College of Arts and Sciences Award Honors Organ, Shock and Hopper - Harding Graduates Receive Awards Recipients of Harding University's 1983-84 Distinguished Teacher Awards were Jeff Hopper , assistant professor of music; Dr. Dennis Organ, associate professor of English; and Mary Shock, assistant professor of social work. Announcement of the awards was made May 12 by President Clifton L. Ganus, Jr. during spring commencement ceremonies. Each of the three was presented a check for $1,000 , along with a framed awards certificate. Finalists for the annual awards are selected on the basis of written evaluations by students , and by recommendation of a committee of faculty members. Organ , 39 , was appointed chairman of the English Department in 1982 and served as acting chairman of the journalism department during the 1983-84 school year. He has been a member of the facu lty since 1967 and is a Louisiana native. He graduated summa ~um laude from Harding in 1966 and was involved in a wide variety of school activities, including Belles and Beaux , A Cappella Chorus, the varsity bowling team and Bison editor for two years. He also was named the AIC Cliff Shaw Scholar-Athlete award winner his senior year . Organ earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri - Columbia in 1968 and the Ph.D. from Texas Tech University in 1974. He serves Mary Shock, assistant professor of social work, graduated from Hard ing in 1974. - photo by Public Relations Office. as editor of The Recorder, official publication of Alpha Chi National Honor Society, and is married to the former Sherry Balthrop. The couple has three sons . Hopper is a 1974 Harding graduate and a native of California. As an "[ am a great believer in the Liberal Arts. [ wish all my students could catch the joy of learning for its own sake - learning that enriches life not just in dollars and cents, but in growing awareness of what it means to be a human being on this fascinating planet that God created. " Dr. Dennis Organ. undergraduate he was involved with Radio Station KHCA as a disc jockey, accompanist for the Belles and Beaux, president of the A Cappe lla Chorus and musical director for the 1973 Homecoming production of "My Fair Lady." Dr. Dennis Organ, associate professor of English , graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harding in 1966. - photo by James McCreary. Jeff Hopper, assistant professor of mUSiC, graduated from Harding in 1974. - photo by Public Relations Office. He holds the master's degree in piano performance from Southern Illinois Univeristy (1976) and is a cellist with the Harding Symphony Orchestra. Hopper has directed the Spring Sing hosts and hostesses for the last nine years and has also served as musical director for produc· tion of "Annie Get Your Gun ," "1776" and "The Fantasticks. " He has presented several piano recitals and is an avid runner , jogging an average of 70 miles per week. He has run in and completed several marathons, turning in respectable times . Hopper is married to the former Judy Griffith , also a Harding graduate , and they have a daughter , Cara. Shock, a native of North Little Rock and also a 1974 Harding graduate, joined the faculty in 1979 and was appointed director of the social work program in 1983. She earned a master of science degree in social work in 1976 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Graduate School of Social Work , and taught at David Lipscomb College in NashVille , Tennessee during 1978-79 . Before entering the teaching field she served as a medical social worker for 5t. Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock during 1975-76, and at City of Memphis Hospital , Memphis , Tennessee during 1977-78. Shock was also program director and supervisor at Forget Me Not, Inc. , a faciltiy for the mentally retarded, in 1976. i~ Distinguished Teacher Awards 193
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==