Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
BOLIVAR, Mo. – In addition to recognizing the SBU graduates, the 2010 Orien B. Hendrex Distinguished Teacher Award was presented to Dr. Julie Bryant during the May commencement ceremony. The Distinguished Teacher Award is chosen by the current and three previous graduating classes and is presented annually to a faculty member for “outstanding teaching ability and personal guidance.”
Dr. Bryant said, "I enjoy teaching at SBU for many reasons. One is that I am a graduate from here and now have the privilege of teaching with some of my former professors. I am surrounded daily by God-fearing men and women of integrity who continue to serve as role models and friends. Another reason I love SBU is that I get to teach the most wonderful students in the world. I love coming to work each day because I have the pleasure of helping to touch the future teachers and their future students. Because of the position I am in, I am able to influence more children through my students than I ever could have on my own in the public school classroom. A third reason I love teaching at SBU is that I am given some flexibility in scheduling so that I may go home between classes to spend time with my precious children."
Graduating from SBU in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary and early childhood education, Dr. Bryant then completed a Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Missouri—Columbia in 1999.
In May, 2008, Bryant obtained a Doctorate in Education degree from Liberty University in the areas of educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, and reading. Her dissertation research included an analysis of the past decade of Newberry Award winning children's books for character traits. From the research, Bryant's dissertation outlines the character traits (positive and negative) that are revealed in each of the Newberry Award books from 1997 to 2007. Dr. Bryant has been given an opportunity to co-author a series of international discipleship curriculum for Global University that targets children ages 8-11. The first set of the three part series has been published and are available for purchase at www.globalkids.net.
Dr. Bryant and her family attend and are actively involved at Lakeside Assembly of God in Pittsburg, Mo. Her uncle is the pastor of the church, her husband plays various instruments in the worship team, and Dr. Bryant sings in the choir. Additionally, she is a "fill-in" singer at the Esquire ministry where her husband Robbie is a faithful member of the Esquire worship band.
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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. Since 1878, the faculty and staff have created a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. The University has been named one of America’s Best Christian Colleges® for 13 consecutive years, one of America’s 100 Best College Buys® for 14 consecutive years, and it has been named among institutions with America’s Best College Scholarships ® for the past three years by Institutional Research and Evaluation, Inc. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.
SBU’s Office of Marketing & Communications is available to news media 24/7 at 417-399-7918.
