Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching

Janet S. Parrott

Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre

 

It's safe to say that without Janet Parrott, there would be no video production program in the Department of Theatre.

 

It's also safe to say that as a one-woman show, she has to wear a variety of hats, often at the same time. Parrott serves as the faculty advisor for the student group Reel Buckeye Productions, teaches both undergraduate and graduate lab classes, and often connects students with internship opportunities at commercial venues. She also has reshaped the curriculum to align with university and departmental goals.

 

"Parrott has created a strong academic study of the field of video for early career scholars to explore that capitalizes on their inherent interests and challenges them to see the potential impact of their work well beyond their current frame of reference," one colleague wrote.

 

It's a challenge her students seem to relish, judging from the popularity of her courses and the praise they offer for her teaching. "Janet is a superb teacher; she is running a video production program all on her own and she is a mentor to countless video production students, including myself," said one of her undergrad students.

 

Another of her students offered this example to support how Parrott uses humor and hands-on application to teach both theoretical and practical skills: "One project she had us do to learn Avid, an editing program, was to re-edit the movie Psycho into a one-minute trailer. The results were hysterical."

 

About the Award:

The Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching honors faculty members for superior teaching. Recipients are nominated by present and former students and colleagues and are chosen by a committee of alumni, students, and faculty. They receive a cash award of $3000, made possible by contributions from the Alumni Association, friends of Ohio State, and the Office of Academic Affairs. They also receive a $1,200 increase in their base salaries from the Office of Academic Affairs. The recipients will be inducted into the university's Academy of Teaching, which provides leadership for the improvement of teaching at Ohio State.