NSU celebrates 2018 DaVinci award winners

Northeastern State University is celebrating three DaVinci award-winning members this year.

The DaVinci Institute, Oklahomas Creativity Think Tank, selected NSU faculty members, Dr. Tobi Thompson, associate professor and director of the Cappi Wadley Center, and Dr. Ratnakar Deole, associate professor of chemistry, as DaVinci Fellows for 2018.

NSU student Jeannie Morrow, A Tulsa native and senior majoring in elementary education, was named DaVinci Scholar for 2018.

This honor was celebrated on March 30 in Oklahoma City during an awards reception at the Oklahoma History Center, where 2017 DaVinci Fellows and the A+ Teacher of the Year provided interactive presentations about their activities over the past year.

A DaVinci Fellow is named for his or her innovation and creative responses to unique challenges that faculty encounter in a classroom. Positively impacting students, creatively teaching and teaching creativity are all marks of a DaVinci Fellow. Fellows each receive a $1,000 grant for ongoing work that forwards the cause of creativity.

The DaVinci Institute also recognizes promising pre-service teachers as DaVinci Scholars. Scholars are students who are preparing to teach in Oklahoma and who have demonstrated creativity, academic achievement and a commitment to teaching. Awarded students receive $1,000 in their first year of teaching in Oklahoma.

The DaVinci institute is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific and education purposes, more specifically to serve as an Oklahoma think tank whose mission is to promote a statewide creative renaissance through lectures, workshops, professional development, research and advocacy.

Past NSU DaVinci Fellows include Dr. Dilene Crockett (2017), Barbara Fuller (2017), Dr. Elizabeth Bea Keller-Dupree (2016), Dr. John S. deBanzie (2016), Dr. Stephan Sargent (2015), Dr. Mary Swanson (2014), Dr. Linda Wilson (2010), Dr. Amy Aldridge (2009), Dr. Martha Parrott (2007) and Dr. Kippi D. Wyatt (2006).