Contact: Karen Crow

STARKVILLE, Miss.—An assistant clinical professor in Mississippi State’s Department of Geosciences is being honored with the 2020 Online Teaching Award given by the university’s Center for Distance Education.

Athena Owen Nagel is receiving $500, plus registration to attend a distance or online education conference. The award acknowledges and rewards an MSU online instructor who employs best practices to engage, inspire and support students in an online environment. The nomination process includes multiple letters of support from colleagues, deans, department heads and current and former students, as well as review of an online course.

“We had several outstanding nominations for our second Mississippi State Online Teaching Award, and it is our pleasure to celebrate the excellence that each one contributes to our online programs,” said Susan Seal, Center for Distance Education executive director.

“Dr. Owen Nagel stood out because of the quality of her courses in terms of design and engagement. It is evident that her efforts in becoming Quality Matters certified and being involved in our online faculty Community of Practice have had an impact on her online teaching. She embodies the attributes that enrich the online experience for our distance students,” Seal said.

Quality Matters is the global organization leading quality assurance in online and innovative digital teaching and learning environments. The online faculty Community of Practice at the Center for Distance Education strives to bring together all MSU faculty who want to learn more about teaching online and how to improve their online teaching skills.   

An MSU faculty member for 11 years, Owen Nagel has taught courses such as geographic information systems and geology online for the length of her tenure.

“It’s always flattering to be recognized in such a great group of people and by people who understand online teaching. It was nice to be recognized and have some good news in the midst of the pandemic,” she said, also speaking highly of her involvement with CDE’s Community of Practice and Quality Matters trainings.

“It’s hard to see teaching excellence when all you see is what you are doing in your own classes. I like helping others and Community of Practice has been great for being able to share ideas and help others with their classes,” she said.

She offered this encouragement to students and faculty new to the online learning format, “Students, find a good way to be organized and self-motivated. Instructors, have presence in your class to connect with your students. Don’t be afraid to try new things. You can ask students for feedback. They’ll be more forgiving if they know you are trying new things to improve the experience for them.”

Online geosciences graduate student Cheryl Vincent of Altamonte Springs, Florida, appreciates Owen Nagel’s attention to detail and interaction.

“From the weekly assigned discussions that helped us connect our course material to real-world events, to the immediate and detailed feedback we’d receive on our course work, Dr. Owen Nagel’s classroom engagement and inclusivity set the foundation for bringing students together despite the distances between us,” Vincent said.

For more on MSU’s online geosciences programs, visit online.msstate.edu/geosciences/.

For more about Mississippi State University Online, visit online.msstate.edu.