Terry Chasteen Excellence in Teaching Award
Associate Professor of Music Terry Chasteen has been at WIU since 2000. Taught previously at Wausau Conservatory of Music, Hardin-Simmons University, and Indiana University

He has a long history of vocal performance including roles with Abilene Opera Association productions, Indiana University Opera Theatre productions, Opera Theatre of St. Louis productions, Opera Memphis, and Indianapolis Opera productions, just to name a few.

At WIU Terry has established a quality studio of voice students who have excelled at vocal competitions sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing, other competitions around the region and nation, and have been successful in being accepted into some of the finest graduate level vocal degree programs in the nation.

Randy Faust Excellence in Creative Activity Award
Professor of Music Randy Faust has been at WIU since 1997. He was on the faculty each summer since 1985 for the Interlochen Center for the Arts, previously taught at Auburn University, the University of Iowa and Shenandoah Conservatory.

He is the hornist for the Camerata Woodwind Quintet and the LaMoine Brass Quintet and the principal hornist for the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

He is an International Horn Society Life member and has served in various capacities for that organization including President. He was the host for the horn society international meeting on the WIU campus in June of 2009.

Has had literally hundreds of musical compositions published and recorded over the past three decades. He continues to receive requests and commissions to write and is very active each year in producing new compositions.

He received the International Horn Society PUNTO AWARD in 2009 and this is the second time that he has received the WIU COFAC Creative Activity Award, the first time being in 2006.

John Cooper Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award
Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies, John Cooper has been a member of the faculty at WIU since 2002. He taught previously at Northern Michigan University and has been in demand as a guest artist and guest lecturer in the jazz area at numerous festivals, conferences, and universities nation-wide. Under his direction, the WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City in May of this year.

Some of John’s other awards and recognitions have included the USA President’s Volunteer Service Award 2009, his jazz composition Baecker Jazz Worship Service was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2008, and he was selected to be a member of the BMI Master Composers group in New York City.

John has been actively involved on college and university technology committees. Among the many technology projects John has been involved with one of the most beneficial for our students was his design and implementation and continual upgrading of the Smart Practice room project for the School of Music. This project incorporates computer and electronic instrument technology in a practice room setting which expands the learning possibilities for our students in a major way.

Jeannie Woods Excellence in Internationalizing the Campus
Dr. Woods has a keen interest in creating international opportunities for students in the Department of Theatre and Dance. Starting with her association as a Fulbright Scholar and developing original theatre performances at Cadi-Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morroco, Dr. Woods has been involved in several theatrical activities that expose our students to a much wider world of theatre. During summer 2010, Dr. Woods was one of twenty-one stage directors selected internationally to participate in the 2010 International Directors Symposium workshops in La MaMa, Umbria, Italy. Dr. Woods is the Artistic Director of the Starry Night Repertory Theatre and has been invited to bring THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE-ABRIDGED to Shanghai, China in November 2010 for the Eastern Comedy Festival. Several WIU students will be travelling with her.

Professor Woods is an actor and stage director, theatre historian, arts educator and college administrator. She earned a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Idaho, an M.A. in Theatre from Hunter College (New York), and the M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Theatre from the City University of New York. In 2003, Dr. Woods completed the Management and Leadership in Education (MLE) Program of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Higher Education. She was Vice President for Professional Development of the Association of Theatre in Higher Education 2003-2007. Dr. Woods is also the Artistic Director of the non-profit company, The Starry Night Repertory Theatre, which she founded in 2009.

Cynthia Ridle Excellence in Teaching—Associate Faculty
Cynthia Ridle, an associate faculty member in the Department of Communication, received the 2010 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching for Associate Faculty. Ms. Ridle is a valued member of the department, and has contributed her time and considerable talents toward helping Communication undergraduates gain a better understanding of their degrees. She was instrumental in the planning and successful execution of the first Career Preparation Day for Communication students, and the continued success of the now-annual event is due in large part to her efforts. She is also the Internship Coordinator for the department. Ms. Ridle regularly teaches Interviewing, Public Speaking, and the Introduction to Human Communication courses. The department is proud to have her as a colleague and to count her among their faculty.

Ms. Ridle received her B.A., Western Illinois University, M.S., Western Illinois University. Her teaching areas are Public Speaking, Human Communication, and Interviewing. She is the Internship Coordinator for the Department of Communication.