TAMUK Professor Wins First Teaching Award for RELLIS Campus

Texas A&M University Kingsville

KINGSVILLE, TEXAS (News Release) — A faculty member from the Texas A&M University-Kingsville health psychology program at the Texas A&M RELLIS Innovation and Technology campus has become the first recipient of the Faculty of the Year award.

Dr. Celeste Riley, Texas A&M University Kingsville assistant professor of practice and program coordinator

Dr. Celeste Riley, assistant professor of practice and program coordinator, was the first recipient of the newly minted award which comes complete with a crystal trophy and a stipend.

The honor recognizes a faculty member who embodies the RELLIS core values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Integrity and Selfless Service. These also are the core values of The Texas A&M University System.

Riley was nominated by her students and praised for her enthusiasm, approachability and the lasting impact she makes in the classroom. One student said, “She is always available for questions and is very knowledgeable. She always has a smile on her face and makes each lesson engaging.”

Another student said, “Dr. Riley is the most supportive, amazing professor I have ever had. She makes learning fun—hard, but fun. I cannot say enough about the impact Dr. Riley has made on my life.”

Riley explained that RELLIS students attend Blinn College in Bryan for their first two years and then transfer to TAMUK RELLIS to complete their upper-division classes.

“That means that I get to teach courses that were some of my favorites as a student, psychopharmacology, physiological psychology and introduction to counseling skills,” she said. “My background as a practicing psychologist helps me focus on student development from an applied perspective, whether that means solving an interdisciplinary problem, communicating effectively or exploring a research question.”