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Faculty Members from Two Jesuit Institutions Named "State Professors of the Year"

Dr. Kristina Ropella, chair of the biomedical engineering department in Marquette's College of Engineering, was named the Wisconsin Professor of the Year, and Dr. Isabelle Cherney, Ph.D., psychology professor at Creighton University, was named Nebraska Professor of the Year, as part of the U.S. Professors of the Year program.   

The awards ceremony, which recognizes professors for their influence on teaching and their outstanding commitment to undergraduate students, was sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and administered by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Kristina Ropella, Ph.D., who graduated summa cum laude from Marquette in 1985 and earned her masters and doctoral degrees at Northwestern University, has been a professor in the Marquette College of Engineering for 17 years and chair of the biomedical department since 2004.  While she works with students of all levels, Ropella feels a special sense of duty to her undergraduate students. "Even as department chair, I continue to teach freshman and sophomore courses so that I am able to welcome and engage every one of the 75-85 students annually entering our learning system," she said.  Ropella estimates that in her time at Marquette, she has taught nearly 1,000 students.

"I am ecstatic to receive this honor," Ropella said.  "I am grateful to have touched the lives of many students who have gone forward to lead companies, treat patients, innovate new medical technologies, influence government funding, communicate discoveries to the public, teach the next generation of engineers and serve their communities."

Drawing from her industry experience prior to higher education, Ropella has forged many partnerships between industry and undergraduate students, something she feels is critical to undergraduate education.  According to Ropella, who has been honored three times by Marquette for teaching excellence, industry partners have recognized the difference they have made in students' preparation for life beyond the classroom and today 23 companies partner with Marquette's biomedical engineering educational programs.

In addition to her roles as chair and professor, Ropella is part of a number of research teams. Her research focuses are signal processing, bio computing, electrophysiology and functional imaging.  She has produced 120 refereed publications and received over $3 million in external funding for her research and educational initiatives.  Ropella also directs the joint Ph.D. program in functional imaging for Marquette and the Medical College of Wisconsin.

This is the second consecutive honor for a Marquette professor.  Last year, Dr. Don Neumann, professor of physical therapy at Marquette, was named the Wisconsin professor of the year. 

Isabelle Cherney, Ph.D., Creighton University psychology professor, is one of the leaders in Creighton's College of Arts and Sciences in mentoring undergraduate students in research that is presented and published regionally and nationally. 
 
"Teaching is my calling and vocation. I could not imagine my world without sharing my passion with my students, colleagues, and friends," said Cherney. "Few things bring me more joy than relating and imparting knowledge to others, by capturing their attention through interesting examples, providing students with a framework for interpreting new material, applying the material to their own lives, and preparing reasonable assessments." 
 
"Teaching involves creating, molding, sharing, nurturing, being patient, curious, and respecting individual differences. It is the best way to make a difference in someone's life," she added.
 
Students say her enthusiasm is often contagious. When teaching less popular courses such as statistics, she finds a way to connect the material to their lives, striking a careful balance between support and challenge, and making the information come to life.
 
Cherney was one of the 50 top professors chosen for their state's highest honor from among nearly 300 professors nominated nationwide. She graduated from Creighton with a degree in psychology in 1996 and returned in 2000 as an assistant professor of psychology.
 
"I cannot think of a more deserving recipient of this very prestigious award," said Creighton University President the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J. "Dr. Cherney displays an extraordinary commitment to her students and brings impressive expertise to her classroom."
 
Cherney and a colleague designed an Honors Program curriculum four years ago that is based on student learning outcomes. The honors students present their independent research projects to the Creighton community each spring on "Honors Day." Last year more than 200 students and faculty attended the celebration.
 
Anne Broeker from Marquette University and Cindy Workman from Creighton University contributed to this article.