Three Newman University faculty members were recognized for their excellence in teaching, advising, scholarships and service during the inaugural Faculty Excellence Awards Nov. 15 at The Vail in Old Town Wichita.
Evaluators from the Council of Independent Colleges across the U.S. selected the award winners after thoroughly reviewing all nominations. The three award winners were Assistant Professor of Biology Tomoko Bell, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medieval Philosophy John Brungardt, Ph.D., and Assistant Dean of the School of Business and Technology and Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program Director Angie McCoy.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Alden Stout shared his gratitude for Melanie Flanagan, senior administrative assistant, who “worked tirelessly to make the evening special for faculty members.”
He added, “At Newman, we have banquets for athletics, a convocation for academic honors, pinning and labcoat ceremonies for students in different disciplines and commencement which is a celebration of our graduates. This evening was about celebrating the dedication of all our faculty and for their remarkable contributions to Newman.”
Keynote speech: ‘Your students need you’
Nearly 100 faculty and guests enjoyed the banquet-style dinner, drinks and a keynote speech by John Kolander, Ph.D. provost of Wisconsin Lutheran College. Kolander emphasized that the awards symbolize “more than a certificate that gets stuck in your drawer or a plaque you put on your wall until you move.”
“This is a culmination of significant efforts,” he said. “This is about recognizing, appreciating and acknowledging the vital importance of the faculty in fulfilling Newman’s mission and achieving the student’s potential for the future.”
Kolander reflected on students’ social challenges and the ever-changing higher education landscape in today’s world.
“People want to know what’s the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to walk across the stage after four to five years,” Kolander said. “And society has seemingly forgotten that it’s not about getting the sheepskin that matters. It’s the journey you take to get there.”
He challenged attendees to consider how many students experienced childhood and adolescence in a screen-based world of technology, and the loneliness and isolation that continues to be the side effects.
“Newman faculty, your students need you now more than ever,” Kolander said. “They need you and what Newman University has to offer. You can and do expose them to the great authors and thinkers and the great ideas of history. You help these students discover who they are to learn their identity, gifts, abilities and strengths they never knew they had. You help them recognize that they can interact with others in meaningful, challenging and convincing ways. You can teach students to critically think for themselves. You can help them recognize that perspectives other than their own have value and are worth considering. They need mentors, models, resources and references.”
Newman President Kathleen S. Jagger, Ph.D., MPH, spoke on the faculty members’ commitment to nurture young minds, build character and pour their efforts into their students. She also reflected on St. John Henry Newman’s “Idea of a University,” which stresses the pursuit of knowledge as an act of faith in the dignity of the human person, truth and the power of learning to transform lives for the better.
“Our faculty are more than educators,” Jagger said. “They are witnesses to the deep and enduring truth at the heart of our shared Catholic identity. Let this remind us that the journey of success is not only about reaching the finish line but also about lifting each other up along the way.”
Tomoko Bell: Fostering lifelong learning in the lab
Bell’s nominators describe her as an “extraordinary faculty member, empowering advisor and instructor with a caring disposition.”
“Her student-centered approach provided an environment in which students could and did actively engage in difficult content and lively conversation,” Jagger said. “Letters of recommendation, active networking, personalized emails and providing growth opportunities are just a few examples of how she provides a pathway forward for Newman students.”
Bell began working at Newman in 2022 as an assistant professor. She teaches microbiology, immunology, general biology, biostatistics and the graduate course microbiology and infectious diseases. In addition to teaching, Bell is the program director for the master’s in biomedical science program.
When Bell heard her name called as one of the three faculty excellence award recipients, she “wanted to do a happy dance,” she said. She described the event as a festive opportunity for faculty and family to connect outside of campus over a shared meal.
“The change of the setting, where spouses and guests can also join, gave me an opportunity to know my Newman family more,” she said.
Bell loves interacting with her students and witnessing their relationships grow as they learn from one another. One of the most rewarding aspects of her teaching role extends beyond the classroom setting: it is helping students obtain their dream jobs.
