Dr. Glenn Baxley’s Legacy of Connection Earns Faculty of the Year Honor

For an instructor, no honor carries more weight than one chosen by students. That’s why being named Faculty of the Year in the College of Education was especially meaningful for Glenn Baxley, Ph.D., an instructor at Westcliff University.

It was a recognition that caught him off guard, filling him with both surprise and pride. At first, Baxley assumed the honor had been passed along by colleagues. Then came the revelation. “I was shocked when I found out that it was the students that were saying, hey, I like what you do. That meant a lot to me,” he said.

The plaque on his shelf is only a symbol. What matters to Baxley is the connection it represents, a quiet reminder that teaching is more than notes and assignments. Its value lives in the respect shared inside the classroom.

That belief shapes his work at Westcliff, where faculty are encouraged to build relationships that reach past the syllabus. His recognition marks a milestone in his career and reflects how student-centered teaching defines the university’s culture.

Sitcoms, Sound Bites and Scholars

Baxley’s approach to teaching was shaped long before he stepped into a classroom of his own. As a student, he often asked peers to slow down and explain concepts in simple terms. “Excuse me, could you just treat me like I’m a second grader and dumb down your answer to me?” he recalled telling his professors with a laugh. That humility and the realization that others also benefited from those clarifications, continues to shape the way he teaches today.

Today, he adapts his methods to ensure no one is left behind. For undergraduates, he compares lessons to TV shows. “If you watch a sitcom, they’re 30 minutes long, but they really aren’t. Every few minutes there is a break. So I’ll teach a little bit, revisit what I’m teaching with some kind of an activity, come back and have a little discussion,” he said

At the doctoral level, the tone changes. Baxley positions himself less as a lecturer and more as a colleague. “I’m not really your teacher, more your mentor, but we’re colleagues because you have your master’s degrees,” he explained. By framing himself as both guide and peer, he empowers Warriors to step into the professional arena with confidence.

This philosophy defines his classroom: it is a place where students participate fully, not sit quietly in rows. That dedication to connection sets the stage for how he approaches innovation.

Innovation, Minus the Gimmicks

Many educators hesitate to embrace new tools, but Baxley has always leaned forward. He integrates videos, podcasts and now even artificial intelligence to make lessons more dynamic and accessible. “I love the idea of using AI to gather research, using AI to maybe give you some suggestions on changing up things,” he said.

Yet technology is never a substitute for communication. “I will not ever depend on gimmicks or tools or things like that to take the place of face to face communication. I think that part of it makes all the difference in the world because they connect with you then,” he explained. For him, those resources are valuable only when they amplify learning without diminishing the personal connection between teacher and student.

Perhaps his strongest example of accessibility is his rule for office hours. “My office hours are 24 seven, which really means 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I don’t care if you call me on a Sunday, because that’s when you have time to work on stuff. You call me if you don’t know something. Don’t waste your time trying to figure it out on your own. Give me a call,” he said. That openness reflects a philosophy where students never feel isolated, even outside of class.

Innovation and availability together form the foundation of his teaching style. And while they matter deeply, what resonates most with him are the connections that remain long after the semester ends.

Teaching for the Long Game

Baxley takes pride in being named Westcliff’s Faculty of the Year in the College of Education, yet the award itself is not what drives him. What matters most are the smaller, more personal reminders of impact. His proudest moments arrive in the quiet messages that follow months or even years later. For instance, on Father’s Day, a text came from a student with a simple greeting: “Happy Father’s Day, Prof!” As Baxley put it, “It’s just unlike anywhere I’ve ever worked in that respect for me. And those are proud moments because it means that I’ve made a difference in someone’s lives.”

Those connections affirm his belief that education is about building families within classrooms and creating experiences that last long after grades are posted. “Every once in a while as a teacher, you get a group of students that you never want to let go of because you really do become family to a degree,” he said.

We want to congratulate Dr. Glenn Baxley on his milestone. At Westcliff, faculty like him remind us that education is about building futures that extend far beyond the classroom.

The Faculty of the Year award now sits confidently in his office, catching the eye of visitors and his online students alike. “People have seen it even online because I have it sitting right where they can see it with a light underneath it, and it shines up on it, and I’m proud of that. But I’m more proud that my students are excited about reaching their end goal of getting their dissertation, and that I’ve been a small part of that,” he ended.