Dr. Begoña Caballero-García, assistant professor of Spanish Studies, is Wofford College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient. She holds a Ph.D. in Literatures, Languages, and Cultures of the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas from The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She earned Master of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Culture from Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, Mich.), and a Bachelor of Arts in English Philology from University of Extremadura, Spain.

In her 16 years as a member of the Wofford faculty, Caballero-García’s course load has included Theater in Spain and Latin America, Cultures of Spain and Latin America, Oral and Cultural Competency in Spanish, and different Spanish language courses.

Serving as Wofford’s first dean of Diversity and Inclusion from 2018 until 2020 evidences Caballero-García’s two main passions – being an educator and serving as a social justice advocate. She combines these two core values in her research that includes social justice education, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), her teaching, and her life as a volunteer with many different organizations. She was recognized with the Wofford College Currie B. Spivey Award for exemplary volunteerism in 2016.

Caballero-García’s research on social justice education and DEI in the classroom has been published in peer review journals, such as Transformations: The Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy, and in Dimension‘s special issue on social justice in language learning. Caballero-García has been invited as a guest speaker in Spanish and English at multiple venues.

Building community, a sense of belonging, equity, and trust happen inside and outside Caballero-García’s classes. From cooking and dancing in Spanish with students, to visiting rural places in Peru, Vietnam, Cambodia and Cuba, to speaking about poverty with the local congressman, Caballero-García and her students reflect on cultural differences and try to make our world a better place.

Dr. Marcus L. Amos, assistant professor of sport management, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Voorhees University. He holds a doctorate in kinesiology and sport studies with a concentration in sport management from the University of Tennessee, dual master’s degrees in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University and sport management from Louisiana State University, and two bachelor’s degrees — one in physical education from Saint Augustine’s University (Raleigh, N.C.), and the second in therapeutic recreation from Southern University (Baton Rouge, La.).

In 2015 Amos joined the faculty of Voorhees University and serves as the faculty athletic representative while teaching courses in Sports Marketing and Promotions, Sport Event Planning, Introduction to Sport Management, Role of Sport in Society, Sport Management Internship, Legal Issues in Sports, and Ethics in Sport Management. He has established numerous partnerships with universities and organizations nationwide to provide students with experiential learning opportunities such as internships and job shadowing.

Beyond the classroom, Amos is a certified life skills facilitator and has spent over 20 years working within sports and social services and integrating aspects of life-skill development in athletics. As a registered NCAA health and safety speaker, he has presented at local, state, and international conferences. Recognized as a thought leader, he has provided expert media consultation for HBO Real Sports, ESPN Outside the Lines, ESPN Radio/ESPN News, 60 Minutes, 20/20, L.A. Times, and ABC News. Whether teaching in the classroom or the community, Dr. Amos has touched the lives of students and athletes at all levels.

Spartanburg Methodist College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient is Dr. Dalicia Raymond, professor of English. She holds a Ph.D. in Medieval Literature from the University of New Mexico, and Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in English, both from Oregon State University (Corvallis, Ore.). Raymond’s research focuses on high and late medieval literature, medieval magic, alterity/difference, representations of women, and medievalism, particularly in popular youth and children’s literature and popular culture.

Raymond demonstrates her unwavering commitment to Spartanburg Methodist students through inventive hands-on activities in the classroom, such as teaching students to make chain mail and having them create manuscript illuminations with gold lettering. In 2022, the Southeastern Medieval Association gave Raymond the Lorraine Kochanske Stock Award to assist in hosting an undergraduate intercollegiate Medieval/Renaissance conference at SMC. Raymond’s leadership outside the classroom includes serving as the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, chairing the Academic Advisement, Testing and Placement, and Assessment Committee, and acting as faculty advisor to Sigma Kappa Delta, the two-year English Honor Society.

Dr. Kelly Neil and Dr. Bethany Perkins, both English professors at Spartanburg Methodist, say this about Raymond’s impact with students: “We can’t overstate how highly we think of Dalicia as a teacher and believe SMC is very fortunate to have a professor as enthusiastic and knowledgeable as she is. Raymond exemplifies everything that makes Spartanburg Methodist College a community where students are put first.”

Dr. Michael Tapper, professor of religion and chair of the School of Religion and Humanities, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Southern Wesleyan University. He holds a Ph.D. and an Master of Arts in Theology, both from Saint Paul University (Ottawa, Ontario), and earned a master of divinity from Tyndale Seminary (Toronto, Ontario) and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Kingswood University (Sussex, New Brunswick).

Tapper has served the Wesleyan Church for 25 years, and he draws on his experience as a researcher, author, speaker, and ordained minister to equip students to serve God and His Church. Prior to joining the SWU faculty in 2017, Tapper ministered in Canadian churches as lead pastor, connections pastor, and youth pastor, and served as an adjunct professor at Kingswood University and Crandall University in New Brunswick, Canada. He also worked with faith-based organizations to help people with developmental disabilities accomplish their goals and nurture communities where everybody belongs.

Tapper continues to pursue research related to Trinitarian concepts and contemporary worship music’s influence on theological understandings. His works have been published in Worship Leader Magazine, Christianity Today, the Wesleyan Church website, and other related media.

Throughout his life, Tapper has sought to make meaningful connections with other people. He is a strong and authentic leader, who moves with humility and conviction. Quick to encourage others toward their own potential and not afraid to “roll up his sleeves” and “make something happen,” Tapper brings an infectious tenacity to SWU’s campus.

