Fall Faculty Awards
Faculty and staff gathered Tuesday morning to reflect on Regent University’s rapid growth initiative over the past year, to celebrate success and acknowledge achievement. At this meeting, three professors received Faculty Achievement awards for scholarship, service and teaching.
“Regent University has some of the finest faculty in the country, educators who excel in knowledge of their fields and delight in training students to achieve their full potential in Christ,” said Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño, executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “We believe it is important to set aside time as faculty and staff to give special recognition to those who are exceeding in teaching, scholarship and service.”
Scholarship: Dr. Mark Yarhouse, School of Psychology & Counseling (SPC)
Yarhouse teaches many classes in the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology. He is a well-known expert on sexual identity issues who integrates faith and psychology to discuss and examine the impact of this topic. He serves as the executive director of Regent’s Sexual Identity Institute. It was formed in 2004 to further an understanding of sexual identity, its development and synthesis. Yarhouse has published more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and has authored a collection of books.
“Dr. Yarhouse is an exemplary scholar working in some of the most challenging areas facing contemporary society,” said Dr. Bill Hathaway, SPC dean. “His prolific scholarly focus on sexual and gender identity and religion has earned him national acclaim as the leading Christian scholar in this culturally vital area and as one of the leading psychologist scholars. He has been sought ought by professional, religious, educational, and governmental bodies for training and consultation on how to navigate the complex issues that arise between religion, sexual and gender identity issues. His research at once points to a scientific and ethically sophisticated approach that is also practical, helpful and theologically advanced.”
Service: Dr. Stephen Parker, SPC
Parker is particularly interested in religious and spiritual development and integrating Scripture and theology with psychological concepts and theories. He says a one-year clinical training residency as a chaplain at a psychiatric hospital showed him how the field of psychology and Christian ministry could fuse in a way where both sides benefited. He loves being a professor at Regent and finds great fulfillment in interacting with students and faculty who are also interested in integrating faith and psychology.
“Dr. Parker emulates the sort of bedrock career professors that every university department needs,” said Hathaway. “He is outstanding in all aspects of his faculty role: teaching, scholarship and service. But we are particularly pleased for the recognition of his outstanding service contributions to our counseling programs and the university. Faculty are increasingly called on to do many things beyond the traditional stereotype of the college professor as a lecturer and scholar. In order to be a competitive academic unit, programs now must engage in a great deal of highly structured activities aimed at evaluating and demonstrating the quality of the programs. Dr. Stephen Parker has been a dedicated and highly effective member of the core faculty in professional counseling programs. His service is instrumental in maintaining the professional accreditation for those programs and well as achieving our unique training mission at Regent.
Teaching: Dr. Bruce Winston, School of Business & Leadership (SBL)
Winston is director of the doctorate in Organizational Leadership program. He’s been with Regent since 1991, and is an expert in leadership, organizational development, university administration and strategic foresight. He is passionate about communication, quality improvement and marketing. He enjoys speaking and teaching about these topics. He served as the SBL’s dean from 2006 to 2013.
“Dr. Winston has served Regent University and the School of Business & Leadership with distinction in many different areas, all of which he would well qualify for to receive an award,” said Dr. Dorris Gomez, SBL dean. “However, it is in his relationship with his students and his teaching that he so exemplary impacts lives and shapes the minds and hearts of Christian leaders. His student evaluations are consistently positive and high, and many conversations I have with students circle back to one faculty member who has had the greatest impact on them: Dr. Winston. He truly embodies the charge given to Regent faculty through II Timothy 2:2 – ‘And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.’ His impact on students, his service to them and the example he sets for other faculty is deserving of recognition and celebration.”