Born Wins Outstanding Contributions Award

Pierpont Community & Technical College of Fairmont State University has announced that Dr. Beverly Born has been selected as this year's recipient of the Outstanding Contributions Award.

The award is given annually to a faculty or staff member who has provided outstanding service to Pierpont C&TC. Born was selected as the award recipient by a committee of her peers.

Dr. Beverly Born, Coordinator of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program and
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, holds bachelor's degrees in psychology and physical therapy, as well as a master's degree in public administration and a doctorate of education degree, all from West Virginia University.

Born joined the faculty in 1995. She initiated and developed one of Pierpont C&TC's hallmark programs, the Physical Therapist Assistant program. She is the coordinator of that program and has made it a well-known program of excellence. Her students' results on statewide assessments such as the WorkKeys exams are always some of the top scores in the community college, and the program enjoys an almost perfect pass rate on the board exams. Every graduate of the program is gainfully employed in the field of physical therapist assistance.

Born has developed the entire WebCT presence (online course delivery system) used by the program, and as her colleague Sue Ellen Hill points out "uses it the way it's meant to be used." Born not only provides the correct answers to the quizzes she's created, but she also explains why each incorrect response is incorrect. She has taken the technology beyond the "electronic textbook" approach and engages the whole class in discussions. She has transitioned the Physical Therapist Assistant program from lecture-based presentations to student involvement that more closely matches the PTA responsibilities in clinics.

"Beverly follows a thorough, methodical, objective"”and wonderfully creative"”approach that has been successful with virtually all of her students," said Sue Ellen Hill, an instructor in the PTA program. "She shared some of the results of her work and research during Professional Development week on our campus and presented "˜The Neuronal Arborist" for both full-time and adjunct faculty of the community college and the university.

"Dr. Beverly Born truly has made significant contributions to Pierpont Community & Technical College in regards to classroom teaching and research; curriculum development and course innovations; evaluations of students; program assessments; and the administration of one of Pierpont C&TC's most competitive programs. The range of her accomplishments makes her the ideal recipient of this award."