Story by Logan Jackson
For the past two years, Mizzou faculty from across campus have shared their expertise with students pursuing the Honors College Certificate through the Tarkow Teaching Fellows program.
The program was developed to honor the incredible teaching legacy of Ted Tarkow, a professor emeritus of classical studies. Funded, in part, through an endowed gift in honor of Ted and Marjorie Tarkow, the Tarkow Teaching Fellows form a collaborative cohort that work with Honors College faculty and administrators to develop and teach the “Honors Book Club” course, which offers students the opportunity to dive deeper into the selected One Read book. The gift was specifically designed to support faculty as they mentor students in smaller classroom settings.
The program is overseen by Maya Gibson, an assistant teaching professor of women’s and gender studies in the Honors College. Support for the program also comes from the Chancellor’s Fund for Excellence.
The Honors College recently welcomed three new faculty to the cohort – Dennis Crouch, Jamie Hall and Ashlie Lester.
“We are thrilled to welcome this trio of incredible faculty as Tarkow Teaching Fellows,” said Catherine Rymph, dean of the Honors College. “The program has allowed us to provide expanded classroom opportunities for Honors College students, led by award-winning faculty who bring different expertise to the table. Our three new Fellows have very unique backgrounds and will complement the program in many ways. I am excited to see how they approach the Honors Book Club course.”
Dennis Crouch – Judge C.A. Leedy Professor of Law (School of Law)
Crouch joined Mizzou as a professor of law in 2007 after six years as a patent attorney in Chicago, Illinois. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Princeton University and his JD from the University of Chicago.
Crouch’s teaching efforts at Mizzou have focused on a variety of topics over the years, such as patent law, copyright, internet law, licensing, civil procedure and professional responsibility. His primary teaching and research focus is currently on technology policy and AI law.
Crouch has been active in the Honors College, too, through his “Law of the Internet” (LAW 2010H) course and overseeing Honors College student researchers. He has a unique tie to the college as well – his daughter is currently pursuing the Honors Certificate.
“I’ve been teaching the Honors section of my internet law course for the past couple of years, and it’s become one of my favorite parts of the semester,” Crouch said. “The students write research papers, and working with these bright young minds as they develop their ideas has been tremendously rewarding.
“This fellowship feels like a natural extension of that experience. I’m also pleased to be part of a program honoring Ted Tarkow’s legacy of dedicated teaching.”
Crouch has earned a handful of teaching honors throughout his career, including the Gold Chalk Award, which recognizes outstanding faculty who have contributed significantly to graduate and professional education.
He will bring that award-winning instruction to numerous Honors College students through the program.
“I love teaching law students, but they’re often locked into specific career paths by the time they reach me,” Crouch said. “Honors College undergraduates bring something different: they’re ready to explore ideas without worrying too much about where those ideas fit on their career journey. Leading discussions around a shared book with students at the start of their Mizzou journey is an exciting opportunity.”
Crouch added that he is excited to work with faculty from other disciplines as a Tarkow Teaching Fellow.
“That’s one of the aspects I’m most looking forward to,” Crouch said. “Building relationships with colleagues across campus who share that commitment to engaged teaching is exactly the kind of cross-disciplinary conversation that makes a university special.”
Jamie Hall – Associate Teaching Professor (College of Health Sciences)
Hall received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Mizzou in 1996 and returned to campus in 2015 as a tutor in the Department of Physical Therapy in the College of Health Sciences. Her work eventually led to an assistant teaching professor role in the department two years later, a position she still holds.
As a Tarkow Teaching Fellow, Hall will have the opportunity to teach an Honors College course for the first time.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as an Honors College Tarkow Teaching Fellow,” Hall said. “I have always admired the mission of the Honors College but because I am a faculty member in a professional program, I did not think that I would have the opportunity to teach Honors classes while at Mizzou. I was very excited when I learned about this program; I actually submitted my application that same day!”
Hall received her post-professional doctorate of physical therapy from Des Moines University and her Ph.D. in pediatric science from the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
Her teaching focus at Mizzou centers around pediatric physical therapy in classroom and clinic settings. She is also the assistant director of the Mizzou Motion Analysis Center, which combines the tools of engineering with clinical expertise to address issues of musculoskeletal health.
She said teaching on the Honors College One Read book will be an exciting opportunity to expand on her experiences as a professor.
“Teaching the Honors Book Club class will allow me to combine two of my favorite things, teaching and reading,” Hall said. “This will be a very different experience from my usual teaching. I look forward to teaching, learning from and building relationships with undergraduate students from a variety of backgrounds as we dig deeply into the Honors One Read book.”
Hall added that she is excited to interact with faculty who she doesn’t regularly have the chance to work with.
“Interdisciplinary work has been some of the most rewarding work I have engaged in during my career,” Hall said. “I look forward to building collaborations, learning from colleagues across campus, and all the opportunities for both professional and personal growth this experience will foster. I am particularly excited to engage in deep conversations with faculty with a variety of professional and personal backgrounds around the Honors One Read book and teaching in general. I am interested to see where it will all end up and how it will inevitably influence my teaching of professional students in my home department.”
Ashlie Lester – Associate Teaching Professor (College of Education and Human Development)
Lester is very familiar with the Mizzou Honors College, as she was an active participant in Honors courses as an undergraduate student. She received her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Mizzou before going to Kansas State University for her master’s degree in family studies and human services, specializing in marriage and family therapy. Lester returned to Mizzou for her Ph.D. in human environmental sciences, with an emphasis in human development and family science.
“It is so rewarding to be named a Tarkow Teaching Fellow!” Lester said. “I am an alumna of Mizzou’s Honor’s College and some of my most treasured academic experiences were associated with the Honor’s College. It will be a pleasure to repay the benefit I received all those years ago and, hopefully, to contribute to students’ experiences in a meaningful way.”
Lester joined the Mizzou faculty in 2014 as an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science before being named an associate teaching professor in 2020. She currently serves as the co-director of graduate studies for the department and is an academic advisor for students studying family and community service.
Lester has worked with Honors College students in the past, too, offering Honors sections of her departmental courses.
“I am very excited about the Honors One Read book and exploring its themes with students,” Lester said. “My undergraduate teaching has most frequently been in large lectures (which I love), so the opportunity to engage with a small group of students will be unique — and one I’m very much looking forward to. My hope is that our discussions can weave together family and developmental science, social contexts and the students’ personal experiences so that we all leave better informed about the book, the science and ourselves.”
Lester has been part of multiple panels and committees across campus. She said she excited to work with even more faculty as a Tarkow Teaching Fellow.
“Building relationships with colleagues across campus is definitely a highlight of this position,” Lester said. “They are experts in their field, and I am looking forward to learning about their perspectives on the book, teaching styles and approaches to learning. This opportunity to teach my passion, build connections with students and colleagues, and learn from others is an honor. I’m excited to get started!”