Neuroscientist McClure Earns University’s Highest Honor
By Justin Scupine, USC Chronicle
Lauded for his ability to enlighten and inspire students—both inside and outside the classroom—William McClure, professor of neurobiology, biological sciences and neurology at USC College, was awarded the 2003 Presidential Medallion during a ceremony in March.
“William McClure is the embodiment of the dedicated and caring professor,” says USC President Steven B. Sample. “He is an acclaimed and gifted teacher who has indelibly enhanced the lives and careers of countless students.”
McClure, who serves as director of the College’s psychobiology program as well as its minor in neuroscience program, has long proven his ability to communicate a passion for his subjects, fueling the enthusiasm of science students and novices alike. He prides himself in creating opportunities for undergraduate students to work in his laboratory, where he conducts research in learning and memory, prenatal stress and the chemical bases of mental illnesses.
Despite the fact that he teaches an introductory biology class with an enrollment of nearly 500, McClure’s students consistently award him high marks for individual attention, clarity of presentation and the ability to motivate them to excel. They note that his office door is always open for guidance, assistance or just conversation.
McClure, who has taught for more than three decades, relishes the challenge of presenting technical material to non-science majors. He has developed and taught award-winning courses for the Thematic Option Program, USC’s general-education honors program, including “Brain, Mind and Machine: Topics in Neuroscience” and “The Process of Change in Science.”
He also recognizes the value of science majors supplementing their lab work with a broader education in liberal arts and sociology. He speaks often of the value of USC’s Renaissance Scholars program, which encourages undergraduate students to graduate with majors and minors in widely separated fields of study.
By serving as a distinguished faculty fellow in the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching, McClure also has the opportunity to train and mentor new teachers at the university. In 1995, the center presented McClure with its top accolade, the Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching.
“Here’s a teacher who goes the extra mile not because he’s expected to, but because it gives him pleasure,” comments Anita Nagypal, a neuroscience graduate student. “Meeting him is one of the best things that has happened in my life.”
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