Dr. Megan Moe has been named the recipient of Lee University’s 2020 Excellence in Advising Award. Lee president Dr. Paul Conn made this announcement during a virtual faculty and staff meeting earlier this summer.
“Dr. Moe is not simply a caring person, but one who offers valuable and informed advice that helps students succeed academically,” said Dr. Joel Kailing, chair of Lee’s Communication Arts department.
While Dr. Moe has outstanding evaluation scores, Dr. Kailing says the student comments stand out even more.
“Students use words like knowledgeable, prepared, thorough and encouraging to describe Dr. Moe as a mentor and advisor, and they often say she helps them feel confident and prepared for their future after advising sessions,” he said.
Dr. Moe, known to students as “Doc Moe,” joined the Lee faculty in January 2005 and serves as a professor of communication. She received her doctor of philosophy from the Pennsylvania State University, her master of arts from the University of California, Davis and her bachelor of arts degree from Westmont College.
Dr. Moe is the coordinator of the communication division at Lee and oversees the advertising, communication studies, digital media and education emphases. She is an active member of the National Communication Association, where she previously served in the theatre, film and new multi-media division. Dr. Moe was honored with their Mid-Career Award for teaching leadership and artistic scholarship in 2013. She was also named the 2016 American Advertising Federation (AAF) District 7 Educator of the Year, receiving the Donald G. Hileman Award.
As a member of the board of directors for Bachman Academy, Dr. Moe researches how teaching interpersonal communication skills helps children with autism spectrum disorders. She continues to spend her time engaging in and presenting research at various academic conventions, and she produces an educational domestic violence podcast that is often in the Apple iTunes top charts for true crime.
The Excellence Awards are the highest honors presented to Lee faculty members. The recipient of the Excellence in Advising Award is chosen by a faculty committee, which reviews a three-year history of student advisor evaluation data, as well as other information provided by the nominating department chairs and deans.
Public recognition for the Faculty Excellence Awards traditionally takes place during May graduation exercises, but because these events were postponed to August, the award was formally announced by Dr. Conn in the first employee meeting following the traditional graduation weekend.