Carson Receives Exemplary Teacher Award

Michael Carson, professor of English, has been named the recipient of the Exemplary Teacher Award, presented by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. The announcement was made during Winter Commencement Exercises on Dec. 12.

Carson began his career at UE as a student, graduating magna cum laude in 1966. He also received a Master of Arts degree from Miami University and a doctorate from Ohio State University. He has been teaching English at UE since 1969. Carson has also been named the recipient of the University's other honor to recognize superior teaching -- the Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 1978.

He is an accomplished poet and has been a poet-in-residence at St. Meinrad College, twice receiving scholarships in poetry from Time, Inc. He has also had the honor of being nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Gulf Stream Magazine for his poem, "Words."

Presently the chair of the English Department, he also held that position from 1987 to 1989, and was the acting chair in 1993. He has served as the chair of the Wahnita DeLong Writer's Workshop Committee, and has directed and judged the University Writing Contest. Carson has also served as coordinator for the University's Distinguished Writers Series and has served on several other University committees.

Carson has been a teacher for many years in the Wednesday Morning Literature Class, a non-credit community enrichment program offered at the University. He has been a member of the Evansville Arts and Education Council's Advisory Committee, and yearly evaluator of grant proposals for the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana.