Apart from lecturing to students, Mr. McKenzie has served on numerous committees, including the library and internationalization committees.
DAVISVILLE, WV, August 31, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Lawrence J. McKenzie Jr., MA, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. McKenzie celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. McKenzie was an English professor in the English department at West Virginia University Parkersburg (WVUP), having taught various courses to students, including Composition, Literature and Rhetoric. Since 2002, he also began teaching classes in philosophy, ethics, and religion philosophy. During his tenure on campus, Mr. McKenzie also served as an instructor and professor of composition and rhetoric between 1998 and 2012.
Apart from lecturing to students, Mr. McKenzie has served on numerous committees, including the library and internationalization committees. He has also been involved with the Humanities Speaker Series, has served as an assistant forensic coach, and, among other roles, was a faculty senate representative. Moreover, Mr. McKenzie was recipient of the Erik J. Bitterbaum President's Award for Innovation in Technology and contributor to the Gear Up For Success (GUS) Innovation in Technology program.
Mr. McKenzie previously taught as an adjunct instructor of British literature at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio, and as a humanities instructor at the University of Charleston in West Virginia, including West Virginia State University. He also garnered experience as a paralegal for a local law office in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Among other involvement, Mr. McKenzie is a former board secretary and former acquisitions editor for Mountain State Press in Charleston. He served as an acquisitions editor and adjudicator for the West Virginia Writers Association Inc. in Charleston in 2003 and a member of the West Virginia Consortium for Faculty and Course Development in International Studies in Morgantown, Virginia, since 2004. As a distinguished writer, Mr. McKenzie also notably edited a collection of short stories published by West Virginia authors titled "Mountain Voices."
Before transitioning into academia, Mr. McKenzie pursued Christian ministry, having served as an associate pastor and theological intern at the United Methodist Church in Charleston in 1992 and at Saint Andrew United Methodist Church in Saint Albans, West Virginia, between 1992 and 1994. Moreover, he served as an associate pastor and community youth director at Ostrander United Methodist Church in Ohio from 1994 to 1996 and as a pastor at Hyatt's United Methodist Church in Ohio between 1997 and 1998.
Mr. McKenzie was elected as a fellow of the West Virginia Humanities Council in 2002. The Council is recognized as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities nonprofit organization. Among other civic involvement, Mr. McKenzie is a past president and interim president of the Davisville, West Virginia, Community Acres Homeowners Association Inc.
A graduate of the University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia, Mr. McKenzie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion in 1994. He also received a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio, in 1998. Additionally, Mr. McKenzie received a certificate as a candidate for ordination in West Virginia in 1993.
Mr. McKenzie is active as a professional member of several industry-related organizations, including the American Philosophical Association, the West Virginia Association of Development Educators, and the National Council of Teachers of English. He is also an honorary member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Recognizing his work in the classroom, WVUP named Mr. McKenzie as a Faculty Member of the Year. The university also honored him with a Five-Year Service Award in 2008 for quiet, exemplary service and an Unsung Hero Award by the university president in 2003. Mr. McKenzie attributes his success to academic mentors, Dr. Robert G. Newman, and the Reverend Dr. Paul H. Smith, and to his students at WVUP for inspiring and keeping him young.
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