“I often have students jump in my office and start talking about what they discovered related to the knowledge they learned in my classroom assignments,” Bell said. “Seeing them sparkle with curiosity and motivated to study further makes my heart very warm.”
Bell’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that the act of studying is not merely for attaining knowledge or good grades.
“I believe it helps students develop analytical, creative and logical thinking skills to manage any life challenge,” Bell said.
John Brungardt: The promise of Catholic intellectual tradition
Throughout his six years and counting at Newman, Brungardt has strived to create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable wrestling with difficult topics.
“He meets his students where they are and guides them toward deeper understanding through discovery,” Jagger said. “He fosters not just intellectual growth but also personal development.”
Brungardt teaches philosophy and advises most of the seminarians of St. Joseph’s House of Formation who attend Newman University. As a Wichita native, the opportunity to teach many of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita’s future priests is an honor and responsibility he does not take lightly.
“It is a privilege to introduce Newman students to and lead them further into the great Catholic intellectual tradition,” he said. “It is a tradition sorely misunderstood, which is all the worse because of the riches it has to offer all fields of knowledge. I’m convinced that if every student at Newman knew a little bit more about what the Catholic intellectual tradition could offer them in their majors and careers, we would be all the closer to fulfilling our mission as a university.”
Brungardt was “happy and honored” to be selected for a 2024 excellence award.
He added, “It is a good thing that Newman is doing, to expressly acknowledge faculty in this way, because we have many talented and hard-working teachers who deserve this sort of recognition. Sharing a meal together with more relaxed conversation … with friends and family really made it special. My wife greatly enjoyed the evening.”
He will always remember the advice from one of his own teachers: “You’re not teaching unless they’re learning.” Brungardt believes the greatest topics and concepts to learn are the truest, and this is what solidifies his “why” for the teaching profession.
“My principle for both teaching and learning is the hope that my students can, along with myself, encounter what is true,” he said. “It is one of the most rewarding things to be present when students experience the flash of insight into a difficult subject and then can explain and talk about what they previously could not and could not even imagine knowing. This really is a form of freedom — to know what is true is to free the mind, not to close it.”
Angie McCoy: Connecting with students in meaningful ways
McCoy works with undergraduate and graduate students in different modalities and locations. Whether in advising or teaching, McCoy supports and empowers her students in inclusive ways, her nominators said.
“Her students benefit from her cross-disciplinary teaching, thoughtful reflection and varied approaches,” Jagger said of McCoy.
McCoy’s Newman University journey began nine years ago when she accepted a part-time job in the academic affairs office. In this position, she tracked students’ service hours for scholarships and shared service opportunities. She also worked in Campus Ministry and admissions processing while employees were on medical leave. In 2019, McCoy moved to the newly named School of Business and Technology as the academic advisor to MBA, organizational leadership and interdisciplinary students. She rose to assistant MBA director and eventually MBA director. In 2023, she moved from staff to faculty status and became assistant dean in 2024.
“I never planned to become an educator, but looking back, it feels like my career path naturally led me here,” McCoy said. “Teaching and advising bring me a sense of fulfillment as I help guide students through their educational journey. It’s also meaningful to know that, in the end, I followed in my mom’s footsteps.”
For McCoy, receiving an excellence award was an “incredibly humbling experience.”
“I am deeply honored, especially knowing how deserving my colleagues were who also applied,” she said. “It’s inspiring to work in an environment where so many instructors share a genuine passion for teaching and a commitment to our students’ success. Being part of such a dedicated and talented community makes this recognition even more meaningful.”
The most rewarding part of her job at Newman is witnessing the growth and success of the students, she said.
“It is truly inspiring to be part of their journey, get to know them, and support them as they realize and pursue their academic goals,” McCoy added. “Serving as the spiritual advisor for the Sloppy Joes (improv troupe) this year has been particularly special, allowing me to connect with students in a meaningful and memorable way. I am truly grateful to Newman for giving me the opportunity to share my experiences and be a part of such an exceptional community.”
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