UNC System Board of Governors Taps N.C. A&T Professor for Excellence in Teaching Honor

GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 5, 2018) — An immunologist who teaches animal science and studies immune regulation in mammals is the University of North Carolina Board of Governors’ choice for the 2018 Excellence in Teaching Award for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

Radiah C. Minor, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was chosen for the prestigious annual award along with faculty representing each of the other 16 campuses in the UNC System. The winners were recognized for bringing “innovative and creative teaching methods and approaches, which make a real difference in how students learn,” said UNC Board of Governors Chair Lou Bissette.

A Ph.D. graduate of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Minor joined the faculty of North Carolina A&T in 2008. She has made her mark as a hands-on instructor, who “makes sure students get practical experience, as well as professional development and training,” said interim College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Dean Shirley Hymon-Parker.

Minor’s focus this week demonstrates that commitment: As the faculty advisor for the A&T chapter of the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences organization, Minor and her students are hosting a national conference in Greensboro being attended by more than 1,200 students from 100-plus campuses across the country.

“Dr. Minor’s commitment to excellence in the classroom serves our students exceptionally well and prepares them for the rigor and demands of today’s agriculture and environmental sciences [CGH1] careers,” said N.C. A&T Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Beryl McEwen. “Just as importantly, she continually advances her own professional development, and her students benefit tremendously from her attention to staying current and fresh in her work. She is an outstanding representative of the A&T faculty.”

In an essay on her teaching philosophy submitted as part of her nomination for the Excellence in Teaching Award, Minor discussed her lifelong passion for learning and the many ways she seeks to inspire and engage students, to instill the same excitement in them.

“Through all the teaching tools I use, I encourage students to step further out of their comfort zones, challenging them to push themselves to grow personally and intellectually,” said Minor, “But I also drive home the point that there are few excuses for not trying or not doing your absolute best to achieve a goal. If you want it, you must do what it takes to get it.”

Each of the Excellence in Teaching awardees will receive a commemorative bronze medallion and a $12,500 cash prize. Board of Governors members will present awards during each campus’s spring commencement ceremony.

A history of the Excellence in Teaching Award and short biographies and photos of all 17 award recipients are available via the UNC system website.