Dr. Gaye Winter, language arts instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, will be awarded the Gregory Cowan Memorial Award for Excellence in the Teaching of English in February at the Two-Year College English Southeast (TYCA-SE) Conference.  Winter has been at MGCCC for 20 years.

“This is, indeed, an honor,” said Winter.  “TYCA is an outstanding professional organization, and the Cowan Award is the most prestigious of their awards.  It is a thrill to be considered for the award and incredible to be selected.”

The Gregory Cowan Memorial Award for Excellence in the Teaching of English was first awarded in 1981 to celebrate excellence in teaching, It is determined by the TYCA-SE State Representatives after the nomination process is completed. It is the premier award given by TYCA-SE. As such, the Cowan Award recipient is honored in several ways at the annual conference: with a special session in which he or she gives a presentation to the members, with waived registration fees, with a stipend, with a commemorative plaque, and with a reception following the presentation.

Winter of Wiggins has a Master’s in English from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond and a doctorate from The University of Southern Mississippi in Higher Education Administration.

TYCA-SE is affiliated with the National Council Teachers of English (NCTE) and TYCA National. It is one of seven regional subgroups of TYCA National. The South-East Region comprises 10 states.