Lyle receives WWU Graduate College Distinguished Professor Award

5/17/2012 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

Ken Lyle, chief financial officer for Fulton State Hospital and an adjunct faculty member at William Woods University, is the first recipient of the newly created Graduate College Distinguished Professor Award.

Lyle of Columbia, Mo., has served as an adjunct faculty member for WWU's master of business administration program for 15 years. This spring was a special time for Lyle as he was chosen as commencement speaker for the Graduate College .
 
During the commencement ceremony, he was named the Graduate College Distinguished Professor.
 
The award was established to recognize professors providing outstanding teaching and service to the university's Graduate College. The award will be presented each year to an adjunct or full-time employee teaching in one of the programs offered through the Graduate College.  
 
Lyle teaches MBA classes in leadership, organizational behavior, managerial ethics, entrepreneurship, health care emphasis courses and the Capstone courses.
 
"I am pleased that our first Graduate College Distinguished Professor Award recipient was Ken Lyle," Dr. Michael Westerfield, vice president and dean of the Graduate College, said. 
 
"Ken's outstanding teaching, loyal program support, and genuine concern for students are reasons that exemplify what WWU desires in those teaching in our programs.  His business leadership and community involvement are noteworthy, making him an obvious choice as our first recipient."
 
Lyle graduated from William Jewell College of Liberty, Missouri, with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and psychology, and went on to earn master's degrees in counseling psychology and
public administration from the University of Missouri.
 
He has served most of his career within Missouri's Department of Mental Health. Working in Jefferson City, he was a state-level planner, establishing plans for hospital capacity, forensic services and specialized children's services. He also designed a statewide Medicaid program tailored to serve the needs of the severely mentally ill in Missouri.
 
Since 1992, he has served as the chief financial officer for Fulton State Hospital, the department's flagship facility.