Vawter received the Dr. Jennifer Wilson Teaching Excellence Award, which acknowledges
the significant contributions of a classroom teacher, literacy leader or teacher educator
who has positively impacted middle-level teaching excellence in the state. He has been at Winthrop since 1998.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - The South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education (SC-AMLE) recognized Winthrop University's David Vawter with one of its distinguished teaching
awards at its annual conference this month.
Vawter, an associate professor and secondary social studies education coordinator
in the Richard W. Riley College of Education, received the Dr. Jennifer Wilson Teaching Excellence Award, which acknowledges the significant contributions of a classroom teacher, literacy
leader or teacher educator who has positively impacted middle-level teaching excellence
in the state.
Vawter, who celebrates 20 years of service to Winthrop next year, said he felt especially
honored to receive the award.
"What made it really special was that there were a lot of my former students in attendance,"
he said. "The president of the S.C. Middle Level Association, who presented the award,
is a former student, one of my best, our very own David McDonald [2001 graduate and
president of the Winthrop Alumni Association.]"
Vawter has worked with a number of schools, several of them considered "priority"
schools, along the I-95 corridor. He noted that representatives from those schools
were in the audience as well.
"I'm humbled that they think my work was good enough for the award," he said. "Now
I will double my efforts to continue to be worthy."
Vawter holds a Bachelor of Science from Oregon State University, a master's degree
from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a Ph.D. from the University of
Virginia. He taught at West Mecklenburg High and coached the men's and women's soccer
teams at the high school until joining the Winthrop community in 1998.
At Winthrop, he teaches courses in educational foundations, technology and educational
psychology as well as the undergraduate/graduate social studies methods class. He
also supervises students in the social studies field.
For more information contact Nicole Chisari, communications coordinator, at 803/323-2236 or chisarin@winthrop.edu.
