Blaine Berrington named MUS Teaching Scholar

Teaching Scholars recognized for their innovative approaches to teaching and commitment to leading other faculty in excellence in the classroom.

The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education is pleased to announce it has selected 15 faculty from around the state to be honored as Montana University System Teaching Scholars.

Now in its fourth year, the MUS Teaching Scholars program was created to elevate excellent teaching and learning as the signature feature of an MUS education and to continuously make the profound impact of high-quality teaching more accessible to all students. The program does so by recognizing faculty members who have made exemplary contributions to teaching and learning at their institutions and by supporting these faculty in leading their peers to further advance excellence in teaching.

Each year, the MUS Teaching Scholars program focuses on a selected theme that highlights innovative approaches to teaching and that aligns with MUS teaching and learning priorities.  This year, the MUS Teaching Scholars program is focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom. In higher education, AI has and will continue to change how students learn, how faculty teach, the workforce our students will enter, and the world our students will engage in as they are tasked with solving society’s most pressing challenges and pursuing its most promising opportunities.

“This year’s group of scholars exemplifies the quality of innovation and teaching excellence that we have seen across the system,” said Joe Thiel, OCHE Deputy Commissioner of Academic, Research & Student Affairs. “AI is likely to be a disruptive force in higher education, and this year’s MUS teaching scholars provide the Montana University System insight on how to harness the potential of these technologies.” 

At the heart of the MUS Teaching Scholars program is the way it builds cumulative impact through faculty learning communities. During the fall semester, each Teaching Scholar will lead faculty on their home campus in developing innovative and effective teaching strategies. 

Selected MUS Teaching Scholars are from all types of institutions within the Montana University System – doctoral flagship, regional four-year, two-year and community college. Scholars were chosen from a competitive pool of faculty from across the system and all faculty tracks and ranks.

2024-2025 Montana University System MUS Teaching Scholars

Blaine Berrington, Chemistry, Montana Technological University​

Kyndra Campbell, Writing & Developmental Humanities, Gallatin College​

Jason Clark, Research Analytics, Optimization, & Data Services, MSU​

Anna Conley, Law School, University of Montana​

Kari Dahle-Huff, Educational Theory & Practice, MSU Billings​

Charles Denny, English, Miles Community College​

Samuel Downs, General Studies, Great Falls College​

Gwen Hart, English, MSU Northern

Christian Glide, Business & Technology, UM Western​

Karen Henderson, General Education, Helena College​

Taylor Moorman, Instructional Technology Librarian, MSU​

John Pannell, Computer Systems Technology, City College​

Amy Ratto Parks, Center for Writing & Public Speaking, University of Montana​

Jana Parsons, General Education, Great Falls College​

Rebecca Tyler, Mathematics, Great Falls College

Additional information about the program, this year’s theme, and past cohorts can be found at https://mus.edu/che/arsa/mus-teaching-scholars/