Professor of Physical Therapy Awarded TPTA Gould Memorial Faculty Award
Professor of Physical Therapy Awarded TPTA Gould Memorial Faculty Award
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Celia Pechak received the 2018 William Gould Memorial Faculty Award from the Texas Physical Therapy Association in late October. The Gould Award is given annually to an outstanding Physical Therapy educator in Texas who has demonstrated excellence in that role. Pechak was nominated by fellow UTEP Physical Therapy professor and 2014 Gould Award winner Dr. Loretta Dillon, who noted in her nomination letter Pechak’s expertise in service-learning and global health, meaningful incorporation of active learning in her teaching, and impressive scholarly record.
“Teaching comes naturally to Dr. Pechak…she engages active learning principles, has high expectations for all students, and clearly teaches concepts which promote critical thinking in our students. Dr. Pechak also has a sense of justice and fairness in her treatment of students,” said Dillon. “In many areas of the country, UTEP is not recognized for having a Doctor of Physical Therapy program, and through Dr. Pechak’ s service and research, we are developing a national presence. The other niche that she has helped to create is a unique model of integrating Spanish language training in our curriculum. We are receiving student applicants from all across the country that have an interest in our program mission,” she said.
Pechak began her teaching career at UTEP in 2009, following 24 years of clinical practice as a physical therapist. Her desire to become an educator was driven by a deep desire to “create broad impact” in her field and share the extensive knowledge she had gained as a clinician. She was attracted to UTEP by the opportunity to explore her passions in global health, and work with vulnerable and underserved populations.
As the daughter of a first-generation college graduate, Pechak also felt a personal connection to the UTEP student body. When asked what she enjoys the most about teaching, Pechak responded “Definitely, seeing our students grow. My goal is to put them out of their comfort zone so they can grow the most. I also hope that I can help them develop the knowledge, skills, and empathy to serve vulnerable and underserved populations.” Additionally, Pechak is passionate about her work in interprofessional education and is a co-advocate of UTEP’s Health-Focused Interprofessional Education Community of Practice.
For more information about the UTEP DPT Program, please visit: https://www.utep.edu/chs/pt/index.html
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