A “passion for education and dedication to creating a true learning environment” has earned Michael Bechtel the 2015 John O. Chellevold Student Award for Excellence in Teaching and Professional Service at Wartburg College.
Students selected Bechtel, assistant professor of science education, as one of four honorees. The others are Justin Crouse, assistant professor of accounting, Advisor of the Year Award; Daniel Kittle, director of the Center for Community Engagement, Outstanding Administrative Staff Award; and Ruth Tibbott, dining service checker, Outstanding Non-Administrative Staff Award.
Bechtel and Crouse received their awards during the Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship Convocation this month as a part of the college’s Research, Internship and Creative Endeavor (RICE) Day.
“I don’t have words to express how honored I am to receive this award from my alma mater and my students,” Bechtel said. “I love teaching, love the sciences and I think it is just really cool to have a profession where I get to do what I want to do every day. I honestly believe my students are recognizing how much I enjoy my life.”
“Dr. Bechtel has brought a dynamic learning atmosphere to science education students,” one student nominator wrote. “He works closely with the Future Science Educators Organization and has touched everyone at Wartburg through his love of sharing his wonderful animals.”
The award honors the late John O. Chellevold, a longtime Wartburg mathematics professor and administrator. It was established by one of his former students, the late Ross Nielsen, a 1939 Wartburg graduate who went on to a distinguished teaching career at the University of Northern Iowa and credited Chellevold as his inspiration.
As the outstanding adviser, Crouse was described as someone who goes above and beyond and is “oftentimes in his office and never too busy for a question or discussion.”
“He definitely makes a student feel worth the time and energy he spends challenging and supporting us while at Wartburg,” one student nominator wrote.