AECL professor earns national teaching award Sitton plans and verbalizes her lestudents enter 404 Agricultural sons as she teaches so students can see Hall in groups, chatting as they and hear the processes happening inside make their way to wheeled chairs her head, Summerfield said. colored in America’s Brightest Orange. “I don’t pre-think or have graphics Some swivel to work on shiny, silver computers while others continue talking going in,” Sitton said. “It takes longer, but I start from scratch, too. Students as they organize their notes. do not see the mental hoops I go “Hello, friends!” Shelly Peper Sitton through if everything is too prepped.” says as she enters the room with a smile However, sometimes not every examaccompanying her joyful greeting. ple goes well, Summerfield said. “I feel like I’m home when I walk “I struggle, too,” Sitton said. “When into the computer lab,” said Sitton, I began I was a perfectionist, but age Oklahoma State University agriculturhas a way of helping you understand al communications professor. “It is an you don’t have to be perfect. extension of my office. “Owning my own mistakes helps “We go there to get work done, and others see they can make mistakes, too,” the learning happens while we’re workshe said. ing,” she said. Sitton teaches differently than other She walks to the front of the room professors, said McKenna Knight, and opens an Adobe Illustrator docagricultural communications and agriument on the projector screen. She business junior. Sitton gives students begins designing a logo, explaining the an opportunity to learn the design proprocess as she goes. cess for themselves, she said. “Shelly is a teach-by-doing kind While working of person,” My mom taught me to love people just on the finishsaid Erica like they were my own family members. ing touches of a Summerfield, Shelly Sitton design project, Sitton’s gradAECL professor Knight said she uate teaching was frustrated when Sitton suggested assistant and agricultural communicaextra changes. tions master’s student. “When Shelly “Shelly told me and the whole class and I walk into class, we know what we she wants us to want to get more out of are teaching about but don’t have an the class than just an A on a project,” exact plan.” Knight said. Sitton teaches layout and design, Knowing someone is helping stufeature writing and editing, and the prodents beyond their grades is comforting, gram’s capstone course, which produces Knight said. the Cowboy Journal. 24 | COWBOY JOURNAL
“Shelly expects a lot from you, and she lets you know it,” Summerfield said. “But, she will not leave you hanging.” Whether for a design or writing piece, Sitton takes time to give individual feedback to each student, Summerfield said. Students understand her input matters, she added. “It all comes back to relationships,” Sitton said. “I am tough and have high expectations because the world does, and I want students to be prepared for the real world.” Sitton works hard to build relationships with students so she can challenge them to think critically about their work and the creative process, said Dwayne Cartmell, agricultural communications professor and Master of International Agriculture Program assistant director. “Many students talk about being bad at layout and design,” Cartmell said. “But, they really are good and just need to be challenged.” Deep relationships make it possible to challenge students and help them be well-equipped, Sitton said. “I get in the trenches with these kids,” Sitton said. “The graduate teaching assistants and I are side by side with them even when it means extra time.” Sitton knows students outside of the classroom, too, Summerfield said. The lines between her work hours and her office hours are blurry because of the flood of students waiting to see her, Summerfield said.
