Southwestern College

Bob Gallup,  professor of physics and math, was named recipient of the Charles H. and Verda R. Kopke Award for Distinguished Teaching during Southwestern College Commencement exercises May 10. The Kopkes established the award in order to honor outstanding faculty members. 

“This is a tremendous honor,” Gallup says.  “This institution prizes teaching.  The faculty here, as a group, is amazing.  To be recognized is a humbling experience.” 


“I think that it’s great that the Kopke award went to Bob Gallup,” says Andy Sheppard, SC dean of faculty.    “He is a truly gifted teacher with a special talent for making challenging material readily accessible to his students.”

Gallup was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Fresno, Calif.  He received his bachelor of science degree from California State University, Fresno.  He was the valedictorian of the school of natural sciences.  He attended graduate school at the University of California at Davis and earned a Ph.D in physics.

Gallup spent three years as a lecturer of physics for pre-med students at UC-Davis upon receiving his doctorate.  He says that he would lecture to 200-250 students.
“I would look out into the hall and I saw students that I recognized but I didn’t know the names,” Gallup says. 

While searching for a teaching job in 1993, he discovered Southwestern College.

“When I was searching, I hoped places like this existed,” Gallup says.  “I found my passion for teaching here.”