Donald A. Neumann, P.T., Ph.D., was awarded Wisconsin’s 2006 Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He is the first Marquette professor and the first physical therapy professor in the nation to be honored by the U.S. Professors of the Year Program. Professor Neumann is no stranger to academic excellence. He was granted 3 Fulbright Scholarships in 5 years and recently awarded a Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Therapy, a physical therapy program he helped initiate. He authored the kinesiology field’s governing textbook, which is now used by over 50% of American physical therapy schools and translated into 4 languages. In addition, he was acknowledged by his professional peers and the American Physical Therapy Association, for excellence in teaching with the Baethke-Carlin Award. Back at Marquette, Dr. Neumann consistently ranks in the top 1% of all university teachers, with the highest student evaluations, earning him a Teacher of the Year Award. Within the classroom setting, he emphasizes mechanical “reasoning” rather than rote memory which can be a struggle but joy for the students. Professor Neumann’s attempts at combining these components intrinsic to education enable him to achieve his ultimate goal as a teacher: helping students realize the power of learning.
By: Clare Kennedy and Kaitlin Hong
