WAUKESHA –Three faculty and one academic staff member at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha have been named Arthur M. Kaplan Fellows for 2008-09. The faculty and staff enhancement program recognizes outstanding contributions to education made by University of Wisconsin Colleges faculty and academic staff.

The award is given to individuals who make “significant and innovative improvement of instruction or of service to students.” The four nominees selected by the campus Steering Committee to be honored this year are: Tim Dunn, Milwaukee, assistant professor of philosophy; Joe Foy, assistant professor of political science, and Alexey Kryukov, associate professor of mathematics, both of Waukesha, and Paul Zillgitt, Colgate, lecturer in biological sciences.

Dunn came to the campus in 2003 from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, where he had been teaching since he completed his Ph.D. at Rice University, Houston, in 2001. He worked with Ellyn Lem, assistant professor of English, to create an interdisciplinary course addressing Philosophical and Literary Approaches to War, which they taught in the fall. He also has been involved with the campus Common Read and presented a freshman seminar focusing on the selection. For the past year and a half, he has chaired the Lectures & Fine Arts Committee, steering it in bold directions in its programming. He also serves on the UW Colleges Senate and its Academic Policy Committee and Institutional Review Board. Dunn earned a BA in philosophy (cum laude) and BS in mathematics from Tulane University, New Orleans, in 1991.

Foy has been teaching at UW-Waukesha since 2004 and is a favorite among students. With fellow political scientist Margaret Hankenson, he put together several panel discussions to bring the Presidential campaign issues before the students. They also hosted an on-campus “debate watch” for the whole community to view the debates together and discuss them. Connecting with students in their own time, he uses popular culture to explain concepts. His book, Homer Simpson Goes to Washington: American Politics through Popular Culture, was published last summer (University Press of Kentucky). He took his way of political engagement to the airwaves, as well, taking part in a live public radio interview with hostess Joy Cardin. A native of Wyoming, Foy graduated from Carroll College, Helena, Mont, and earned both master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Ind.

For Kryukov, who started teaching here in 2001, this is his second Kaplan Fellowship, having received one in 2003-04. He worked with a company in California to pioneer ALEKS, a computer-based, self-paced method of teaching mathematics. It accelerates able students through lower-level coursework and provides reinforcement for the more challenged students. With other Colleges faculty, he has written for a grant from the National Science Foundation to improve students’ success rate in remedial algebra classes through a course redesign and use of ALEKS. He earned his master’s degree in theoretical physics from St. Petersburg State University, Russia, and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Since he started teaching at the campus in 2002, Zillgitt has immersed himself in its academic life. A surgeon and podiatrist, he has taught in all areas of zoology and participated in the Faculty Student Research Seminar, working closely with students as they performed in-depth research. He’s consulted with the library to make sure comprehensive materials would be available for student research and has offered freshman seminars to encourage students interested in health science. He holds a BS from UW-Eau Claire in biology and completed a second BS at UW Madison in the physician’s assistant program. He also earned a DPM from the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and served a surgical residency at Loretto Hospital, both in Chicago.

With each Kaplan Fellowship comes a $250 purse, matched by the UW-Waukesha Foundation. The recipients can use the money to further enhance their creative approaches to education.

Former UW Centers (now Colleges) Chancellor Lee Grugel established the award in 1993 on the retirement of Kaplan, who had served the Colleges for eight years in the capacities of vice chancellor, provost, and acting chancellor. Kaplan was committed to improving the quality of instruction and service to students at UW Colleges campuses.

The awards can be presented at each of the 13 UW Colleges.

UW-Waukesha has the largest enrollment among the 13 freshman-sophomore University of Wisconsin Colleges campuses. For information about programs, admission or financial aid, contact the Student Services office at 888-2UW-WAUK (888-289-9285) or visit the Web at www.waukesha.uwc.edu.

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