2022 D. P. Russ Jr. and Walter S. Jones Sr. Alumni Award winners

Award for Teaching Excellence

Dr. Yen-Ping Kuo

Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Assistant Dean for Academic Success,
Chair and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine


Dr. Yen-Ping Kuo joined the Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine as the founding chair of microbiology and immunology in 2013. She has significant experience in curriculum design and was promoted to assistant dean for curriculum. In this role, Kuo works with her colleagues to design and maintain curriculum. She also provides academic counseling to assist students in identifying their learning styles, developing study skills, utilizing learning resources and other assistance to support their academic success and personal wellness. 

Additionally, she runs the peer-tutoring program where she trains academically successful students on how to make their fellow classmates successful as well. 

In addition to this administrative role, Kuo dedicates a large portion of time to teaching medical students and students in the Master of Biomedical Sciences program. 

“While I must transmit my content knowledge and expertise to my medical students as a teacher, it is more important that I train these future physicians to be resourceful and forward-thinking,” she says. “Therefore, I must demonstrate consistent commitment to innovation, whether by acquiring and imparting the most up-to-date biomedical science or by developing and incorporating new teaching modalities and pedagogical trends inside and outside the classroom. 

“By doing so, I aim to foster a community of medical innovators.” 

Topics she covers include “Introduction to Infectious Disease and Zoonotic Infections.” Her colleagues note how her dynamic and engaging lectures incorporate case-based problem-solving questions to grab students’ attention and encourage critical thinking.

View Dr. Kuo’s Scholarly Works: https://works.bepress.com/yen-ping-kuo/


Award for Research Excellence

Dr. Sarah K. Goforth

Associate Professor of Chemistry
College of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Sarah K. Goforth joined Campbell University in 2014 and has been a highly productive scholar throughout her career. Goforth’s research is in the areas of synthetic chemistry and pedagogical laboratory development. She publishes and presents regularly as well as serves as a peer-reviewer for grant programs and international journals.

“I am motivated primarily by a desire to teach through research — training up the next generation of scientists,” she says. “Thus, all of my projects are carefully chosen not only to have the potential for publication but also to be accessible to an undergraduate student’s capabilities of contributing.”  

Goforth has established a long-standing collaboration with scientists at Furman University, and every summer she brings Campbell students there to participate in their nationally-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.This collaboration has been extremely productive and recently resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in the internationally recognized journal, Tetrahedron Letters, with several Campbell undergraduate students as co-authors. This is the first peer-reviewed article to be published with students in the chemistry department, and she has several more that are in preparation. 

Furthermore, Goforth and her research students have presented at numerous conferences at the local, regional and national level, including but not limited to the Wiggins Symposium, the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS), the North Carolina Academy of Sciences (NCAS) Annual Meeting, the Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society and the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. 

View Dr. Sarah Goforth’s Scholarly Works: https://works.bepress.com/sarah-goforth/


 The D. P. Russ, Jr. and Walter S. Jones, Sr.
Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence

  • 2022 — Dr. Yen-Ping Kuo (Microbiology and Immunology, Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine)
  • 2021 — Dr. Cameron Jorgenson (Divinity School) 
  • 2020 — Dr. Brian Kesling (Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2019 — Dr. Michelle Green (Physical Therapy, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences) 
  • 2018 — Dr. Meredith Williams (Math/Information Technology & Security, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2017 — Dr. Mike Cogdill (Divinity School)
  • 2016 — Dr. Charlotte Paolini, (Family Medicine, Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine)
  • 2015 — Dr. Jennifer Smith (Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences)
  • 2014 — Dr. Yu-Mong Hsiao (School of Business) 
  • 2013 — Dr. Chris Havran (Biology, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2012 — Dr. Michael Smith (Communication, College of Arts & Sciences)

The D. P. Russ, Jr. and Walter S. Jones, Sr.
Alumni Award for Research Excellence

  • 2022 — Dr. Sarah Goforth (Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2021 — Dr. Miranda Van Tilberg (Clinical Research, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences)
  • 2020 — Dr. Eric Dunnum, (English, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2019 — Dr. Alicia Myers (Divinity School)   
  • 2018 — Dr. Richard Bohannon (Physical Therapy, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences)
  • 2017 — Dr. Ran Whitley (Music, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2016 — Lucas Osborn, (Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law)
  • 2015 — Dr. Gary Taylor (Psychology, School of Education)
  • 2014 — Dr. Glenn Jonas (Christian Studies, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2013 —Dr. Sal Mercogliano (History, College of Arts & Sciences)
  • 2012 — Dr. Richard Drew (Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences)