Michael Brian Hein, a professor of psychology at MTSU since 1990 and the director of MTSU’s Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness, was this year’s recipient of the MTSU Foundation’s Career Achievement Award.
Considered the pinnacle of recognition for stellar MTSU professors, the Career Achievement Award was presented Thursday, Aug. 18, as part of a welcomed tradition at the MTSU Fall Faculty Meeting inside Tucker Theatre to kickoff the 2016-17 academic year.
The annual presentation of the Foundation Awards recognizes, celebrates and rewards university faculty members for their accomplishments inside and outside the classroom. The presentation followed MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee’s 16th State of the University address.
A humbled Hein, surprised to see his photo and bio in the Fall Faculty Meeting program as the award winner, thanked the many “outstanding” faculty members who’ve helped him throughout 25-plus years on the Blue Raider campus.
“All of that stuff that’s in the (program) about me was not done by me alone, it was done by me as part of a fantastic team of faculty that it’s been a great pleasure to work with for the last 26 years,” he said.
Hein joined the MTSU family aiming to improve the university’s master’s degree program in industrial/organizational psychology. He’s raised it from its local roots to a model national program with a focus on strong recruitment, a cohort class structure and improving student internships. He also developed one of the few stand-alone undergraduate industrial/organizational psychology majors in the country, creating a stronger foundation for the I/O grad program.
In addition to his university and community service, Hein also works as a consultant for industries on job preparation, employee training, leadership development and other factors critical to success.
Hein thanked President Sidney A. McPhee and recently retired Vice President of Business and Finance John Cothern for quickly approving the start-up funds to pursue his efforts to improve the I/O program.
“It stunned me that an academician could make a decision that quickly,” Hein said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
MTSU alumnus Tom Provow (B.S. ’78), current president of the MTSU Foundation, also honored 19 more MTSU professors Thursday for their achievements.
The five recipients of the foundation’s 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award are:
- Mark N. Callendar, Department of Aerospace.
- H. Joey Gray, Department of Health and Human Performance.
- Lisa G. Langenbach, Department of Political Science and
- International Relations.
- Cliff Welborn, Department of Management.
- Andrew R. Wyatt, Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
The 14 additional foundation award recipients for 2016 are:
- Jennifer W. Kates, Department of English – Outstanding Teaching in General Education Award.
- Charles B. Dahan and Tammy R. Donham, Department of Recording Industry, and Anatoliy Volkov, Department of Chemistry – Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology Awards.
- Robert B. Blair, Department of Marketing; Terri J. Tharp, Department of Elementary and Special Education; and Tammy Q. Bryant, University College Off-Campus Programs – Outstanding Public Service Awards.
- Norma K. Dunlap, Department of Chemistry; Amy S. Kaufman, Department of English; and Abdul Q. M. Khaliq, Department of Mathematical Sciences – Distinguished Research Awards.
- Gaylord Brewer, Department of English – Creative Activity Award.
- David E. Nelson, Department of Biology, and Robert Gordon, Department of Electronic Media Communication, and John Merchant, Department of Recording Industry – Special Projects Awards.
