NCF alum, Zygar Plautz ’85, is West Virginia Professor of the Year finalist

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — A Shepherd University biology professor is one of five finalists for the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia 2017 Professor of the Year. Dr. Carol Plautz, who teaches a range of classes from general biology for non-majors to upper level courses, said she’s “flattered, delighted, and excited” to represent Shepherd.

Plautz has taught full time at Shepherd since 2008. She said a lot of her teaching philosophy is shaped by her own undergraduate experience at the New College of Florida, where she was heavily involved in research.

“I had a phenomenal undergraduate research mentor, Dr. John Morrill,” Plautz said. “He really taught by example by having students design and do the brainstorming and thinking on their projects, by engaging in laboratory research and write up, and doing their own troubleshooting.”