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Award winning instructors set the bar high
Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Left to Right: Ryan Pretty, Mary Pippy, Shawn Fortune. Missing from photo: Ed Durnford

It’s not an easy award to win.

Recipients of Memorial University's Medal of Excellence for the Bachelor’s Degree in Post-Secondary Studies (undergraduate) have the highest average not only in their class but of all the students in the program throughout the entire year.

The Marine Institute’s (MI) School of Fisheries instructor and chair of the Marine Environmental program, Mary Pippy is the latest recipient of this award. Having convocated in Fall 2012, Pippy was completely surprised to learn she was the recipient of the medal.

“Almost everyone in this program does it part-time like me so I was floored when I found out I had won this award. It came so long after my convocation that I didn’t anticipate it,” said Pippy. “This degree has aided me in my current teaching practice by providing more insight into curriculum development, instructional design and teaching adult learners.”

As the fourth MI faculty member to receive this prestigious award, Pippy follows her School of Fisheries colleagues Ed Durnford, Shawn Fortune and Ryan Pretty.

Pippy also receives the William J. May Prize for Post-Secondary Studies along with her medal. This scholarship first became associated with the medal in 2002 when Durnford was the recipient.

Aside from teaching numerous courses in the areas of processing, food technology and chemistry Durnford is also the chair of MI’s food programs and participates in international projects.

Fortune was MI’s second recipient of the award in 2006. He instructs biology related courses in the School’s Marine Environmental Technology program as well as labs in many of MI’s program areas such as Oceanography, Environmental Chemistry and Environmental Microbiology.

Pretty joined the recipient list in 2011 when he was presented with the medal and scholarship.  Pretty is the microbiology/chemistry laboratory technician for the School of Fisheries and has aspirations of becoming an instructor within the school.

School of Fisheries head, Carey Bonnell is hopeful these four have set the bar for future faculty members wishing to advance their education.

“I am proud of Mary Pippy and her colleagues in the School of Fisheries as present and past recipients of this prestigious award,” said Bonnell. “These awards are indicative of the emphasis that the school and the institute places on teaching and learning as well as the overall importance of lifelong learning.”