BOONE— Dale E. Wheeler, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at Appalachian State University, has been named director of the university’s Prestigious Scholars Program. He also will serve as a member of the university’s Heltzer Honors Program staff.

Appalachian’s Prestigious Scholars Program identifies and serves students who are willing to engage in intense efforts, and seek admission to internationally recognized graduate programs. It guides students through the highly competitive application and selection processes associated with application to internationally recognized graduate programs and prepares them to compete for prestigious scholarships, such as the Truman, British Marshall, Goldwater and Rhodes scholarships.

Wheeler replaces psychology professor Joan Woodworth, who will complete phased retirement in 2009.

“Joan Woodworth has been a champion and advocate of honors students and honors education at Appalachian for almost 30 years,” said Lynn Moss Sanders, director of the Heltzer Honors Program and a professor of English. “We are indebted to Joan for her excellent teaching and mentoring of honors students, and her service to both psychology and university honors.”

Woodworth became a faculty member in the Department of Psychology in 1979, where she taught her first general honors course. In 1983, Woodworth and others developed the Department of Psychology Honors Program, now one of the largest departmental honors programs on campus. Since 1986, she has served as the Psychology Honors Program director. She was named director of the Prestigious Scholars Program in 2005.

Woodworth has served as a member of the Chancellor’s Scholars Selection Committee for nine years. From 2004-06, she served on the Honors Task Force.

Sandra Gagnon and Lynn Mostellor have assumed the role of co-directors of the Department of Psychology Honors Program.

Wheeler became a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry in July 1998. He has served on the Chancellor’s Scholars Selection Committee since 2000 and served as a Prestigious Scholars mentor from 2000-04. He is a recipient of the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teaching and Research Postdoctoral Fellowship at Berea College in Kentucky.

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