Current Recipient

Deborah Beete, Senior Lecturer

Department of Public Health Sciences

Beete is a senior lecturer in the Department of Public Health Sciences and director of the MPH program. A former practitioner in public health, Beete uses her past knowledge and experiences to foster and encourage the next generations of academics and practitioners in her field by meeting students where they are and pushing them to exceed their own expectations.

“The aim of every course I teach is to nourish my students’ personal, academic and professional growth,” said Beete. “I approach my teaching with the assumption that all students have the capacity to be successful, and my greatest joy is when a student has more curiosity and questions at the end of a course than they had at the beginning.”

Department chair Jan Warren-Findlow stated, “Beete is a superlative teacher and a strong advocate for students and their success. Her thoughtful approach to her instructional delivery, advising and advocacy are pillars that provide the foundation our students need to learn and thrive. She truly embodies the University’s mission, and her investment in our students and their success is unparalleled.”