Professor makes difference on and off campus

After 13 years of working at Emporia State University, Nathaniel Terrell, Sociology and Anthropology Department Chair, has made an impact on the ESU community and has received the university’s You Make A Difference Award.

“I’m not really sure what to think [about receiving the award],” Terrell said. “But it is an honor and a privilege to be nominated and receive [it].”

Terrell has won several professional and academic awards over the last 20 or so years including Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers for 6 years, United Who’s Who, Bonner and Bonner Family Values Award, and the Outstanding Young American’s award.

As chair of the department, Terrell has many responsibilities.

“I have been chair of the department since July 1998,” he said. “My responsibilities include serving as administrator and financial officer of the department, promoting and advancing the academic programs, providing academic leadership for faculty and students and providing leadership for strategic planning of the department.”

As well as having many tasks he is in charge of as Chair, Terrell is also involved in many projects such as the Law Enforcement Consolidation Task Force, Division of People of Color and Crime and Kansas Board of Indigent Defense Services.

“I am on the Law Enforcement Consolidation Task Force and we are looking into the feasibility of joining Emporia police and the Sheriff departments. As part of the executive council, I am developing a mentoring program webpage for the Division on People of Color and Crime—a division of America Society of Criminology; I get to coordinate the program,” Terrell said. “As Chairman of Kansas Board of Indigent Defense Services, the Executive Director and I traveled across the state of Kansas to conduct open forum on public defender offices.”

Terrell said the advice he would give to others about making a difference is short and simple.

“Become a humble servant!”

Last Updated July 2, 2007>