Frances Wymbs chosen as OHIO winner of MAC Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success

Image

Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Assistant Professor Dr. Frances Wymbs has been selected as the Ohio University winner of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success.

Wymbs, who teaches in the Department of Primary Care in the Heritage College, was announced as the 2022 OHIO winner by the MAC on Feb. 28.

“Ohio University faculty are dedicated to student success. We see this in all of our programs and on all of our campuses, and it is especially evident in the work of Dr. Wymbs,” Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Sayrs said. “I am very proud that she is being recognized for her commitment to her students.”

The MAC Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success recognizes one full-time faculty member from each MAC institution each year who has shown a dedication to student success and inclusion.

Wymbs, who has taught at Ohio University since 2012, said that it was a great honor to receive the award.

“Winning this award reflects the awesome team of students and faculty I get to work with,” Wymbs said.

“Working with students and faculty in the Center for Intervention Research in Schools (CIRS) and the Heritage College meant working with folks who build each other up and strive to see everyone succeed,” she said. “So winning this award is really these collaborative teams of faculty and students winning this award. I am truly humbled to be surrounded by them.”

Wymbs specializes in treatments for youth and families affected by social and emotional problems such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She also studies ways to engage families, teachers and providers in evidence-formed, patient-centered treatments for ADHD and works to reduce barriers to care for families from underserved populations.

She is grateful for the opportunity to work with students who are also interested in working with hard-to-reach populations affected by social and emotional problems. Many of her students and mentees have lived experiences that different from her own, and Wymbs explained that it is crucial to listen to their perspectives.

“The students I work with are innovating in the fields of science, medicine, clinical practice, and research,” she said. “They breathe new life into antiquated ways of thinking and are already galvanizing our fields. I like to think about how we can position them to continue to bring these difference-making ideas to fruition and into action.”

For the past 21 years, Wymbs has participated in federally funded research sponsored by the National Science Foundation and private agencies. She also has published in peer-reviewed journals.

In her work at OHIO, she works with graduate and medical students who specialize in clinical child psychology, primary care, and pediatrics as well as undergraduate students who, through hands-on experiential learning opportunities, deliver science-informed interventions for youth with social, emotional, and behavioral problems.

This is the third year that the Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success has been awarded to recognize the outstanding efforts of MAC faculty who support and develop students both inside and outside of the classroom. 

This student-focused award celebrates the commitment of the MAC to a holistic student experience and the creation of an environment that supports success in school and in life.  

The faculty members selected at each institution have shown an appreciation for the MAC Core Values, including academic achievement, commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity, fiscal responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and student-athlete well-being.