South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities
A Voice for Independent Higher Education in South Carolina
Dr. Joshua Olayiwola Oyekan, professor of psychology, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award winner for Morris College. He holds two doctorates – a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology from Federal University (Jos, Nigeria) and a Doctor of Ministry in psychology of religion from Luther Rice Seminary (then in Jacksonville, Fla.). Oyekan was …
Dr. John Martin “Jack” Knipe, assistant professor of English and Spanish, is Limestone University’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient. He holds a Ph.D. in International Education and Linguistics from George Mason University (Fairfax, Va.), a Master of Arts in Spanish from Middlebury College (Middlebury, Vt.), a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction …
Dr. Kristy Maher, professor of Sociology, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award recipient for Furman University. She holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts in Sociology, both from Yale University. Maher earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Michael’s College in Vermont. Upon graduating from Yale, Maher knew she wanted …
Erskine College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award winner is associate professor of music Dr. Keith D. Timms. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University (Winchester, Va.) a Master of Arts from Furman University, and a Bachelor of Science Music Education from Erskine College. As Erskine’s director of …
Dr. Mary E. Carlisle, associate professor of art, is Converse University’s 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award recipient. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management with an emphasis in Creativity and Innovation and a Master of Science in Arts Administration, both from Drexel University (Philadelphia, Pa.). Carlisle also earned two fine arts degrees …
Dr. Michael Naylor, professor of Bible, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Columbia International University. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament and early Christian history from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), two master’s degrees – a Master of Arts and a Master of Divinity – from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School …
Ms. Jill Eversmann, a lecturer and clinical educator in the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program, is Columbia College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award winner. Students in Columbia College’s SLP program benefit from Eversmann’s more than three decades of experience as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist in schools throughout the Southeast and in early intervention programs. Eversmann’s …
The 2023 Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Claflin University is Dr. Shannon Bright Smith. She draws on a career that includes South Carolina Lowcountry-focused advanced clinical nursing experience, advanced nursing degrees, and board certifications. Currently the associate dean of Claflin’s nursing program, Smith’s graduate degrees include a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in organizational …
Dr. Melinda Walker is the SCICU 2023 Excellence In Teaching award winner for Charleston Southern University. She has been a member of the CSU faculty since 1995 and currently chairs the Biology Department. Walker holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathobiology from the Medical University of South Carolina. She earned a Bachelor …
