Walter Shriner is enthusiastic about wildlife and biology, about showing students the intricacies of the world around us.

"I enjoy teaching. I like helping people see the world differently. There are lots of interesting things going on around us that people don’t realize," he said.

Shriner, known to his wildlife students as "Wally," has been teaching at Mt. Hood for six years. He teaches ecology, evolution, wildlife biology and other classes within the Natural Resources Technology program.

His enthusiasm for his work shows in the variety of his involvement around campus. Shriner is active in the faculty association and was part of the team which worked on the latest faculty contract. He also publishes a monthly newsletter, an all-staff email he describes as "poetic writings" called Eye on Nature. Which he said he thinks many staff members look forward to each month.

Students said they appreciate his active role in getting them out of the classroom and into the field His bird identification classes go out at least once a week and he plans field trips to show students a diverse range of species and their habitats.

Shriner also takes time to help students outside of class. CASS student Osmin Zelaya, from Nicaragua, said, "As a CASS student, I’m comfortable with Wally. It’s difficult to understand everything in class, but he takes time outside of class to explain things. This is important for us because he explains things and makes us (CASS students) feel comfortable."

Zelaya also appreciates Shriner’s knowledge and in-class style. "He is very efficient as a teacher," he said, "and he knows his material very well."

Zalaya said Shriner is very supportive of his students’ other activities as well. He said Shriner always understands he has other class projects and he even helps them, something Zalaya said CASS students appreciate very much.

Shriner’s teaching colleague Joan DeYoung of the natural resources program lauded his style in an email, saying, "Wally is an innovative, articulate and dedicated teacher. He has great ideas and enthusiasm — a pleasure to work with."

—Features on the other Award recipients will appear in subsequent weeks.