At the May 2005 graduation ceremony, Dr. Trey Philpotts, an Associate Professor of English, was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award. Dr. Philpotts had previously been awarded the 2003 Outstanding Faculty Research Award. Dr. Philpotts has published The Companion to Little Dorrit, has presented his research at international conferences, and has long served as the Review Editor for the Dickens Quarterly.

Dr. Philpotts' award follows the 2004 recognition of Dr. Deborah Wilson for her teaching, giving the English Department two consecutive recipients of this prestigious prize. Previous departmental winners of faculty awards were Professor Deborah Wilson for teaching, Professor Paul Lake for research, Professor Rexann Oller for service and Professor Earl Schrock for service.