Kristy Niblock, Assistant Professor of Social Science, has been selected by Three Rivers College as the 2019 recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Carol Davis, Adjunct Instructor of Communication & Languages, was named by the College as its Adjunct of the Year Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Niblock and Davis will be honored at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year Banquet on April 24.
“We’re proud to honor these educators who prepare the leaders of our community,” said Steve Halter, President of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. “We believe it’s important that education and business work together to train the future workers for our businesses.”
“I am very lucky to teach sociology, an inherently interesting and constantly changing field,” said Niblock, who has taught at TRC for seven years. “We get to talk about really fun things in class, and the students enjoy our conversations.”
To keep her students engaged, Niblock incorporates a range of teaching styles within the classroom, including lecture, short videos, class discussion, and group activities. “It’s all about engagement,” she adds.
Niblock says she also concentrates on teaching her students critical thought and analysis—something that’s expected in higher level courses.
To help Three Rivers improve the quality of online courses, Niblock has served as a Quality Matters Certified Course Designer and Quality Matters Peer Reviewer. The special training she received as part of the Quality Matters program has filtered into her face-to-face classes as well. “Now on-campus students have the same resources available to them in our learning management system as the online students,” said Niblock.
Niblock holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a Minor in Communication and Master of Arts in Sociology with a specialization in Criminology.
Davis, the 2019 Adjunct of the Year, teaches English and Speech classes. “Teaching has been my dedicated ambition and my delighted accomplishment for well over two-thirds of my life,” said Davis. “I have attempted to show students of all ages the value of listening and learning in the classroom and beyond. Their success is my success; therefore, most of all I want all of my students to achieve that success and be able to move to the next level of their education with confidence as well as knowledge.”
Davis is known among faculty and staff as someone who goes above and beyond, both for her students and the College. Davis was nominated for the award by Mark Sanders, Associate Professor of English. “She’s taught a number of different courses and locations, and her primary concern is always for both student learning and student welfare. She cares about her students like they’re members of her own family,” said Sanders.
Davis holds a Bachelor of Science in English Education from Missouri State University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Webster University, and earned additional credit hours from the University of Central Missouri and Southeast Missouri State University.
“Both of these instructors are committed to providing the best educational experience possible for our students,” said Dr. Justin Hoggard, TRC Dean of Instruction. “They have a passion for helping students achieve their dreams and goals for college, career, and life.”
We’re extremely proud of the work that Ms. Niblock and Ms. Davis have done in our classrooms,” said Dr. Wesley Payne, President of Three Rivers College. “They are examples of the excellence that all of our instructors display and the kind of high-quality education that our students receive.”
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, trcc.edu
