganschow believes in life learning and credits not only her mother but also her first DMC speech instructor and past department chair, Rayne Doegey, as role models for her career as an educator.
“Because of their influences,” Ganschow wrote, “I gained the confidence necessary to recognize and fulfill my potential as a teacher. I want to be that role model for others. Each time I glance at my office wall and see my diploma, I remember that I am first and foremost a student, still learning every day to be human.”
Colleagues recognized Ganschow’s ability to touch the lives of her students. Amy Tilton Jones, a former student of Ganschow’s and an instructor of speech at the College, credited her former teacher and mentor for her own pursuits as an educator.
“I remember being a shy student who was inspired to teach [because of] Jackie’s openness and ability to communicate,” noted Jones when writing her nomination letter. “She displayed daily how much fun teaching speech can be, and it amazed me how she impacted the lives of her students…including mine.”
Beyond teaching, Ganschow has presented innumerable talks and workshops about communications issues, including students with Attention Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/HD).
Colleague Marla Chisholm, assistant professor of speech, noted in her nomination letter, “Jackie is the mother of three sons who have attention deficit disorder. When most of us had no clear idea of what ADD/HD was or how we could accommodate those students, Jackie was making presentations at state, regional and national conventions about ADD/HD students.”
Chisholm continued, “I remember how crowded the room was when she presented her research at a national convention–many, many professors were there to learn from Jackie about something new that might help them retain and [assist] their students. I know that I have retained students that I might have lost [had I not] adapted my class and teaching strategies to her suggestions.”
Chisholm also credited Ganschow with designing, organizing and receiving funding for a communication lab with computers and programs for speech students, long before most Communications Departments even had individual computers for faculty members. “The endeavor was so successful that the REC (Resources for Excellence in Communication) Center is one of the premiere speech labs in the country,” credited Chisholm.
The Piper Professor honor isn’t the first time that Ganschow’s commitment to her students’ education has been recognized. In 2002, the Texas Speech Communication Association awarded her the honor of Community College Educator of the Year. The dean of the Division of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Gloria Ann Lopez, noted at the time, “Jackie is a trainer of trainers, often conducting workshops for her colleagues in the department, for the College and for regional and national conferences.”
Ganschow’s dedication as an educator and life learner is evident from her own words. “If I can nurture in my students the idea that school never ends and that classrooms are everywhere, I believe I will have succeeded.”
Go to www.window.state.tx.us/scholars/mspabout.html for more information about the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation.
CONTACT: Jacqueline Ganschow, Professor of Speech, at 361/698-1565 or jgansch@delmar.edu