CAFNR's Robert Torres earns 2009 Kemper Fellowship

Commerce Bank Chairman Jim Schatz presenting a check for $10,000 to Robert Torres.

Torres receives a congratulatory hug from his son.

Professor Robert Torres, director of graduate studies in agricultural education at the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, is one of five University of Missouri educators awarded the 2009 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence.

MU Chancellor Brady Deaton, Commerce Bank Chairman Jim Schatz and a group of professors, administrators and staff paid a surprise visit to Torres' classroom to honor him with the fellowship, which includes a $10,000 award. Fellowships are awarded to five outstanding MU professors each year.

The Kemper Fellowship was established in 1991 with a $500,000 gift. Kemper, a 1926 MU graduate, was a well-known civic leader in Kansas City until his death in 1989. His 52-year career included top positions at banks in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. Commerce Bank manages the trust fund.

Torres earned a Ph.D. in agricultural education from Ohio State University. His research areas include teacher education and determining and enhancing learning styles and cognitive abilities.

His teaching areas include team and organizational leadership; research methods; and data collection and interpretation.

A teacher's teacher

Since his arrival at MU in 2002, Torres has worked to improve the quality of K-12 education by preparing both the next generation of high school teachers and those who will teach them. Known to many as a true "teacher's teacher," Torres has challenged students with his creative learning materials.

"He inspires students as an educator with the enthusiasm, creativity and passion he exhibits on a daily basis," said Rebecca Lawyer, an MU graduate student. "Whether he is teaching a lesson on leadership theory, teaching methods or correlation research, Dr. Torres does all he can to engage students, motivate them to learn and inspire them to do more."

Along with the Kemper, Torres has earned the Outstanding Agricultural Educator Award, the Outstanding Advising Award, the Wakonse Fellowship and the Distinguished Teaching Award.

"Dr. Torres sets high expectations," said Thomas Payne, vice chancellor and dean of CAFNR. "He conveys his objectives for each lesson and continually checks for student understanding. He provides one-on-one instruction and is always available for students both in and out of the classroom."

Past CAFNR Kemper Fellows

Posted April 8, 2009
Photo credit: Steve Morse