Dr. Kathleen Fowler Receives Servant-Leadership Recognition

The Faculty Senate of Surry Community College has selected Dr. Kathleen Fowler as the Spring 2022 recipient of the Servant-Leadership Recognition award. She is an English instructor at the college.

The award formally recognizes a faculty member in the fall and spring semesters who exemplifies dedication to the mission of Surry Community College and meritorious service to the college and to the community. Both full and part-time faculty members are eligible after one year of service.

Candidates for the award should be sensitive to the needs of others, bring out the best in others, mentor and encourage self-expression, facilitate personal growth in those who work with them, and focus on achieving the goals of the college. They should also challenge the status quo in striving to solve problems and find new directions as well as uphold and support the mission of the college.

Donald Fowler, Assistant Director of the Academic Support Center, told Dr. Kathleen Fowler: “For many years, you have consistently gone out of your way to serve the students, faculty, and staff at SCC. You dedicate many hours outside of school to support students through your leadership with Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Additionally, your leadership on the Faculty Senate has produced many programs to benefit your fellow employees. From creating a fund for the faculty and staff during moments of tragedy to recognizing our veterans for their sacrificial service to our country, you have done your best to actively help and improve the morale of your fellow employees. You are always willing to help any SCC community member in need, and you have been a mentor to new faculty in the English Department.”

SCC College President Dr. David Shockley said, “I am delighted that Dr. Kathleen Fowler has been recognized by her peers for the tireless and dedicated work that she gives to our students. This is evidenced by her role as an English Instructor and advisor for our internationally recognized Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Chapter. Kathleen truly uplifts the lives of our entire community.”

Dr. Kathleen Fowler has been an instructor of English at Surry Community College about 19 years. Before working at SCC, she taught English and Literature in Japan for six years. She has served as the President of the Faculty Senate for four and a half years, where she instigated the founding of the Faculty/Staff Emergency fund. She also served as the head of the Gen Ed Writing Committee for six years.

In addition to teaching and serving on committees, Dr. Kathleen Fowler also serves as co-advisor for the college’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter. The chapter has earned a 5-Star Chapter status since 2013, received Distinguished Chapter Awards for the Carolinas Region over the last four years, earned recognition as an internationally Distinguished Chapter in 2020 and received thousands of dollars through grants and fundraisers for their local service projects and Honors In Action projects. She was chosen by PTK as a Faculty Scholar for 2021.

An alumna of Surry Community College, Dr. Kathleen Fowler earned an A.A. and an A.S., before going on to Appalachian State University. There, she earned a B.A. with a double major in English and Anthropology, and subsequently an M.A. in English. She earned a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with concentrations in Medieval and Early Modern English Literature, as well as Rhetoric and Composition.