The Blinn College District names its 2021 Teaching Excellence Award winners

Shelly Peacock, Jamie Speck, and Lea Williamson are recognized for their dedication to Blinn students

August 25, 2021

The Blinn College District recently recognized three instructors for their innovative teaching, passion for learning, and commitment to student success.

Blinn named Kinesiology Professor and Assistant Dean Shelly Peacock, Arts Instructor Jamie Speck, and English Professor Lea Williamson as the recipients of its 2021 Teaching Excellence Awards.

Peacock has been teaching in Blinn’s Kinesiology Department on the Bryan and Brenham campuses for more than 15 years. She earned her Associate of Arts in Kinesiology from Blinn in 1987, her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Texas A&M University in 1990, her Master of Science in Kinesiology from Sam Houston State University in 1993, and her Doctor of Health Education from Texas A&M University in 2000.

“I teach because it is my life and brings me joy,” said Peacock. “I love seeing students reach their best potential and I try every single day to give care, professionalism, and guidance to my students, in and out of the classroom. I want to expose them to amazing subject matter in a fun and unique way and celebrate all of their victories as my mentors did for me.”

In addition to teaching, Peacock currently serves as Assistant Dean for the Division of Arts, Kinesiology, and Agriculture. She also is a recipient of the 2021 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award.

Speck is a part-time faculty member for Blinn’s Arts Program. Teaching at Blinn for the past 19 years, Speck serves as a remote instructor who teaches online. Speck earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Texas State University in 1999, her Master of Studio Art from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2002, and a Master of Fine Art in Studio Art from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2020.

“I see each student as an individual with a unique set of learning needs and as an instructor, it is my goal to grow to know my students personally while helping them discover their authentic artist,” Speck said. “Creating a teaching model that incorporates the fine arts as ‘valued’ is an important personal goal. I believe creativity, especially the production of artistic work, is essential to the human condition and educational curriculum.”

Speck’s art has received support from grants, won awards, and has been featured in numerous exhibitions. In 2021, she earned an honorable mention for her work that was included in the International Fibers Exhibition for the In Art Gallery.

Representing the Bryan and RELLIS campuses, Williamson has been a member of the Blinn faculty for more than 20 years. Williamson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Literature from the University of North Carolina-Asheville in 1991 and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro in 1993.

“One of the greatest joys of teaching English is seeing students having epiphanies about the structure and power of language and its ability to conceal or reveal, to manipulate or enlighten,” Williamson said. “I believe education is essential for improving the lives of students in tangible, concrete ways. I feel so lucky to witness students at the intersection of intellectual exploration and self-reclamation. Every day I come to work hoping to play a role in helping affect this transformation.”

Williamson’s activities at Blinn extend beyond the classroom. In 2004, she established the Bryan Campus chapter of the Sigma Kappa Delta English Honor Society. She also founded a literary journal featuring student writing at Blinn.