Lock Haven University announces 2021 faculty awards

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Lock Haven University recently announced the winners of the 2021 University Faculty Awards. Following the application and faculty committee review process, Dr. Jennifer Deitloff was the recipient of the Outstanding Scholarship Award and Dr. Matthew McKeague was the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award.

To be considered for the Scholarship Award, applicants must provide a narrative that details the following areas of scholarship and how they impact their field of study: Publications; presentations; new courses, new programs or similar curricular development projects; professional growth and development, research; and any relevant samples of their work.

To be considered for the Service Award, applicants must provide a narrative that details the following areas of service: departmental, APSCUF, university and community service, as well as any samples of their work.

“The success of our students is our highest priority, and they achieve success in great part because of the dedication and support of our talented faculty members,” said Dr. Bashar Hanna, LHU interim president. “I congratulate Drs. Deitloff and McKeague on this well-deserved recognition and thank each of them for their commitment to our students.”

Deitloff has been a member of the LHU Biology Department since fall 2014. In her seven years at The Haven, she has built a strong research program that centers on student interest and helps them build the skills they need to succeed in future biology careers. She also helps to prepare her students for further study in graduate school, medical school or other professional programs.

“Working with students to further our research goals is very rewarding and one of the best parts of my job,” Deitloff said. “I am very lucky to have such amazing students to collaborate with. This award and my research program, in general, would not be possible without these students. It also wouldn’t be as enjoyable!”

At LHU, she teaches upper-level Biology courses in Herpetology and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy as well as introductory Biology courses. Her research program focuses on evolutionary ecology of amphibians and reptiles and typically studies complex traits, such as behavior, morphology and color.

Previous to her time at LHU, she taught and conducted research at Grandview University and Iowa State University, as well as Auburn University, Alabama. She attended graduate school at Iowa State, earning a doctorate degree in ecology and evolutionary biology.

McKeague, a Lock Haven native and 2006 graduate of LHU, is now in his second year teaching in the Communication Department. He has been able to use his vast video production skills to work with his students in the electronic media track to produce more than 20 episodes of the video podcast, “TheHavenCast,” last year.

When presented with the challenge to keep the video production student club, HavenScope, alive when they couldn’t meet face-to-face due to COVID-19, he devised TheHavenCast to give students skills in video podcast creating from a distance and the club is now back on the rise.

“The podcast perfectly represents one way that I try to inspire students … I am able to show students how to craft compelling narratives leading by example and I love watching my students develop their writing voices and production styles over their academic career here,” McKeague said.

At LHU, he teaches a variety of topics such as public speaking, advertising and his specialties – video production and editing. Before joining the LHU faculty, he taught at Kutztown University for seven years in the Cinema, Television and Media Production Department, as well as at Indiana University.

McKeague received a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and journalism with a minor in speech communications from LHU, a master’s degree in communication and journalism from Shippensburg University and a doctorate degree in communication media and instructional technology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“As a proud product of PASSHE, I am honored to win this year’s Service Award and I look forward to continue giving back to the community that helped me achieve my dreams,” McKeague said.

For more information about Lock Haven University, visit www.lockhaven.edu, email admissions@lockhaven.edu, or call 570-484-2011.