Paul wins UNC teaching award for distinguished post-baccalaureate instruction

John E. Paul, PhD, clinical associate professor of health policy and management at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, has been recognized by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a distinguished teaching award for post-baccalaureate instruction.

 

The award, first given by the University in 1995 to acknowledge the important role of graduate-level teaching, includes a cash stipend and framed citation. Paul’s citation praises his strong commitment as an educator, which is “evident in his innovative use of technology in the classroom, his continual efforts to adapt and improve his teaching, and his active advising and ongoing mentoring of students.”

 

Among those mentored by Paul are Nathan Barbo, second-year Master of Healthcare Administration student, and health policy and management doctoral student Dio Kavalieratos, who served as a teaching assistant in two of Paul’s classes.

 

Barbo says Paul’s effectiveness is rooted in his ability to connect academic study with real-world problems and solutions. “Largely due to John Paul’s guidance,” he says, “the Capstone Business Plan course results in professional and feasible products, which often leads to their adoption by health care providers in the area. Through his dedication, Dr. Paul prepares graduates to enter their chosen fields and begin to make immediate contributions.”

 

“His ability to extract the best performance from his students while creating a collegial and nurturing environment is unmatched,” Barbo says.

 

Kavalieratos agrees. “By creating an academic environment that is simultaneously collegial and respectful, he encourages his students to regard him as a professor, a resource and a friend. His effectiveness as a teacher proves that one can balance a relaxed attitude with rigorous learning. He makes it known that the learning goes both ways in the classroom – that he learns as well as teaches. I admire his courage to take risks, to engage every single student, and to anticipate with us the challenges we will face in the workforce.”

 

Kavalieratos said Paul “afforded me the freedom to be creative as a teaching assistant and, through his mentorship, allowed me to gain the confidence necessary to pursue my goals. His investments in my professional development are ones that cannot be repaid, but serve as a model which I aspire to emulate.”

 

Paul says he is “honored and gratified” by the teaching award. “I like what I do,” he says. “My teaching and mentoring philosophy drives me to be enthusiastic, experience-based, highly interpersonal and collaborative, and technologically savvy. These are characteristics I hope to continue to develop and hone in years to come, and which I hope my students will carry with them as well.”

 

Paul received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Cornell University and Master of Science in Public Health and doctoral degrees in health policy and administration from UNC-Chapel Hill’s public health school. He also holds a Master of Education degree from UNC-Charlotte.Prior to joining the health policy and management faculty, Paul enjoyed a long career in health services research and as a national and international consultant, inspired by his work as a rural development volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in Nepal (1969-1972). During his career, he also served as executive director of the Epilepsy Association of North Carolina, consultant to The World Bank, senior health services researcher and director of global business strategy at RTI International, and as senior head and U.S. director of global health outcomes for Glaxo Wellcome PLC.

Throughout his business career, Paul took advantage of every opportunity to mentor students and sponsor summer interns. His effectiveness as a teacher, he says, is related to the fact that he has always enjoyed working with students.

Paul first joined UNC’s public health school as an adjunct faculty member in 1985. In 2005, he became a full-time member of the school’s clinical faculty in health policy and management.

He will formally accept the distinguished teaching award at a University event in April.

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.