Feb. 17, 2025
For the past year, a trio of University of Missouri faculty have allowed students pursuing the Honors Certificate the opportunity to dig deeper into the Honors College One Read book.
The Honors College Teaching Fellows were 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 Teaching Fellows form a collaborative cohort that work with Honors faculty and administrators to develop and teach the “Honors Book Club” course. The class 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 first year of this program was incredibly rewarding – for both our students and the faculty,” Catherine Rymph, dean of the Honors College, said. “Our inaugural cohort did such a nice job of laying the groundwork for this fellowship. We are very excited to add to the cohort, too, with seven faculty from a variety of fields from across the Mizzou campus. This group is going to bring unique perspectives to the course and provide outstanding experiences for our students.”
Learn more about the incoming cohort below.
Jennifer Bohanek – assistant adjunct research professor (psychological sciences)
Bohanek has been active within the Honors College for more than a decade, both in the classroom and as part of the Honors Admissions Committee. She has taught multiple courses in Honors and has played a vital role in helping students create projects within her program of research, which focuses on the social and cultural influences that shape the way individuals communicate about the events of their lives.
“This award is absolutely the highlight of my time here at the University of Missouri,” Bohanek said. “I have learned so much from the students in each and every Honors course I have taught over the past decade, and it has been my pleasure creating and adapting courses and research projects to meet the needs of our students.”
Bohanek said some of her favorite moments as affiliate faculty in the Honors College have happened during in-depth discussions that highlight students’ perspectives, interpretations and reflections on different material. As an Honors Teaching Fellow, Bohanek will be able to build on those experiences with students through the One Read book.
Samuel Cohen – associate professor (English)
Cohen is plenty familiar with the Honors College One Read, as he taught a section when he first joined Honors in 2022 as affiliate faculty. Along with that experience, Cohen teaches an Honors section in his “Missouri Writers” course.
“It’s great to be named a Tarkow Teaching Fellow,” Cohen said. “I think it’s important that we promote teaching whenever we can, and the chance not only to teach these courses but also to work on them with the other Fellows is an example of the university putting teaching first.”
Cohen’s research focuses on 20th and 21st century American literature and culture. He said he’s ready to continue to interact with Honors students, as well as faculty across the Honors College.
Tim Luisi – assistant teaching professor (communication)
Luisi has been teaching Tigers since he received his Doctor of Philosophy in Mediated Communication from Mizzou in 2022. As a younger faculty member, Luisi said he is thrilled that the Honors College Teaching Fellows program will allow him to make meaningful connections with other faculty.
“I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to collaborate with faculty from across campus through the fellowship,” Luisi said. “One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is learning from others, whether it’s students, colleagues or new ideas from interdisciplinary conversations. I look forward to forming new friendships in the Honors College and exchanging ideas about teaching, research and student engagement.”
Luisi uses a mixed methods approach to examine the representation of gender and race throughout the media landscape. He also explores how stereotyped media affects social identity formation throughout the lifespan. Luisi understands the value of honors programming, too. He had his own undergraduate honors experience as a student at Sterling College (Kansas).
Ellen Moore – assistant teaching professor (chemistry)
Moore completed her doctorate at Mizzou in 2018 and made two teaching stops before returning to campus to teach chemistry. She has been active in the Honors College, teaching the Honors series of “Organic Chemistry 1” and “Organic Chemistry 2.” Moore has also taught Honors “General Chemistry,” offering a strong foundation for her students in the STEM fields. She has served on the Honors College Curriculum Committee, too.
“Being named an Honors College Teaching Fellow is incredibly rewarding because it gives me the chance to return to a teaching style I’ve missed deeply,” Moore said. “This fellowship is an opportunity to guide Honors students more personally during such an important time in their academic journey, and that’s something I find incredibly fulfilling.”
As both an educator and avid reader, Moore added that she is excited to engage with the One Read book selection.
Reginald Rogers – associate professor (chemical and biomedical engineering)
Rogers has played a vital role for Mizzou engineering students who are pursuing the Honors Certificate, offering them opportunities to earn credit toward the certificate through various Honors sections of his courses. He has also been active with the college as part of the Honors College Curriculum Committee and is looking forward to working with Honors faculty in a different capacity.
“It was absolutely rewarding to be named an Honors College Teaching Fellow,” Rogers said. “It provides the opportunity for different perspectives to be shared and for growth amongst all of us. I am seriously looking forward to hearing from my colleagues as we discuss the upcoming One Read book.”
Along with his work in the classroom, Rogers has a robust research portfolio. His research interests are focused on improved water resources using novel nanomaterials, developing 2D and 3D structures specifically tailored toward removal of targeted contaminants from water systems.
Jennifer Rowe – professor (journalism)
Rowe’s interactions with the Honors College date back to her time as an undergraduate student at Mizzou. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism and was enrolled in a handful of Honors courses. Being able to sit on the other side of the room as Honors faculty is something Rowe said she is looking forward to.
“These small classes with Honors students are enriching and rewarding,” she said. “They were among the most formative classes when I was an MU student. So, it’s exciting to be on the other side of it, to be a part of these Honors students’ academic experience and to dig deeply into a single book. I’m eager to see the range in insight students will bring to our class sessions.”
Rowe joined the journalism faculty at Mizzou in 1998 and has been associated with the Honors College since 2019.
John Wigger – professor (history)
Wigger has shared his expertise with Mizzou students for nearly 30 years as a professor of history. His research focuses on American cultural history, including religious history and the history of flight.
While educating generations of Tigers, Wigger has worked with numerous faculty across campus, including Tarkow. He said being part of a program bearing Tarkow’s name is incredibly rewarding.
“I have known Ted Tarkow for nearly 30 years and have always deeply respected his commitment to students in every respect — their education, their wellbeing and the entirety of their experience at MU,” Wigger said. “His legacy is remarkable, and it is a joy to be a part of that. Joining the Tarkow Teaching Fellows in the Honors College is a privilege, where the values Ted holds dear are clearly evident.”
Read more from the Honors College
