Meet 2023 Iman Award recipient Ashley E. Rhodes ’01, ’04, ’13
What factors enable and empower students to succeed in the classroom?
That’s the question that has driven Ashley E. Rhodes ’01, ’04, ’13, teaching professor
in the K-State Division of Biology, throughout her career. It’s also a mission that
motivates her and makes her excited to come to work every single day.
In recognition of the dedication she’s shown to her students and her work, the K-State
Alumni Association is honoring Rhodes with the 2023-2024 Iman Outstanding Faculty
Award for Teaching.
Introduced in 2007, the annual Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards are
sponsored by the K-State Alumni Association and are made possible through the generosity
of Ron ’62, ’70, ’73 and former student Rae Iman. The awards honor two outstanding
Kansas State University faculty members, one for research and one for teaching, and
include a $5,000 stipend.
Throughout the years, the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching honors a full-time
K-State faculty member for excellence in high-quality instruction, strong relationships
with students inside and outside the classroom, and a reputation for scholarship and
distinguished service to the university.
Rhodes’ dedication to teaching and curriculum development have earned her high praise
from her students.
“Beyond the classroom, Dr. Rhodes exuded unwavering enthusiasm for her subject matter
and a genuine desire to enhance the student experience,” says Matthew B. Davis ’23,
K-State graduate with a degree in biomedical engineering. “She actively encouraged
us to reach out via email if we had any questions regarding missed quiz questions
— an invitation I wholeheartedly embraced by sending her inquiries nearly every week.
To my amazement, Dr. Rhodes consistently responded with detailed, relevant and incredibly
rapid explanations. Dr. Rhodes genuinely relished the opportunity to foster a deeper
understanding of the material.”
We asked Rhodes to share some of her career highlights and K-State experiences.
At K-State: What are your thoughts on receiving this award?
Ashley E. Rhodes: Honestly, total surprise. There are just so many deserving people on this campus. And, after seeing the list of previous award winners, I am truly humbled to be in the company of so many accomplished people.
What are some of your career highlights?
I don't have individual highlights or inflection points when I think about my career
so far. Instead, I think about the collective experience that I have had at K-State
and the positive impact it has had on me as both a researcher and an educator.
When I joined the Division of Biology, I originally taught Principles of Biology.
I loved teaching that class because I got to interact with students one-on-one every
day and meet both STEM and non-STEM majors.
From that interaction I became fascinated with what I thought was one simple question:
who will be successful in this class and why? That question led me to pursue a Ph.D.
in education at K-State.
To this day, I am still fascinated and driven by this one question and to me that
is THE highlight. To be just as motivated now as I was when I began?! What could be
a better highlight than that?
What do you enjoy most about working at K-State?
That's easy — the students!