Dr. Rosemary Karr

When Collin College students step into class this spring, they may be face-to-face with America’s top community college professor as veteran math professor Rosemary Karr donned a new title as the 2007 U.S. Professor of the Year.

Considered the pinnacle of collegiate teaching, the award is presented annually by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Dr. Karr beat professors throughout the nation’s community colleges to earn the honor. She has taught for 26 years with 17 years on faculty at Collin College.

This marks an unprecedented third time a Collin instructor has won Professor of the Year accolades. Just last year, psychology professor Jennifer O’Loughlin Brooks took the honor of top college or university professor in Texas, and in 2000 theatre professor Brad Baker was, like Dr. Karr, named U.S. Professor of the Year.

“Rosemary Karr is a remarkable professor with a natural gift for teaching. She truly deserves this honor, and she is a fine example of our outstanding faculty,” said college President Cary Israel.

But for this humble professor who once aspired to be a nun, the greatest reward is helping her students embrace mathematics. After teaching upper-level math at a university for 15 years, Professor Karr realized that legions of students were intimidated by the subject. That led her to shift her professional gears and focus on teaching developmental math.

Former student Angie Voss said she feared algebra in her early college years before she enrolled in Dr. Karr’s class. “I learned quickly that (she) wanted her students to learn, and she soon became an inspiration to me. That class started me on my journey to a career in teaching. Today, I am a high school math teacher, a subject few young women elect to teach.”

President Israel believes Professor Karr’s achievement will underscore the importance of developmental math as a national public policy issue. “Universities and colleges across the United States are struggling with the number of freshmen who need remedial math. If our nation wants to fight off global competitors like India and Canada, we must replicate and showcase innovative teaching strategies from professors like Dr. Karr.”

Dr. Karr is well-known for her service and leadership in mathematics education and developmental education. She is president of the National Association of Developmental Educators and was recently commended by the organization with the Outstanding Service to Developmental Education Students award. She has been named outstanding professor at Collin College three times and has received countless honors for teaching, civic engagement, scholarship and student organization leadership.

Rosemary Karr graduated Magna Cum Laude from Eastern Kentucky University with a B.S. in Mathematics, and earned an M.A. at the same university in Mathematics Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education (Computer Education) from the University of North Texas.

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