UNH Today

Each year, UNH recognizes faculty who motivate, challenge and inspire students to succeed both in and out of the classroom. This year's Excellence in Teaching award recognizes Daniel Seichepine, assistant professor of neuropsychology and psychology. Suzanne Cooke, adjunct instructor of biological sciences, will receive the Adjunct Excellence in Teaching award. Seichepine and Cooke will be presented the awards at UNH Manchester's commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 17.

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

 
In his four years at UNH Manchester, Dr. Daniel Seichepine’s passion for psychology has been a beacon of inspiration for students.

Neuropsychology is a complex subject, yet Seichepine’s students echo that his energy and creativity make them “excited to go to class.” Incorporating hands-on lab elements and collaborative learning activities, Seichepine empowers students to put concepts into action. As one student noted, “He focuses on teaching us practical skills for the future.”

These skills include research, which is central to Seichepine’s curriculum. His students have presented at national conferences and have been published in peer-reviewed medical journals, which is rare at the undergraduate level.

Seichepine loves teaching, and it shows. His courses are consistently lauded as engaging and informative, so it is no surprise students agree that he is “one of the best professors.”

In addition to teaching, Seichepine is an active researcher in the areas of dementia and sport-related mild traumatic brain injury. He earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Boston University in 2011. He also holds an M.A. in Psychology from Boston University and a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Chico.

Recipients of the Excellence in Teaching Award from the previous five years include Samantha Reynolds, lecturer of chemistry; Donald Plante, lecturer of mathematics; Jack Hoza, professor and director of ASL/English Interpreting; John Cerullo, professor of history; and Melinda Negrón-Gonzales, associate professor of politics and society.

ADJUNCT EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

 
Dr. Suzanne Cooke ’94, ‘04G, has been part of the UNH community for more than 20 years. After earning a B.S. in Marine and Freshwater Biology and a Ph.D. in Zoology on the Durham campus, Cooke joined UNH Manchester as an adjunct instructor of biological sciences in 2013. Over the past six years, Cooke’s knowledge and enthusiasm have made her a standout teacher and an integral part of faculty.

Despite teaching challenging subjects like anatomy and physiology, Cooke makes the content exciting. She designs her courses not only to appeal to students’ interests, but also to develop skills and knowledge that apply to the real world. As one student wrote, “She makes the material interesting and easy to understand, and manages to have me laughing each class.”

Cooke is not only admired by her students—she has also earned praise from faculty for the energy and experience she brings to the biology program.