Associate professor, Kyle Hetrick, wins annual campus instructional award

Ivy Tech Community College’s Bloomington campus has named Kyle Hetrick, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and anatomy & physiology, the recipient of the 2021 President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction. He was selected as the winner among 55 full-time faculty nominees.

Hetrick’s nominations revealed that he went the extra mile and beyond for his students in a year that presented unique challenges for college-level anatomy & physiology (A&P) education.

“The subcommittee was extremely impressed with the quality and volume of nominations that Kyle received for the campus excellence in instruction award,” said Richard Chambers, Ivy Tech Bloomington faculty advisory council president and department chair of social sciences. “It painted a clear picture of an extraordinarily talented and deeply invested instructor that has a passion for teaching and care for the students he serves.”

In addition to his role as associate professor, Hetrick also serves as assistant program chair for biology and A&P where he focuses on teaching microbiology, genetics, and physiology. He earned his B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Judson University in Chicagoland (Elgin, Ill) and earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Indiana University in Bloomington.

“My graduate and post-doctoral training is in microbial genetics, as my research focused on DNA replication and repair, gene expression, mutations, and stress responses in bacteria and archaea,” said Hetrick. “The research was fascinating, but I always knew that I wanted to become an educator and share my enthusiasm for the life sciences with students.”

Hetrick began teaching at Ivy Tech in 2015 and truly enjoys helping his students reach their academic and professional goals.

His students agree. In one nomination, a student expressed that Hetrick not only “knows the information and is intelligent,” but is also relatable and caring when students have questions. He is a “great teacher.”

In another nomination, this one from a colleague, Hetrick is described as a “most genuinely liked instructor” who keeps up-to date on industry best-practices and the latest teaching innovations in his related fields of study. Also, that he is a “gifted lecturer” and hears from students how much they enjoy Hetrick’s courses both in-person and virtually.

In addition to his teaching duties in the classroom, Hetrick is dedicated to professional and community service for the benefit of student learning, including serving as assistant director of Ivy Tech’s Alternative Spring Break (a service-oriented, immersive travel experience for Ivy Tech Bloomington students) and assists with Science Olympiad and other programmatic outreach initiatives.

The President’s Award is presented annually to one full-time faculty member from each Ivy Tech campus statewide. As recipient of this award, Hetrick is also the nominee for the statewide Ivy Tech Founder’s Award for Excellence in Instruction, to be presented by the College in June. The Founder’s Award is presented annually to one full-time faculty member statewide who best typifies the teaching and learning mission of the College.

Ivy Tech accepts free applications year-round and offers multiple course start dates for faster completion. Funding options are also available, from the state’s Next Level Jobs grant that aligns certification training with high-demand jobs to federal grants such as the Pell. To get started and ask questions, email askBloomington@ivytech.edu or call 812-330-6013.