Kent Brintnall, associate professor of religious studies, is the 2013 recipient of the Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Professorship for Teaching. His selection was announced during the annual University Convocation on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Provost Joan Lorden noted Brintnall’s teaching is intimately connected to his scholarship on the relationship between religion, gender and sexuality, and it is defined by his innovative and challenging techniques, materials and topics. “Dr. Brintnall’s students almost unanimously agree that his courses are difficult; however, they also overwhelmingly agree that his lectures are incredibly valuable and energizing.”
Brintnall said he sets very high standards for his students, but he is clear about expectations, transparent about pedagogical choices, attentive to students’ work and respectful as a classroom leader.
“A college education should provide students with the ability to ask good questions about, and craft worthy responses to, the intellectual and ethical challenges they face,” stated Brintnall. “It should help them more effectively, more thoughtfully and more responsibly negotiate the cultural contexts that comprise their lives.”
Nancy Gutierrez, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, said of Brintnall, “Good teachers care about ideas and care about how students understand what it means to think clearly and rigorously. Dr. Brintnall values intellectual rigor and it is this value that is at the foundation of his effective teaching.”
A prolific scholar, Brintnall is the author of the recently published “Ecce Homo: The Male-Body-in-Pain as Redemptive Figure.”
He also has contributed to curriculum development at all levels. He was the primary architect and advocate for the Religious Studies Department’s new curriculum, and he helped develop the college’s “Prospect for Success” initiative.
Brintnall completed a bachelor’s degree from Fort Hayes State University, a master’s degree from the Pacific School of Religion and a Ph.D. from Emory University. He also earned a Juris Doctor from the Northeastern University School of Law.
The Cone Distinguished Professorship for Teaching was established in 1992 to honor superior career achievement in teaching. A three-year appointment, the Cone Early-Career Professorship for Teaching recognizes a recently tenured professor who embodies Cone’s tenacious commitment to providing UNC Charlotte undergraduate and graduate students with enriching, high quality educational experiences. Bonnie Cone was a dedicated educator, motivator and community leader who played an instrumental role in the vision and history of UNC Charlotte.