DAYTON, OH. – The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) recently announced that three Wittenberg employees are among its 50 Excellence Awards recipients from across the organization's 18-member institutions.
Each member school selected one faculty recipient based on their institution’s criteria, with special consideration of demonstrated superb teaching, service, and/or scholarship. Additionally, one staff member with special consideration of demonstrated commitment to student success, service, and/or assessment, and one Campus Impact Award for performance that made a positive impact on the school or campus were also nominated by member schools.
Wittenberg award winners include D. Scot Hinson, associate professor of English, for the Faculty Excellence Award; Brandee Bates Kern, former director of donor experience & stewardship in the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and newly named chief of staff in the President’s Office, for the staff excellence award; and Lt. Lee McCartney, director of campus safety, University Police Division & Office of Campus Safety for the Campus Impact Award.
SOCHE will honor the award winners each month from June 2025 through April 2026. Faculty and staff winners will be highlighted via SOCHE social media channels and on the SOCHE Excellence Awards webpage. The full list of this year’s award winners and their supporting information is available here.
About Wittenberg’s Recipients:
Associate Professor of English D. Scot Hinson is the 2025 Faculty Excellence Award winner for Wittenberg University. Hinson has grown not only students’ interest in his field, but also the value they place on a Wittenberg liberal arts education. He continues a great tradition of connecting with students, bringing them to Wittenberg and giving everything he has to make their lives and careers more fulfilling. Several nominators shared that he carries a warmth and light that one can sense when meeting him and that he has an immense passion for teaching. His wildly creative courses also attract students who are ready to think, to learn, and to be challenged.
Former Director of Donor Experience and Stewardship for Wittenberg University, Bates Kern has been selected as the school’s 2025 Staff Excellence Award winner. Recently promoted to chief of staff in the President’s Office, she has displayed outstanding service and dedication to the community through her innovative approaches to engagement and events, significantly contributing to the University’s continued success. Her ability to forge meaningful connections with colleagues and stakeholders has played a pivotal role in securing vital support for the institution. Responsible for organizing presidential events, Homecoming, Reunion, and Family Weekend, along with Commencement, Brandee ensures that marquee gatherings go smoothly on campus. Beyond her professional responsibilities, she also actively promotes a sense of community at Wittenberg by bringing people together for a common purpose.
Named the Wittenberg University 2025 Campus Impact Award winner, Lt. Lee McCartney is the Director of Campus Safety. From ensuring the safety and security of all those who call Wittenberg home, to helping train officers and managing daily shift operations, to designing curriculum for future training and speaking to classes, Lee has ensured that the University community is informed and equipped to manage safety-related issues and concerns. Additionally, his leadership and expertise in managing the situation when Wittenberg’s hometown of Springfield, Ohio, became the subject of national and international political discourse in fall 2024 proved both essential and outstanding during what was a challenging time.
Formed in 1967, the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education is a consortium of 23 colleges and universities located throughout Ohio. SOCHE is the regional leader for higher education collaboration, engaging with colleges, universities, and industry to transform the economy through the education and employment of nearly 200,000 students in southwest Ohio. See more at www.soche.org.
