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Candace Bowen, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) and director of the Center for Scholastic Journalism, is a finalist for the 50th annual Distinguished Teaching Award (DTA).

The award is sponsored by the �鶹ӰԺ State Alumni Association and honors full time faculty members who show excellence in educating and devotion to their students. It is �鶹ӰԺ State’s highest teaching honor

“The award means a lot to me because I really value teaching,” Bowen said.

Bowen “unofficially” began teaching during her fifth-grade summer, when she collected old worksheets from teachers and taught younger neighborhood kids in her basement.

She explained that in all of her teaching, she brings passion and experience. A former high school journalism teacher, she passes on her expertise to graduate students in the course “Teaching High School Journalism.” She also bridges the gap between high school and college for undergraduates in “Writing Across Platforms,” one of the first JMC courses students in journalism and public relations take. She remains a director for the Ohio Scholastic Media Association.

Bowen’s teaching expands beyond �鶹ӰԺ State; her weekly current events quizzes are sent to a mass listserv that reaches high school journalism teachers nationwide.

“Paying attention to the news helps students’ writing and thinking in journalism,” Bowen said. “We’re trying to provide a firm foundation for our students.”

Bowen is one of ten finalists for the DTA. Three winners will be announced in October.