Georgia Southern University Professor Craig H. Roell, Ph.D., Named Recipient of 2012 Ruffin Cup Award

August 31, 2012

Craig H. Roell, Ph.D., professor of history at Georgia Southern University, was named the recipient of the Ruffin Cup during the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences’ convocation on Aug. 15. Roell has taught in the Department of History since 1989.

“Craig is a master teacher,” Vernon O. Egger, Ph.D., of the Department of History, wrote in his letter nominating Roell for the Ruffin Cup. “He is phenomenally popular with the students in spite of his high standards of performance, primarily due to his manner of conveying his interest in, and concern for, his students.”

Several supporting letters of recommendation followed Egger’s nomination, including one from Johnathan O’Neill, Ph.D., chair of the Department of History.

“Craig is a gifted teacher and continues to be recognized as such by everyone around him,” O’Neill wrote. “Students consistently rate him as one of the best teachers on our large faculty … They routinely use superlatives to describe both his knowledge and his ability to convey it. Peers who have observed his teaching praise his talent for relating complex information in an accessible fashion, while noting his obvious rapport with his students and how easily they interact with him.”

Roell has received several awards during his tenure at Georgia Southern, including the University’s Wells/Warren Professor of the Year Award for 2002-2003, the Award for Excellence in Teaching for 2000-2001, and the Award for Excellence in Scholarship for 1996-1997. He also served as the Department of History’s director of graduate studies from 2002-2008.

The Ruffin Cup recognizes the highest achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. It is awarded annually to a teacher-scholar with at least ten years of service to Georgia Southern who has combined excellent teaching with outstanding contributions to the spirit of the liberal arts.

Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 120 degree programs serving more than 20,000 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement.  In 2012, the University was named one of the Top 10 most popular universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report and is a top choice of Georgia’s HOPE scholars.  Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.