Dr. Andrew Behrendt, associate teaching professor of history and political science at Missouri S&T, has won a Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Each year, the Governor’s Award is presented to one faculty member at each institution of higher education in Missouri. The awards are based on effective teaching, innovative course design and delivery, effective advising, service to the university community, commitment to high standards of excellence and success in nurturing student achievement.

Behrendt is a historian of modern East Central Europe, with specializations in the cultures and societies of the Habsburg Empire, Hungary and Austria. His teaching experience also includes food history and video games as a historiographical medium.

“Andrew is the ideal teaching professor: thoughtful, reflective, attentive to student learning, engaged in professional development, focused on student success, collegial and dedicated to his craft,” says Dr. Shannon Fogg, chair and professor of history and political science at Missouri S&T. “He teaches a large number of students without decreasing the quality of teaching and learning. He is always searching for new ways to enhance his courses and improve the learning experience for students.”

Behrendt has taught at S&T since 2018. Prior to joining S&T, he was an academic advisor at the Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, and program coordinator and NewsNet editor for the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies.

Before winning this award, Behrendt had earned several teaching awards at S&T, including two Outstanding Teaching Awards; a College of Arts, Sciences, and Education Innovation in Teaching Award; and a Faculty Achievement Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Grinnell College, a master’s degree in social sciences from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Pittsburgh.

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit  www.mst.edu.