Christine Ballengee-Morris, professor, Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, has received the 2013 June King McFee Award from the National Art Education Association Women's Caucus. The award is presented annually to honor an individual who has made distinguished contributions to the profession of art education and who has brought distinction to the field through an exceptional record of achievement in scholarly writing, research, professional leadership, teaching, or community service.

"June King McFee wrote a book called Art, Culture, and Environment that influenced me greatly when I was teaching in the public school system," Ballengee-Morris said. "June KIng McFee has passed away but she was a professor and head of the department of art education at the Univeristy of Oregon from 1965 to 1983, and was one of the first researchers in art education who addressed collaboration and how important it was to our learning process as a student and as a researcher. That was key for me. Collaborative research generates dialogic understandings, which has encouraged me to academically grow in ways I did not know I needed to go. This process of practicing academic collaboration has influenced my teaching as well."

She added, "This award is one of the highest honors that the National Art Education Association bestows and I am so honored to receive it."