Betz wins 2020 governors teaching award
Winston-Salem State University Professor Scott J. Betz is the winner of the 2020 Board of Governors Teaching Award. Betz is the chair of the Arts and Visual Studies Department. This prestigious award is given once a year to one faculty member at each of the 16 North Carolina public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. The award recognizes the tremendous contributions faculty members make to the advancement of public education.
Betz was nominated by a special committee at WSSU, and then selected by the Board of Governors Committee on Educational Planning, Policies, and Programs.
Betz has been a faculty member at WSSU since 2004, having also previously served at Weber State University, Mississippi State University, and the University of Tennessee. His background as an artist and educator spans more than 30 years. His work has been showcased internationally in exhibits in more than 100 countries, including China, Colombia, Australia, Argentina, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Taiwan, Korea, Canada, Japan, and across the United States.
Betz’s students tout him as a highly-effective, motivational, and innovative instructor. He is known to reach beyond the classroom, helping students develop skills that aren’t part of the curriculum. “I am certain that practicing painting and printmaking under the guidance of Professor Betz had a curative effect on my mind during a tumultuous chapter in my life, and I do not take his contribution to my success lightly,” said Jordan Wright, Fisk University Galleries Fellow.
Fellow faculty members also feel Betz is most deserving of this honor. They applaud the fact that he “pushes students to think” and “nurtures their gifts.” He is known among his peers to be adaptable, often adjusting his teaching style to meet students where they are.
“There is no better acknowledgment of the success of this university than to have faculty members like Scott Betz. He has become a beacon of success for our students, and I couldn’t be more proud of his accomplishments,” said WSSU Chancellor Elwood Robinson.
While balancing the weight of being a full-time faculty member, Betz continues to be highly active in his own research. He was previously awarded a significant grant to further his color research and book Gateways to Color, which is being co-written by art historian Dr. Laura Amrhein of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Each of the winners will receive a commemorative bronze medallion and a generous cash prize.
