NSU announces 2024 Circle of Excellence recipients

TAHLEQUAH — Northeastern State University has announced the 2024 Circle of Excellence Award honorees.

NSU faculty members were nominated by their peers in one of three categories: teaching, research and service. A selection committee of past honorees chose one nominee in each category for this recognition.

“NSU is blessed to have talented faculty who are committed to the mission of educating students in our region,” Dr. Carla Swearingen, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, said. “The Circle of Excellence is one way we have to honor faculty who go above and beyond in their teaching, research or service. We are proud of our awardees and everything they have accomplished.”

The 2024 Circle of Excellence Award honorees are: Dr. Latricia Pack, OD for teaching, Dr. Michael Morgan for research and Dr. Rebekah Doyle for service.

Pack is a professor in the Oklahoma College of Optometry and has served NSU for 26 years. She is the course instructor for Contact Lenses I and Contact Lenses II and assists with teaching Contact Lenses III. Pack has served as supervisor of the Cornea and Contact Lenses Residency since 2004 and Contact Lens Clinic chief since 2009. Her clinical duties are primarily in the contact lens clinic. Pack is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and currently serves on the Executive Board of the Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators.

Morgan is an associate professor of biology and has served NSU for six years. He is a molecular and cellular biologist that has spent his extensive research career studying the processes of cell death, autophagy and metastasis as they pertain to cancer. His more than 50 research publications have been published in journals as Molecular Cell, Nature Immunology and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. In addition to research, Morgan enjoys teaching undergraduate courses, especially Introductory Biology and Cell Biology.

An assistant professor in Criminal Justice & Sociology, Doyle has served NSU for 11 years. Doyle serves as program coordinator for the B.S. in Homeland Security and Emergency Management and for the Certificate of Emergency Management and Planning. She has served as Homeland Security Region V Emergency Preparedness and Response Bioterrorism nurse for the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Doyle is an Oklahoma Public Health Leadership Institute Fellow, a board member of the American Red Cross TAOK Board of Directors and appointed as Regional Higher Education Representative for the American Red Cross-Oklahoma by the Northeast Board of Directors.

“NSU has a bright future ahead through the unwavering support and dedication of our faculty,” NSU President Rodney Hanley said. “We are able to transform the lives and shape the future of higher education in our region and beyond due to the vital role our educators play in fostering academic and professional growth. These recognitions are well deserved.”

Each faculty honoree of the Circle of Excellence Award receives $2,500 that he or she can receive as a check or use for professional development. The Office of Academic Affairs and the NSU Foundation provide support for this award.

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