NAU–Yuma 2020 Teachers of the Year
Full-time Teacher of the Year Dr. Heather Clark, DNP, RN, Assistant Clinical Professor, Nursing Department.
Dr. Clark teaches undergraduate nursing courses at NAU-Yuma. She received her B.S. in Nursing at Indiana University Northwest and her Master of Science in nursing from Purdue University. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Northern Arizona University in May 2019. Dr. Clark taught for four years in South Bend, IN, and joined the nursing department at NAU as adjunct faculty in 2012. She became full-time faculty for nursing at NAU-Yuma in 2014. She has taught courses in foundations of nursing practice, adult health and illness, palliative care, and gerontologic nursing. Dr. Clark is highly committed to teaching excellence, and her students consistently give her high ratings for her teaching and her strong support for student success. Dr. Clark currently serves as the secretary for the Arizona Nurses Association-Yuma chapter, and is faculty advisor for the Yuma Student Nurses Association. Her research interests include early palliative care recognition and implementation. She presented her doctoral work to the Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) Family Residency Program and participated in poster presentations for the Arizona Nurses’ Association Annual Conference, and at Grand Rounds presentations for YRMC. She was actively involved in the creation of curriculum for NAU’s Senior practicum course in palliative care/gerontology. She is working with the NAU-Yuma social work faculty to create and implement the first Inter-Professional Education Collaboration on the NAU-Yuma campus to take place in March 2020. She is a member of numerous university committees and professional associations including Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Clark will be presenting her doctoral work at the Arizona Nurse Practitioner Council-an affiliate chapter of the Arizona Nurses’ Association- in July 2020.
Part-time Teacher of the Year Dr. Darcy Markham, Ed.D., NAU-Yuma Adjunct Professor, Education Department
Dr. Markham has worked as an adjunct professor with Northern Arizona University since 2005. After receiving her B.S. degree in special education from Moorhead State University, in Minnesota, she began working as a Special Education teacher and Resource Specialist for the Yuma One District. In 2007, she continued in that capacity for the Yuma Union High School District. She has served as the Special Services Department Chair at Gila Ridge High School and Yuma High School from 2009 until 2017. At NAU, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Masters in Educational Technology and with distinction from the Curriculum and Instruction Doctoral Program. In addition, she received her Principal’s certificate in 2012. She has taught numerous courses in the M.Ed. in Special Education Program, the M.Ed. in Elementary Education, the B.S.Ed. in Special and Elementary Education, and the B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. The courses she taught include Special Education Foundations, Advanced Classroom Management, Advanced Assessment of Exceptional Learners, and Cross-Categorical High-Incidence Methods. Her community service has included membership on the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center Advisory Board and volunteer work with the Boy