Western’s Rich Brown Named Washington’s Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation

Western Washington University’s Rich Brown, associate professor of Theatre Arts, has been selected as the 2015 Washington Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Brown, who has taught at Western since 2006, traveled to Washington D.C. on Nov. 19 to accept the award – the second such award in three years by a Western faculty member, with Geology’s Scott Linneman winning the award in 2013.

Brown said that he would like to think of this award as representing the quality of teaching across campus at Western, and being a reflection of the deep caring for theatre and for his students that he brings to his classes.

“Theater truly has the power to impact lives and change them for the better through compassion and empathy, and that is the belief I take into the studio each day – and I hope my students share that belief,” he said.

The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country – those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards honoring undergraduate teaching, and more than 400 faculty were nominated this year, only 32 were chosen to be honored.

Professors are chosen for the Carnegie award based on the criteria that they show extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching.   This is demonstrated by excellence in the following areas: impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching and learning; contribution to undergraduate education in the institution, community and profession; and support from colleagues and former undergraduate students.

Brown said his research and curricular focus is on devising, or collaboratively creating new work that celebrates our culture’s differences, and he cited last year’s performance of the original play “/faust” as an example. Past productions that Brown said he feels exemplified his work includes 2013’s “Soapbox” and 2011’s “Us,” both of which were honored by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, with “Us” winning three national awards.

Brown received his bachelor’s degree from Graceland College and his master’s degree from Central Missouri State University. He completed his doctorate in Theatre from the University of Oregon in 2003.

For more information on the award, contact Rich Brown at rich.brown@wwu.edu.