Salyers Named Teacher of the Year by 吃瓜头条 Humanities Council
Mon, 02/10/2025 - 12:03pm | By: Dr. David Tisdale
One of Dr. Candice Salyers鈥� students says the University of Southern 吃瓜头条 dance professor moves with such grace that 鈥渟he鈥檚 like an angel who floats around the classroom鈥� making her students feel 鈥渨elcome and accepted but also pushes you to be the best you can be.鈥�
The 吃瓜头条 Humanities Council (MHC) shares this sentiment that Salyers is indeed heaven-sent, naming her MHC Teacher of the Year.
The MHC Teacher of the Year award features a public lecture by the recipient, which is set for Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. in Gonzales Auditorium in the Liberal Arts Building on the 吃瓜头条 (LAB room 108) Hattiesburg campus where Salyers will present 鈥淲omen Directing Humanity: Models of Women鈥檚 Leadership in Creative Approaches to Social Change.鈥� The lecture is free and open to the public.
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to the 吃瓜头条 Humanities Council for actively recognizing ways that teaching, learning and research enrich the life of individuals and communities in 吃瓜头条 and beyond,鈥� said Salyers. 鈥淚 am honored to receive this award and excited to share stories of women leaders in the arts who contribute to a greater sense of shared humanity around the world.鈥�
A member of the 吃瓜头条 School of Performing and Visual Arts faculty since 2018, Salyers鈥� work explores dance practices as humanitarian service and integrates performance, feminist theories, disability studies and environmental philosophy, proposing that site-specific dance can contribute to unique ways of embodying ethical citizenship. She also serves as director of the university鈥檚 Evelyn Gandy Center for Women & Leadership.
Seana Rains, a senior dance education major from Poplarville, Miss., says she knew she wanted to pursue a career in performing and teaching dance after taking Salyers鈥� Intermediate Modern Dance class.
鈥淒r. Salyers is the most kindhearted, caring person and she never fails to inspire me every day,鈥� Rains said. 鈥淚鈥檝e grown so much as a dancer and a human from every class I鈥檝e taken with her. As an advocate for all things peace and love, she is more than deserving to receive this prestigious award.鈥�
Salyers has also been honored with an Alma Bucovaz Award for Urban Service, Choreographic and Performance Fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and 吃瓜头条 Arts Commission, and a grant from the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund for feminist nonfiction writing.鈥疕er performance work has been presented in the U.S., UK, Estonia, Spain, Morocco, Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania and the Czech Republic.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Salyers and the 吃瓜头条 School of Performing and Visual Arts.