April/May 2006

Volume 46, Number 5

Don Zimmerman Receives Best Teacher Award

by Deb Lockwood

Don Zimmerman, one of the Rocky Mountain Chapter's distinguished Fellows, received a Best Teacher award from Colorado State University (CSU) on April 21, 2006. Don is a professor in the school's Journalism and Technical Communication Department. The six recipients of this year's Best Teacher awards were selected from a pool of hundreds of professors who were nominated by CSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Following is a reprint of the notice written by Kristen Deahl that was published online at http://comment.colostate.edu (reprinted here by permission):

Don Zimmerman, a professor in the journalism and technical communication program, is a well-respected member of the technical communication field. In addition to teaching, Zimmerman advises graduate students, tirelessly working to help them get ahead in their careers. He is a great source of encouragement to all his students and inspires them to believe that they can successfully complete a challenging master's program.

"Don works hard to provide research and teaching assistantships, to welcome new recruits and to stay connected to alumni," said an alumna. "I see Don as the central figure in our professional network today. No professor has to go that far to support his students, but Don always has."

Zimmerman is so well known and respected in the Front Range area that students who graduate with his influence on their education often have an advantage.

During my interview for my first job after finishing graduate classes in the technical journalism department, the hiring manager's most important question to me was, "Have you taken Don Zimmerman's information design class?" an alumna said. "I had. I got the job."

I would personally like to congratulate Don on receiving this award from CSU, and wish him continued good fortune. Please let him know how much you appreciate his continued support of our chapter and our profession!