Kim A. Lance

Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers (1995)

1994-1995 Commencement Ceremony Excerpt

I am most pleased to announce that the winner of the Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for 1995 is associate professor of chemistry, Dr. Kim Lance.

Dr. Lance holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Wooster, where he was a National Science Foundation undergraduate research fellow, and a masters degree and Ph.D. in chemistry from the Ohio State University, where he was a teaching assistant in the department of chemistry and won the Graduate Assistant Teaching Award in 1983. Dr. Lance joined the faculty at Ohio Wesleyan in 1988, was promoted to associate professor in 1992, and now serves as chairperson of the chemistry department.

Well known for the research he conducts jointly with our students, Dr. Lance has also published widely in the professional journals in inorganic chemistry. His work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and from the Petroleum Research Foundation.

According to our students, Dr. Lance is, again in their words, “enthusiastic,” “helpful,” “approachable,” “innovative,” “warm,” “understanding,” and “patient.” “His enthusiasm in class makes learning fun,” they say. As one student put it: “He’s an awesome teacher who makes learning fun, has a great sense of humor, a funny man.” But, warned another, “His courses are not for the faint of heart! He’s very challenging, but always there to help as well. Dr. Lance has encouraged me to want to learn more, not just about chemistry and science, but about other subjects as well.”

This is high praise.