MTSU Foundation honors Hein with 2016 Career Achievement Award

Dr. Michael Hein, a professor of psychology at MTSU since 1990 and the director of MTSU’s Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness, is this year’s recipient of the MTSU Foundation’s Career Achievement Award.

MTSU industrial/organizational psychology professor Michael Hein expresses his gratitude after receiving the 2016 Career Achievement Award Thursday, Aug. 18, during the university’s Fall Faculty Meeting. Hein, who also is the director of MTSU’s Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness, has taught at MTSU since 1990 and received the university’s highest faculty honor from the MTSU Foundation “for the major contributions to his profession, graduate and undergraduate program development, and the stellar educational preparation of his students.” (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

Considered the pinnacle of recognition for stellar MTSU professors, the Career Achievement Award was presented Thursday, Aug. 18, as part of a welcomed tradition at the MTSU Fall Faculty Meeting inside Tucker Theatre to kick off the 2016-17 academic year.

The annual presentation of the Foundation Awards recognizes, celebrates and rewards university faculty members for their accomplishments inside and outside the classroom. The presentation followed MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee’s 16th State of the University address.

A humbled Hein, surprised to see his photo and bio in the Fall Faculty Meeting program as the award winner, thanked the many “outstanding” faculty members who’ve helped him throughout 25-plus years on the Blue Raider campus.

“All of that stuff that’s in the (program) about me was not done by me alone,” he said. “It was done by me as part of a fantastic team of faculty that it’s been a great pleasure to work with for the last 26 years.”

Hein joined the MTSU family aiming to improve the university’s master’s degree program in industrial/organizational psychology.

He’s raised it from its local roots to a model national program with a focus on strong recruitment, a cohort class structure and improving student internships. He also developed one of the few stand-alone undergraduate industrial/organizational psychology majors in the country, creating a stronger foundation for the I/O grad program.

In addition to his university and community service, Hein also works as a consultant for industries on job preparation, employee training, leadership development and other factors critical to success.

Hein thanked President Sidney A. McPhee and John Cothern, MTSU’s recently retired vice president of business and finance, for quickly approving the startup funds to pursue his efforts to improve the I/O program.

“It stunned me that an academician could make a decision that quickly,” Hein said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

MTSU alumnus Tom Provow (B.S. ’78), current president of the MTSU Foundation, also honored 19 more MTSU professors Thursday for their achievements.

MTSU faculty members gather for a group photo with university leaders Thursday, Aug. 18, after they were recognized by the MTSU Foundation for their service at the Fall Faculty Meeting inside Tucker Theatre. Eleven of the 20 recipients and their 2016 honors include, front row from left, chemistry professor Anatoliy Volkov, Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology Award; mathematical sciences professor Abdul Khaliq, Distinguished Research Award; industrial/organizational psychology professor Michael Hein, Career Achievement Award; recording industry professor Charlie Dahan, Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology Award; elementary and special education professor Terri Tharp, Outstanding Public Service Award; and political science professor Lisa Langenbach, Outstanding Teacher Award. Standing in the back row are, from left, health and human performance professor Joey Gray, Outstanding Teacher Award; aerospace professor Nate Callender, Outstanding Teacher Award; MTSU Foundation President Tom Provow; MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee; interim Provost Mark Byrnes; English professor Gaylord Brewer, Creative Activity Award; English professor Jennifer W. Kates, Outstanding Teaching in General Education Award; and electronic media professor Robert Gordon, Special Project Award. The nine recipients who couldn’t attend the Aug. 18 event are pictured individually below. You can learn about all the 2016 honorees by clicking on the photo and reading the event program. (MTSU photo by J. Intintoli)

The five recipients of the foundation’s 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award are:

Dr. M. Nate Callender, Department of Aerospace.
Dr. H. Joey Gray, Department of Health and Human Performance.
Dr. Lisa G. Langenbach, Department of Political Science and International Relations.
Dr. Cliff Welborn, Department of Management.
Dr. Andrew R. Wyatt, Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

The 14 additional foundation award recipients for 2016 are:

Dr. Jennifer W. Kates, Department of English – Outstanding Teaching in General Education Award.
Dr. Charles B. Dahan and Tammy R. Donham, Department of Recording Industry, and Dr. Anatoliy Volkov, Department of Chemistry – Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology Awards.
Dr. Robert B. Blair, Department of Marketing; Dr. Terri J. Tharp, Department of Elementary and Special Education; and Tammy Q. Bryant, University College Off-Campus Programs – Outstanding Public Service Awards.
Drs. Norma K. Dunlap, Department of Chemistry; Amy S. Kaufman, Department of English; and Abdul Q. M. Khaliq, Department of Mathematical Sciences – Distinguished Research Awards.
Dr. Gaylord Brewer, Department of English – Creative Activity Award.
Dr. David E. Nelson, Department of Biology, and Dr. Robert Gordon, Department of Electronic Media Communication, and John Merchant, Department of Recording Industry – Special Projects Awards.

You can view the complete 2016 MTSU Foundation Awards program, which includes more details about the award winners and their work, via PDF at http://ow.ly/j8kJ303kYzU.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)