Dr. Daniel Benjamin Bailey, an associate professor of political science and the director of public health studies, is Presbyterian College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award winner. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Tx.) in 2017, a Master of Arts in political science from Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago) in 2011, and a Bachelor of Arts in German from Texas Tech University in 2003. Bailey’s dissertation examined the political, economic, and social factors that influence groundwater conservation policy on the Great Plains of the United States.

Bailey joined the Presbyterian College faculty in the fall of 2018. At PC he teaches courses in the areas of state and local politics, public policy and administration, methodology and analysis, and public health. Bailey’s research focuses primarily on the intersection of local sustainability policy, public health, land use, and politics. His work has been published in the Review of Policy Research, the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Political Behavior, The Social Science Journal, and others.

Getting students out of the traditional classroom and engaging with the local Clinton community in various projects are among Bailey’s passions. Bailey has collaborated with PC President Matt vandenBerg in teaching the Service Entrepreneurship in Action class. Recognizing that the success of PC and the City of Clinton are intertwined, Bailey, vandenBerg, and students are working on a service/social entrepreneurship incubator in downtown Clinton. Redevelopment of area public parks is also a goal.

Outside the classroom Bailey is Presbyterian’s S.C. Student Legislature faculty advisor and he serves on the Faculty Scholarship Committee and Honor Council. Bailey’s community involvement includes serving as the chair of the Laurens County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse since 2021.

North Greenville University’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award winner is Dr. Darian Washington, the university’s Wind Band Director, Professor of Brass, and Head of Conducting Studies. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Maryland (College Park, Md.), a master’s in horn performance from the University of Georgia (Athens, Ga.), and a Bachelor of Music Education from Augusta State University (Augusta, Ga.).

Prior to joining the NGU Cline School of Music faculty more than 13 years ago, Washington taught middle and high school band and was an adjunct faculty member at Augusta State University and USC-Aiken. He continues involvement with numerous band and orchestra programs across the south.

Washington’s teaching load includes Music Education, Conducting, Chamber Music, Applied Lessons, and Wind Band. Under his guidance, NGU’s jazz combo, tuba/euphonium quartet, and brass quintet have performed at the South Carolina Music Educator’s conference. Washington is a frequently-requested clinician and adjudicator, including for the Greenville All-County Band and Baptist All-State Orchestra. Many of his students have gone on to pursue advanced music degrees at the Eastman School of Music, University of Georgia, University of Southern California, Indiana University, University of West Virginia, and the University of South Carolina.

Washington performs regularly with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, and Hendersonville Symphony. He is a member of the College National Band Director’s Association (CBDNA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the S.C. Music Educators Association (SCMEA), and International Horn Society (IHS).

Dr. Carrie Turner Caudill, associate professor of psychology, is Newberry College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award winner. She holds a Ph.D. in counselor education and an Education Specialist degree in marriage and family counseling, both from the University of South Carolina. She also earned a bachelor of arts from Columbia International University in psychology and Biblical studies.

A member of the Newberry faculty since 2017, Caudill teaches a wide range of courses – General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Counseling Theories, Personality Theories, Developmental Psychology, Grief and Loss, Social Psychology, Wellness Psychology, and more. In her courses, she fosters peer-partnered learning and engaged learning activities. Students often highlight her enthusiasm for the subject matter and interesting case examples drawn from her own clinical private practice of nearly three decades.

Prior to joining the Newberry faculty, Caudill was an associate professor of psychology at Columbia International University for almost 10 years.

Interest in student development extends well beyond the traditional classroom for Caudill. As an internship coordinator, she is active in the Newberry community placing students in a variety of settings from equine therapy to forensic psychological agencies. Caudill mentors students and collaborates with students at academic conferences. Most recently she co-presented with a senior student on “Meaningful Lives of College Students: An Exploration of Future Values” at the S.C. Counseling Conference Association.

Caudill has served as Newberry Edge Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) director since 2021 and has worked to develop an advising model. She is a published researcher and academic presenter, and has co-authored multiple studies on college student’s mental health, social support, and spirituality. She also writes quarterly articles for Psychology Today relating relevant psychological findings for improved well-being.

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 awarded a Master of Arts in counseling psychology from Spalding University (Louisville, Ky.) and a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and religion from William Carey University (Hattiesburg, Miss.).

Oyekan has been a member of the Morris College faculty for 12 years. His course load includes applied psychology, tests and measurements, psychology of African American experience, general psychology, abnormal psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, theories of personality, social psychology, organizational psychology, and social statistics.

A lifelong learner and educator, Oyekan taught psychology for a combined 16 years at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.) and Voorhees University (then Voorhees College). His previous teaching experience includes professorships at American Baptist College (Nashville, Tenn.) and Baptist College and Seminary in Lexington, Ky.

Morris colleagues note that Oyekan’s teaching philosophy, approach, and methods contribute significantly to Morris students’ understanding of the mind and behavior, and ultimately to their overall success. Outside the classroom, Oyekan provides annual support to Call Me Mister program participants and lends pivotal expertise to the Morris Senior Capstone evaluation process. His graciousness and demeanor have positive effects on the entire Morris campus.

Oyekan holds professional memberships in the Phi Tau Chi Honor Society in Religion, the Ordained Pastors of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, National Association for Self-Esteem, U.S.A., and S.C. Psychological Association.