Professor Receives 2009 Teaching Excellence Award

by Lillyan Baker, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

Dr. Todd Buras, assistant professor of philosophy at Baylor University has been named the 2009 recipient of the Robert L. Reid Teaching Excellence Award in Humanities. Buras will be honored at 3 p.m. Monday, April 27, during a ceremony in 219 Commons in Morrison Hall on the Baylor campus.

The Reid Award is presented annually to a Baylor professor, who has made outstanding contributions to the teaching of humanities. The award was established by Dr. Willis Tacker in 1992 in honor of Robert Reid, Emeritus Professor of History and one of Baylor's first designated Master Teachers.

The award is based on student nominations, with the recipient chosen by a selection committee.

"We are grateful for the example Dr. Buras provides of unwavering commitment to the task at hand and of sound, sensitive support for strong academic standards," said Dr. Robyn L. Driskell, executive associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "As one on the Selection Committee commented, Dr. Buras is an outstanding teacher who truly cares about students and demands the best from them. His generous investment of time, energy and professional preparation has opened the minds of numerous students to the intricacies and uniqueness of our philosophical life."

Previous awardees include: Robert Reid (1992), Paul Armitstead (1996), Richard Riley (1997), Robert Baird (2001) and Jeff Hamilton (2007).